NIGHTWISH - THE GREATEST SHOW ON EARTH - RYAN MEAR REACTS!!!

[@RyanMear]

I'm going to add my own tidbit here. I did catch so many things while watching but I didn't stop a lot because it was SO MUCH. I was reveling in hearing a song that shares so much of my personal thoughts and realizations through critical thinking and science. Oh, I missed a lot too, but you always fill in the gaps for me. Pun most definitely intended. I live in a country, in a state, in a town, where religion still holds sway over many decisions of those religion doesn't hold sway over. I hope that makes sense. With much music I love, I find out eventually that their thinking is usually in line with mine, but it's usually very cryptic to keep out of trouble. It's ridiculous. A few bands hit it head on (I realize there are many, I'm mainly referring to well known bands) NIN, Suicidal Tendencies, Alice In Chains, Killswitch Exchange, Avenged Sevenfold, Rage Against the Machine, just to name a few I've found on my own. For me, Nine Inch Nails was the music that I found at a critical time of development ( Love and loss, confusion, despair) that kind of told me that I wasn't alone and it was okay to feel sad and question things that didn't make sense. I don't know how I would have recieved Nightwish had I been turned on to them sooner, but I'm glad I know them now. Along with their amazing fans. ❤🤜🤛 Thanks, Mear

[@572Btriode]

Well said Ryan. Prof. Dawkins: "We are all atheists about most of the gods that societies have ever believed in. Some of us just go one god further."

[@gregforbes550]

Thanks Ryan, I don't live in the States but one of the great challenges that I have as a theology professor is trying to get my students past the ridiculous and extremely unhelpful polarisation between God and science. So rather than being open to the data, which appears quite overwhelming to me, people feel they have to defend young earth ideas (and God of the gaps stuff) and they end up with such ludicrous scenarios. I love this song - for a whole lot of reasons, but it makes me appreciate the enormity of what I see around me. All the best - I hope your arm improves quickly - and good pick up on the Enter Sandman riff!

[@sixtuspettersson6059]

*HEYYY* !!

[@TheHenningway]

Big Brain Singer has a very good reaction video of this song. I learned a lot from it. Check it out.

[@domfol5515]

From Ireland here. I’m more interested in exo planets than religion! I’m not skeptical about alien life in this vast universe I’m more skeptical about religion on our tiny planet. It’s killing us all. For me, and it’s just me here, ok people.... ! without religion, human kind will prosper and advance. It’s a primitive form of explaining the unknown. Now, humankind has advanced and has evolved to the point that the unknown can be explained by thinking and working together and by using the laws of physics that exist to explain the universe we live in. Sorry Ryan if I bring this up on your channel but nighwish just gets me going. Toumas is our Mozart Or Beethoven of our age. Hope you’re back knocking out the rifts after the hand injury 😎🤙

[@GWDH19]

Floor: Enter LUCA, enter life Marko: Enter Ionia Floor: Enter history Floor & Marko: Enter ratkind Emppu: Enter Sandman 😍

[@gerrygrouwe70]

Gerry Grouwe front enter a small town in Holland famous for his wooden shoes 🤣🤣🤣🤘🤘🤘

[@jmartin4396]

Beat me to it.

[@badmotherrucker]

Happy Birthday Emppu.

[@BoonesRevenge]

Gratz, you have won best comment🥇 we can now close the internet 😂

[@GWDH19]

@@gerrygrouwe70 Ie hoeft mie nie uut te leg'n woar Enter ligt heur 😆

[@laudatosiadastra1218]

I absolutely love this performance. Do you notice not a single person is rushing for the exits once they finished the song? Nightwish fills me with so much joy and positivity.

[@Alicatt1]

At their Dusseldorf concert December '22 my wife and I were the last to leave the arena, we sat and had a drink in the upstairs bar while watching the queues of cars leaving the car park finally leaving with the manager of the venue. Really I was still too hyper to want to drive all the way back home straight away, We didn't go in to see Turmin Katalot (sp?) but Beast in Black were awesome the energy they had was a great warm up to Nightwish, leaving the concert my wife asked "when can we see them again?" she is not a Nightwish fan at all but it was her that got the tickets for Gelsenkirchen the following June as a birthday treat for me :) and she was quite disappointed when she translated Floor's German to English for me and she said that they would be taking a hiatus from touring.

