Symphonic rock/metal powerhouses Tarja Turunen and Marko Hietala united with power metallers Symphonity on the historical evening of April 6th, 2025 at Principal Club Theater in Thessaloniki, ready to give us the show of our lives.
by Christina X
photos by Christina X and Mörker
The air was whimsical, windy and full of anticipation, as we gathered outside the doors of Principal Club Theater. Everywhere you turned you saw people of all ages, rocking their Tarja or Nightwish gear, full of adrenaline, ready to witness one of the wonders of symphonic rock/metal, the one and only, Tarja. The clock showed a bit past seven as the large awaiting crowd was slowly let in and we, with a heart full of emotions, made our way to the front of the stage.
First up, Symphonity took the stage. With a commanding presence and a love for the art of power metal, they immediately took the crowd on a trip, playing tracks from their 2022 album, “Marco Polo: The Metal Soundtrack”, a highlight of which was, beautifully written, “Dreaming of Home”. We also had the pleasure of hearing their earlier works. Song by song, David Akesson’s vocals were taking everyone on a journey. With an already emotional start, it was slowly time for none other than former Nightwish bassist and backing vocalist to take the stage.
Marko Hietala. A voice and playing that has followed all symphonic rock/metal fans from their early years, a sound that shaped Nightwish, and his now solo career. The lights dimmed, people were as excited as ever. Marko, bowing gracefully, entered and made the stage his. “Frankenstein’s Wife” was the first track he played, a strong yet committed start to the set. It was a magnificent experience. “Isäni Ääni”, one of his first solo songs in Finnish was also played, a hauntingly beautiful tone. “Roses From the Deep” was the most emotional ride yet, a gorgeous love ballad that caught all of us in the feels. The lights dimmed again and Marko called the phenomenal Tarja on stage for a duet of their track “Left On Mars”. Everyone watched breathless, in awe of her beautiful vocals and presence. One of the highlights of the night for me personally. As Hietala’s set came to a close, a cover of “War Pigs” by Black Sabbath was heard, making a point to the current sad situation of the world. The track got everyone singing along, and with that, it was officially time for Tarja’s set to be prepared.
With hearts pounding and emotions running high, anticipation built, we were chatting along when we felt the lights go dark and the air get thick. It was time. Tarja Turunen, the soprano phenomenon, entered. “Demons In You” played on. She gracefully accepted the flowers a fan gave her, and commented on how great it was to be back, adding a little Greek touch with “ευχαριστώ” (thank you, in Greek). “Undertaker”, one of her solo songs, was played, and my god, what a gorgeous experience it was. Personally, one of the first solo tracks I heard from her, thus very emotional. By far the most heart wrenching was “Oasis”, an acoustic, with Tarja Turunen both on the vocals and keyboards. We could do nothing but stare in a state of complete awe as she unleashed her immense vocal power on us. It was evident that this woman is one of the most amazing modern time singers. After this soul healing experience, she brought out Marko and many Nightwish songs were heard, “Dead To The World” and “Planet Hell” being my personal favorites. It was surreal, two members of Nightwish (of the original lineup) were right there, in front of us. The show was slowly coming to a close and Tarja and the band thanked the crowd, leaving the stage. People screamed on, asking for more. The lights dimmed again. ‘Wish I Had An Angel” and “Until My Last Breath” were played, a beautiful ending to an extremely emotional night. It was officially time for the ending of the night. With bows and thank yous, they exited the stage.
What an experience, truly. Tarja was the reason for me embarking on my personal singing journey and that struck a chord within me during this concert. This was, undoubtedly my favorite live experience. We hope to see her back soon.
