On April 9th, Nightwish kicked off their world tour in support of their new album, Endless Forms Most Beautiful, at the Hammerstein Ballroom in New York City. WSOU spoke with band mastermind Tuomas Holopainen prior to the gig; check out the interview below.

After the release of Endless Forms Most Beautiful, Nightwish will enter the European stages in support of their current masterpiece for the first time. The first gig of the masters of symphonic metal will take place in Joensuu, in their homeland Finland.

Bass player Marco Hietala looks forward to it: “It’s really nice to present »Endless Forms Most Beautiful« finally in our homeland. We will bring one of the biggest stage buildings we’ve ever had with us. So the fans can be excited for a spectacular experience for all senses!“

Watch the tour trailer below:

Tour dates:

June 6 - Joensuu, Finland - Laulurinne
8 - Turku, Finland - Baltic Princess
9 - Turku, Finland - Baltic Princess
13 - Nickelsdorf, Austria - Nova Rock
14 - Banska Bystrica, Slovakia - Amphitheatre
19 - Zurich, Switzerland - Rock The Ring Festival
21 - Clisson, France - Hellfest

July 12 - Vizovice, Czech Republic - Masters Of Rock
15 - Tokaj, Hungary - Kingdom Of Hegyalja
23 - Barcelona, Spain - Rock Fest BCN 2015
25 - Oulu, Finland - Qstock
31 - Tampere, Finland - Ratinan Stadion

August 8 - Kortrijk, Belgium - Alcatraz
9 - Hildesheim, Germany - M’era Luna
15 - Dinkelsbühl, Germany - Summer Breeze Open Air
29 - Trondheim, Norway - Sverresborg Arena

September 25 - Rio, Brazil - Rock In Rio

November 15 - Stockholm, Sweden - Stora Arenan
16 - Copenhagen, Denmark - Falconer
18 - Hamburg, Germany - O2 World
19 - Amsterdam, Netherlands - Heineken Music Hall
20 - Amsterdam, Netherlands - Heineken Music Hall
21 - Oberhausen, Germany - König-Pilsener-Arena
23 - Lyon, France - Hall Tony Garnier
25 - Paris, France - POPB-Bercy
26 - Toulouse, France - Le Zénith
28 - Basel, Switzerland - St. Jakobshalle
29 - Bologna, Italy - Unipol Arena

December 1 - Munich, Germany - Zenith
3 - Stuttgart, Germany - Schleyerhalle
4 - Frankfurt, Germany - Jahrhunderthalle
5 - Nürnberg, Germany - Arena
7 - Prague, Czech Republic - Tip Sport Arena Prague
10 - Bucharest, Romania - Polivalenta Hall
14 - Leipzig, Germany - Arena
15 - Berlin Max, Germany - Schmeling-Halle
16 - Luxembourg, Luxembourg - Rockhal
17 - Antwerp, Belgium - Lotto Arena
19 - London, England - Wembley SSE Arena (SOLD OUT)

February 19 - Starland Ballroom - Sayreville, NJ
20 - Webster Theater - Hartford, CT
21 - Metropolis - Montreal, QC
22 - Music Hall - London, ON
24 - Carnegie Music Hall - Pittsburgh, PA
25 - LC Pavilion - Columbus, OH
26 - Royal Oak Music Theatre - Royal Oak, MI
27 - Rave - Milwaukee, WI
29 - First Avenue - Minneapolis, MN

March 1 - Burton Cummings Theatre - Winnipeg, MB
2 - O’Briens Events Center - Saskatoon, SK
3 - Winspear Center - Edmonton AB
5 - MacEwan Hall Ballroom - Calgary, AB
6 - Wilma Theatre -Missoula, MT
7 - Showbox SoDo - Seattle, WA
8 - Knitting Factory - Boise, ID
10 - Knitting Factory - Reno, NV
11 - City National Civic of San Jose - San Jose, CA
12 - The Grove - Anaheim, CA
14 - Rialto Theatre - Tucson, AZ
15 - City Auditorium - Colorado Springs, CO
16 - Uptown Theater - Kansas City, MO
18 - Diamond Ballroom - Oklahoma City, OK
19 - Aztec Music Hall - San Antonio, TX
20 - New Orleans Civic Theatre - New Orleans, LA
21 - Iron City Live - Birmingham, AL
23 - The Ritz - Tampa, FL