[@wabbajack9331]

I always love the ending. This massive collectible shout out, almost desperate "We were here" . Just like all of humanity wants to send a message when this masterpiece echos as a radiowave through space in case of someone or "some-it" on a planet far away will catch this message up. Maybe to this time there will be no humanity anymore because this song travelled so long through the darkness of space. But all of mankind had achieved much good and beautiful things. So we just want everyone out there to know............WE WERE HERE!!!!! We existed, don't forget us. And thinking of this, always gives me the shivers and a little tear of joy.

[@torpmorp1324]

I think it’s great you are/were here.

[@simonee4018]

I am indeed one of the lucky ones. In a few weeks I'm going to a concert by Floor in Den Bosch (Netherlands). And in November to Nightwish in Amsterdam. 😍

[@eveningglow2608]

veel plezier!

[@RyanMear]

Ik wou dat ze meer shows hadden in de States

[@kimfabritiusdetengnagel2038]

Damn - you will then experience Floor and Henk in Nightwish!!! You are indeed a lucky one 🍀😉

[@wingedyera]

I'm also going in November... if the virus allows for it of course...

[@DjFrankieV]

Floor's parents were watching the show from the stage , they are hiding next to Tuomas right hand side :)

[@garywillingham3644]

Ill have to keep an eye out for that Thank You

[@garywillingham3644]

An interview with them after them first seeing their daughter perform like this Almost as epic as the show itself

[@joslauwers7960]

Guys, that interview was after the last stage-test the day before! Floor parents where located on the stadions tribune on the left side looking from the stage. At the end Floor is bowing that way and she did that for her parents and family.

[@Flickerboy]

Every time I watch a reaction to this song (about 300 times 😂) I can't help ending crying, every time, and hearing Dawkins saying those words... Touch me every time to the bone. Great reaction Ryan! As always. Stay safe!

[@marcel021065]

You are ready, you serious are one of the most honnest and nice reactors at this moment, i now every nigytwish or Floor song, but love to see you getting in this band, thanks and keep the nightwish reaction comming

[@craigramsay53]

I`ve said this many a time but, as a classically trained singer who`s done some pop and Celtic as well, and been around (more than) a few years, I have this as one of the top 5 compositions in all of music for the past 50 years. This performance is just beyond phenomenal. AND btw don`t know if you noticed but Floor`s costume has both the blue and white of Finland (where they`re performing) and also the DNA double helix.

[@pro-v7500]

And she has unicorns for heels hahaha

[@RyanMear]

ah, nice! Thank you!

[@Slick-ng5kf]

The rivets even would correlate to base pair connections …biology nerd here (also another reason to love Floor) 🤘

[@RyanMear]

Whaaaaat?! Nice

[@elaa.k.juutilainen5450]

You have become one of my fav reactors. Thank you for this superb reaction. The song is huge! And thank you for "visiting" my beautiful hometown Tampere.

[@RyanMear]

my pleasure!

[@Bethuriel]

Well done. You walk on gilded splinters now. The Nightwish rabbit hole is a deep one. Just stand your ground and please stay save. Peace from Germany

[@MechMonstrosity]

Love the fact that you actually listened to the narration at the end. The "how dare we whine at our inevitable return to that prior state from which that vast majority never stirred" bit is my favorite part of the song, glad it resonated with you as well! Cheers man!

[@davehertle]

This ending, especially the part starting at 24:50 with Marko's huge smile. This was a moment in their journey as a band from Finland; to give your very best performance possible to your fellow countrymen and then to have a moment to enjoy their accolades. This part always make me cry with tears of joy that they had that moment. Many folks never have that moment in their lives.

[@marcusanton95]

Floor has given so much joy to the world. I wish I was a wordsmith but alas I'm not so I stumble trying to say what she has meant in my life and in the lives of so many. Nightwish Concerts are not events, but a journey. A journey you survive but leaves you emotionally drained (in a great way). With Covid, I had to cancel going to see them recently, vaccine mandates, etc. I wish nothing but the very best for all of them. So I get what you were saying, my friend.

[@bocatampere]

My hometown ❤️ Was working on stage crew. This song contains everything what LIFE is all about ❤️ Thank you, sir. BTW: My rescue dogs know when I’m feeling emotional ❤️

[@someperry7263]

Great by all means! And it's so cool that your efforts are part of this master performance. ... and then you headed to hold the Finnish flag 🇫🇮 in The Warning gig ;-)

[@bocatampere]

@some Perry Good pick there 😂👍

[@eviljeep]

Perfect sky for the show.. half clear, half stormy. Just like Nightwish 👌

[@alanfoster6589]

"Weak Fantasy" does more than "touch" on the matter of religion. The version from Tampere.

