Tarja @ O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire, London – 16 February 2026
From metal mayhem to operatic finesse, this show had it all. Tarja remains the ultimate performer. From the moment she entered the stage — like a prowling beast — the audience were instantly in her thrall.
Her mere presence raised the electricity level inside the theatre. Standing centre stage, surveying her willing prey, she projected an aura of invincibility and majesty. As the band drove the power behind her, she appeared unstoppable — and at this point she hadn’t even spoken a word or sung a single note.
When she finally did, absolute chaos ensued.
“Her mere presence raised the voltage — and she hadn’t sung a note.”
There is something undeniably special about a Tarja show. Her vocal ability places her so far above many vocalists currently on the circuit that comparisons feel almost redundant. When those opening notes rang out, the entire room was swept up in the moment.
Tonight’s set leaned heavily into a greatest-hits celebration, with a couple of Nightwish classics included for good measure. With a second tour already pencilled in for later this year, the show also allowed Tarja to revisit earlier solo material, giving the audience exactly what they came for — an unforgettable night — something she delivered effortlessly.
Musically, the performance demonstrated how symphonic metal should truly be done. Tarja is the master — or rather mistress — of taking already dramatic compositions and elevating them to another level entirely.
500 Letters, Demons In You, and Crimson Deep arrived in quick succession, each song pulling the crowd deeper into her dark metallic world. The arrangements thundered with power while her vocals remained a masterclass in operatic precision. Simply put, nobody hits the high notes like Tarja.
“Nobody hits the high notes like Tarja. Nobody.”
Her classical roots were never far away. Close your eyes during the drum and keyboard introduction to Victim of Ritual and the echoes of Boléro become unmistakable, classical rhythms building before the band tear the piece apart and unleash its full metal force. Tarja spun across the stage like a dervish, her rolled ‘R’s on “Ritual” a moment of pure theatrical brilliance.
Into the Sun provided a welcome pause for breath. Performing solo at the keys, Tarja transformed the venue into something intimate and almost fragile, bringing the ballad to life with elegance and restraint.
This was one of those shows that seemed to pass in an instant — a fleeting moment between stepping onto the stage and bidding the crowd farewell.
Of course, the Nightwish material could not be ignored. Both selections came from Once, the final album to feature Tarja. Planet Hell saw the audience roaring every word back at the stage, proving that when operatic finesse gives way to raw power, she can still rock with the very best.
“The Nightwish moments weren’t nostalgia — they were detonations.”
The encore delivered pure anthem territory. Wish I Had an Angel erupted into life, a masterpiece and the perfect send-off — or so it seemed. Because this is a Tarja show, and nothing ends quietly. Until My Last Breath provided the final, triumphant closing statement.
For tonight at least. Roll on the next time.
WORDS: ADRIAN STONLEY PHOTOS: ROBERT SUTTON
Setlist
- Eye Of The Storm
- Undertaker
- 500 Letters
- Demons In You
- Crimson Deep
- Victim of Ritual
- Into the Sun
- Shadow Play
- Anteroom of Death
- Silent Masquerade
- Planet Hell (Nightwish cover)
- I Walk Alone
Encore
- Dead Promises
- Wish I Had an Angel (Nightwish cover)
- Until My Last Breath
