Live Review: Tarja - KK's Steel Mill, Wolverhampton
2nd February 2023
Support: Temperance, Beneath The Embers
Words: Cat Finch
Photos: Tim Finch
Tarja Turunen shot to fame in the years either side of the millennium as her former bands, Nightwish, career trajectory went through the roof. Since the mid-noughties she has forged her own path with a solo career that continues to flourish. This evening her solo tour lands in Wolverhampton at the legendary KK’s Steel Mill, a jaunt heavily impacted by the global pandemic and rearranged more times than I can count.
The bitterly cold evening air is sliced in two by the sheer volume of the performance from opening act Beneath the Embers. It’s a strange act to open for Tarja, as they are an outright angry metal assault siting juxtaposed to her more melodic, symphonic sound. The tour provides a great opportunity for the band to grow an audience and whilst it may not be their usual fan base, they are sure to hand won a new fan or two along the way.
It’s not until Temperance hit the stage that the real quality and showmanship shines through. As the dimmed lights rise a drummer sits atop his stool a lone man on an empty stage. A guitarist and bassist join him and together they whip up the energy in the arena, the trio meld vicious hooks and majestic melodies for a good minute or two before Gabriele Gozzi explodes from stage left. His vocal prowess adds depth the trios music and builds the energy of the performance. Just as you think they’ve hit their peak Lina Victoria also joins them, her angelic voice soars, bringing yet another dimension to proceedings.
The perfect accompaniment to tonight’s headliner, for thirty minutes they fill the void with a melodic metal performance never before seen in the Black Country. An impressive sight indeed and it gives Tarja quite the challenge to follow that.
Tarja needs to introduction to this audience. The crowd, 500 strong, await with baited breath for her appearance, despite many years away from the Nightwish freight train she is still held in high regard by everyone in the building tonight.
Three risers across the stage house the drums, keyboard and cello that accompany her fiery brand of symphonic metal. The first segment of the set kicks off with ‘Serene’ and highlights her solo work. The music leaps from melodic rock through to thrashing guitars in the blink of an eye, depth added by the keyboards and cello keep the fans gripped through ‘Demons In You’ and ‘My Little Phoenix’.
But it’s the power of those magnificent vocals which highlight the evening. Across variations in pace and timing Tarja’s vocal prowess stands tall, riding those waves, and crashing their power into the audience in front of her.
It is not until mid set that the evenings only Nightwish cover ‘Wishmaster’ is played, much to the delight of the crowd. Afterwards she continues with her own material once more ‘Undertaker’ and ‘Victim of Ritual’ lead us into an encore feature ‘I Walk Alone’ and ‘Dead Promises’ but rounded out poetically by ‘Until My Last Breath’.
All photo credits: Tim Finch Photography