[@RyanMear]

ooooh, that sounds interesting...

[@BOOMBiggityBam]

@@RyanMear it's lyrics are brilliant and the icing on the cake is that it is one of their heavier songs.

[@deanabennett8461]

@@BOOMBiggityBam exactly!!

[@pickboaa]

@@RyanMear Yes please, Weak Fantasy in an amazing song imo.

[@30110CKs]

Another vote for Weak Fantasy. The best summing up of religion I've ever heard.

[@mickoldbear3008]

Nightwish army UK (old codgers division) lol I'm a 60 year old bloke from middle England and I've only recently discovered this amazing band...no two songs are ever the same, to my ears anyway, and I'm completely hooked.... Great reaction, honest when you realised you heard the song before, but this is probably the definitive version, lol you haven't heard it till you hear this one... Subbing and liking... Can't wait to follow you down this magical rabbit hole....

[@RyanMear]

Thanks, mate, I've got a few others done many to go!

[@75jvs]

Only recently found your channel and it is so good to see someone discover Nightwish like I did, with a smile from ear to ear! Fun to watch, makes me smile too, enjoy the journey.

[@jessicakoster2543]

Part of the fun with this song is going to the comment section and watch the discussion of the interpretation unfold. Every single time you learn something new, things that you missed before. It's really wonderful to see what this song sparks.

[@garywillingham3644]

yes it is I go back down a long road First ELP Tarkus Then Yes CTTE Floyd DSOTM Tull TAAB among others My faith has been renewed in Nightwish

[@NickBR57]

I think most reactors (all?) kind of miss the point of the start of this piece. It sounds repetitive but in fact it's like the "minimslist" movement. There are very small changes each time and eventually it is not what it started as. A lot of people don't "get" that in minimalism. But it reflects the slow changes that make up evolution. Its part of Tuomas' genius that seems to be missed often, perhaps because there is such else going on. Graphics to match drums not vice versa. There are great moments of trivia in this: I love Floor's facial expression, vocal expression and hand movement on " Enter...Life!" You made me smile when you said "No, were just going to marinate" 😀 Who but Tuomas would write a lyric "atavistic dread of the hunter" ?? Marko's smile as he comes to the front at the end, and Floor's arm around Tuomas. Bring on the onions... Love the last couple of minutes of your talking! Great reaction video.

[@craigbolton5093]

I've watched a lot of Nightwish reactors and I gotta say you're the one I'd most like to sit around a campfire with, drinking a refreshing adult beverage and listing to Nightwish. Another great take!

[@RyanMear]

Sounds great!

[@jeannettesimpson9778]

@@RyanMear Can I join in?

[@TimoArula]

WE WERE HERE, our brother in arms !!!! This is big one. I just love this version....They look like an Avengers what we need !!!!! Nightwish Shadow Unit

[@chrisw8515]

I know every nightwish song has the capacity to be a favorite, but this one really gets me. I'm a natural history buff and I just couldn't believe it the first time I heard it, all these references to events in Earth's history. I felt the same when I heard Endless Forms and heard reference to eukaryotes and tiktaalik. Talk about a fuckin blast

[@verakatharina]

"My mind is a primordial soup of emotion and wondering" is the best quote from a Nightwish reaction so far, imho 😂 I'm gonna have to steal that one. Great reaction again!

[@RyanMear]

😉👍

[@petralusebring6110]

This is a masterpiece and Floor's voice... Another great voice you can expect from a guy named Dimash Kudaibergen. He has an 6 octave range and he is trained since the age of 5 years old. Try ADAGIO from the singer competition and "OGNI Pietra" the fancam version. It's mind blowing. All the best from Germany and stay safe ☀️ Petra

[@motogpvr_4683]

Ryan, great thanks for your reaction. It was interesting to watch this excellent piece again with you. Greetings from Minsk, Belarus.

[@RyanMear]

Thanks, greetings from Indiana, USA

[@PaulBosenJr]

Once more... Power of Music... Power of Nightwish... Power of Truth...

[@vlinder6329]

WOW THIS IS BEAUTIFUL AGAIN !!!! ALL THEIR SONGS HAVE A STORY ... AMAZING 🔥 💥 🔥 💥 I LOVE NIGHTWISH 🤘 THANK YOU SO MUCH 💕 💫 💛

[@markokuusisto3332]

I live 13km from that stadion in direction of last drone shots. I heard drums bass and those fireworks on my balcony. They played quit loud and not everybody in Tampere was happy about that but that`s how it should be played.

