I've dreamed of seeing Oceanborn played live all the way through. I still consider it among my top 10 favorite albums ever. I've been a huge Nightwish fan for a long while, but never got to see the band in it's prime (ala somewhere between Oceanborn and Once) They've never played here in Salt Lake. I was fortunate to catch them at Wacken 08, and while i think that Holopainen is still writing primo jams, i don't personally feel that the music comes across with the same type of fire that got me into the band originally. Hahaha, I blame it on the vocals...
I think Annette is a good singer, but side with AMBR on the fact that her live performance has often left me disappointed. I believe I understand why the boys decided against picking a vocalist that was similar in style to Tarja, but I really wish they would've kept the same type of formula. I just don't think that Annette comes anywhere near the majesty that Nightwish's reputation has built, and she leaves Tuomas' beautiful music from reaching it's full potential! There are MANY wonderful Nightwish songs that Annette butchers live, or just flat out cannot sing, (anyone heard her botch Ghost Love Score?
) and that really makes me sad to know that there is a slim to none chance of hearing those types of songs performed.