[@ralfmeyer9086]

Hihi, but everbody know Nightwish is in Town.🤘😊

[@retuvaljakka1364]

I love the way Nightwish gig starts, they tell the audience to put the phones down, just because they want to see the people.. not phones. When I see them live, I take max 2 photos/videos!

[@ctacoma8334]

I cry for Marko, I cry for Mankind. "WE WERE HERE!"

[@nikostsoromokos696]

Hello again Mr Ryan. This is huge, epic and much more other things. Only Nightwish can and do that. For me the Wembley version is awesome but this is more exciting. Love them both. Nice to see again.

[@jeffbowden8367]

Hey Ryan, 🤗🤘🎶, thanks for the great reaction dude, great to see your smile back. So here’s a thought, the NW army is generally evenly split between this Tampere concert and the London Wembley Arena concert and most reactors do the Tampere version, BUT, how about doing the London version as well 😄 it’s different enough to do a separate reaction particularly as you mentioned that you would like to play guitar over Thomas’ piano which is exactly what Troy did at the London show plus the fact that Richard Dawkins made a guest appearance. Personally Tampere is my favourite because I was there, my first time ever hearing and seeing Nightwish. By the end of the concert I was an emotional wreck😳😱🤣😭🤗. I don’t think any other reactor has done both versions and I’m willing to bet you will get as many views for the London version as you have for this one, so think about it PLEASE 👍🤘❤️🇬🇧

[@RyanMear]

I will think about it. I might even have a little more to add having so much information thrown at me LOL! So what do you give me if I don't get as many views?? (Really doesn't matter, I don't get money from these anyway! )

[@jeannettesimpson9778]

You can't help but fall into this. It's a masterpiece of composition. I get an emotional and physical workout every time.

[@rayraudebaugh5395]

(First, hit the thumbs up button, next, watch another great reaction. Thanks) I love this masterpiece more every time I hear/see it. And the more one knows about subjects like astronomy, paleontology, archaeology. natural history, biology, evolution, etc. the more epic it becomes. So many references. Tuomas is absolutely a genius to have composed this.

[@gillandianyt3920]

Some people may wonder what "Goldie Locks" has to do with it. It encourages you to look things up and learn things you didn't know you were interested in.

[@TomTomson81]

I'm just watching the first minute of your video and I know right off the point that this reaction is going to be great. 😁 The pyrotechnics at the beginning need incredible timing to fit perfectly on the music. You don't just press the button and then everything explodes. The rockets must first come to the point where they explode. That means the path must be calculated. That's the madness as that fits. So you've seen that live conzert? The madness right? GLS and TGSOE in a row. And how well Floor could replace Marco. I saw the first day. That's when Planet Hell was played. Actually has a song for Marco and Floor did it so well to sing with two different voices. And also at TGSOE the growling, the grunty with Troy alone in prehistoric man part. Sensationell. 😁 Oh God how I miss Marco every time I hear him. But as I often say, I prefer a healthier Marco in retirement to another dead legend. Many did not know when it must be over and paid the price. In this respect, makes it easier..

[@RyanMear]

Holy shit I didn't even think of the travel time for the fireworks.....great point!

[@chrisw8515]

I'm so with you on that man. I love Marko. I want him to be happy and take care of himself - he's certainly made me awfully happy over the years. And "the band" as it stands, they won't let us down. Stuff changes but hell, I've been listening since Tarja and I'm still here, loving all the emotions after all this time. Also I watched both live shows and they were fucking great, if a little stilted on conversation, which is understandable. No audience they can see and hear, must have been hard as hell to get into the passion and put on a performance!

[@angeliquemondalimare2951]

This is an amazing piece of music. This particular performance is unbelievably epic and wonderful. This is my favorite Nightwish song :)

[@empyrrhicist731]

"The chord progression he's using for this opening... I would love to play guitar over it" - I rather think you might enjoy the Wembley Arena version as well then ;) kzbin.info/www/bejne/p6OwqKubZ96Ua6c The piano intro makes me well up every single time I hear it. There's a staggering, endless cosmic beauty about it. Your reactions have consistently been some of the most heart-warming, genuine ones I've had the privilege to watch. Cheers to you.

[@RyanMear]

Thank you and cheers!

[@jeannettesimpson9778]

@@RyanMear You really should do the Wembley version as well. Troy plays the guitar with E-bow on the intro. And why would you not watch this epic piece again?

[@MeStevely]

Hey, I actually prefer the Wembley version because of Troy’s guitar. And Dawkins actually makes an appearance. And being a big boy now, I’ve seen fireworks before - meh.

[@jessicakoster2543]

I was thinking the same thing. I really prefer Tampere, but for some people, Wembley is the way to go.

[@Jason_xofilos]

Also Wembley had better sound mix if that is possible in addition to what other gave said. This version at Tempere id great to be introduced to because of the fireworks 💥 for the creation of the matter, from the death of other stars in the form of Nova and Supernova (larger stars), of our solar system including Earth 🌍 of course.

[@steventownsend1344]

Hi mate uok it steve in uk again huge nightwish fan got all cds dvds rareities.yes great song great band just 1 point mate u might like to no is at the end is when they singing wewere here the kids in background are missing kids .they got that from a 1990s band called soul asylum and there sing runaway train about missing children

[@RyanMear]

I remember that band and the video. It was quite moving and they found several of the children because of that video.

[@steventownsend1344]

@@RyanMear yes they did mate some got found yes i remember song to lol i bought single .im 49 .yes nightwish not same without marko but understand his reasons .but lots of band evolve hve different members .and also a key point lots of nightwish fans thought the band would permanently split when tarja left mate .but band stayed together and in floor hve great vocalist mate .i love floor but cant compare the two as i love tarja to and got all her solo stuff to.glad u ok mate.thanks for reply back

[@Nystromj1]

Once you've discovered Nightwish, there's no turning back. You are drawn in, mesmerized, and totally loose yourself in their music and performances. The Greatest Show on Earth is perhaps the pinnacle piece for this band, and one of the most brilliant compositions in modern memory ..

[@ioaKouts]

Just for now, it is my duty to introduce you to some info about the lyrics. Lyrics are in " " [Part 1: Four point Six] "Archaean horizon, The first sunrise" Earth's history is divided into four principal Eons: the Hadean, the Archean, Proterozoic, and the Phanerozoic. The Hadean is the Eon during which the Earth and Moon formed; in the Archaean, primordial life appeared. Https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Earth "On a pristine gaea" Gaia is the primordial Greek goddess of the Earth. More recently, the Gaia hypothesis is a recognition of the living and nonliving Earth systems which form an interdependent whole. Https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gaia "Opus perfectum, Somewhere there, us sleeping" Pristine perfection (of silence, of a blank page, of the very point from which the big bang itself sprung) implies a rich creative potential. Here Earth is painted in the same powerful way. Diversity awaits; unborn beings are sleeping the same sleep to which they will return at death. This interpretation is thematically linked with the album's opening track, "Shudder before the Beautiful," which includes the lyrics, "The music of this awe, Deep silence between the notes, Deafens me with endless love." Or as the furious hobbit screamed at the novice trumpeter, "An artist respects the silence, it serves as the foundation of creativity." [Part 2: Life] "The cosmic law of gravity Pulled the newborns around a fire, A careless cold infinity in every vast direction. Lonely farer in the Goldilocks zone" Gravity pulls the Earth around the energizing Sun in an otherwise inhospitable universe. Earth is the only planet in our solar system's circumstellar habitable zone, orbiting at the "just right, not too hot, not too cold" distance from the Sun. Https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Circumstellar_habitable_zone "She has a tale to tell, From the stellar nursery into a carbon feast, Enter LUCA" In astronomy, stellar nurseries are the birthplaces of stars: they nurse stars Https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Star_formation#Stellar_nurseries Poetically, our solar system is another "stellar nursery," in which a star is the nurse, caring for and warming a planet of 'newborns,' early carbon-based life. "Feast" evokes the incorporation of plentiful chemical building blocks into rudimentary life forms. "LUCA" stands for "Last universal common ancestor," the one single organism from which all other presently existing life on Earth descended. Https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Last_universal_ancestor "The tapestry of chemistry is a writing in the garden, Leading us to the mother of all" The periodic table of elements does look like a sort of patchwork tapestry, but this can go further. The historical function of tapestries was as "nomadic murals," pictographical histories which moving people could pack up and revisit wherever they went. The "writing in the garden," in nature, is not only the stone murals left by dead animals in the form of fossils, but is also this chemical writing that encodes the relatively nomadic DNA molecule with the instructions for life. The scientific investigation of this information leads us back to LUCA, and further. Https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tapestry#Function "We are one, We are a universe," This is the natural conclusion to draw from the fact that life shares common origin, that all life is built with the same blocks, and that all life on Earth is interdependent (gaia hypothesis). The multiplicity of beings on Earth are one, just as the cells in a body are one. "Forebears of what will be Scions of the Devonian sea." The Devonian geologic time period marked the first significant, rapid diversification of life (and the more well-known Cambrian explosion is another of these 'adaptive radiation' events). It was during the Devonian that the 'higher plants' appeared and blanketed the continents with forests. Https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Devonian . The word "scion" refers to a shoot of a plant cut for grafting, and is also used to denote a descendent of a notable family. Both meanings apply. "Aeons pass, Writing the tale of us all. A day-to-day new opening For the greatest show on Earth" Evolutionary adaptation is written in the DNA and as fossils in the rocks, and is ongoing. Species die, diversifiy and delineate. Every day is different, every day something changes. "Ion channels welcoming the outside world To the stuff of stars" Ion channels are found in the membranes of all cells, controlling the flow of energy through the cells. The stuff of stars is all the physical matter we're made of. So it's the ion channels, guiding enery, which allow living bodies to interact with the rest of the world by exchanging energy with it. "Stuff of stars" is surely a Sagan reference: "The nitrogen in our DNA, the calcium in our teeth, the iron in our blood, the carbon in our apple pies were made in the interiors of collapsing stars. We are made of starstuff." For fun: kzbin.info/www/bejne/jniuaWeGpMqspM0 "Bedding the tree of a biological holy, Enter life" The bed of a tree is the nutrient-rich soil from which it grows, a soil made of dead things. The "tree of a biological holy" is probably the tree of life en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tree_of_life_(biology) . This line refers to the "holy" legendary tree of everlasting life but also means the conceptual, branching family tree of all life, whose bed consists of all deceased beings (in a more literal sense), or all extinct ancestral species (in a more abstract sense). This is thematically linked with the song "Alpenglow." "We are here to care for the garden, The wonder of birth Of every form most beautiful" "We" could be human beings tasked with acting as nature's stewards, garden of eden style, but that's not chronological -- human beings haven't quite appeared in the song yet. "We" could instead be all of life itself, in a gaia-philosophy sense, which posits that life creates environments ever more hospitable to more life. Https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gaia_philosophy Or maybe it's a combination of these two thoughts: life eventually creates an environment suitable for the development of consiously acting, thinking human stewards. [Part 3: The Toolmaker] "After a billion years, The show is still here. Not a single one of your fathers died young." Every single one of a given person's ancestors, male and female, lived past puberty at least. But "fathers" evokes "forefathers," which has a nicer storytelling ring to it than "parents." "The handy travelers Out of Africa Little Lucy of the Afar" Handymen are good with tools; travelers posessing hands rather than forefeet walk upright. Hominids originated in Africa and spread to the rest of the world from there. Lucy is a particular specimen of the Australopithecus, one of many "missing links" between modern humans and nonhuman ancestors. Https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lucy_(Australopithecus) "Gave birth to fantasy, To idolatry, To self-destructive weaponry. Enter the God of gaps Deep within the past. Atavistic dread of the hunted!" The brain grows, consciousness and creativity along with it. Atavism is the tendency to revert to ancestral type, an evolutionary throwback. Fight-or-flight instincts that helped human ancestors survive have now been creatively projected onto the world to both explain it (origins, meaning, suffering) and gain security in it (bargaining through sacrifice). These are the roots of theism. Https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atavism "Enter Ionia, the cradle of thought, The architecture of understanding. The human lust to feel so exceptional, To rule the Earth" Nomadic people develop agriculture and settle down into civilizations. The word "architecture" is at once both literal and figurative. The efficiency of civilization graces people with free time to do more than just feed themselves. They develop rich cultural traditions, arts and philosophies, much of which are deeply influenced by how different humans now are from all the rest of life. "Hunger for shiny rocks, For giant mushroom clouds, The will to do as you'd be done by." Shiny rocks are wealth: gold, precious stones, jewels, and later uranium which leads to the nuclear arms race. The golden rule -- "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you" -- is a coin with a dark side: "an eye for an eye," revenge. This ensures the "MAD"ness of mutually assured destruction. Https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mutual_assured_destruction "Enter history, the grand finale. Enter ratkind." "Ratkind" comes from Richard Dawkins' book "The Ancestor's Tale." Dawkins imagines a post-apocalyptic world in which rodents feast on the remnants of humanity (and humanity's garbage). The rat population explodes, and then as they exhaust these resources they turn on one another for food. As a consequence of natural selection, the rats diverge into new carnivorous and herbivorous species, and perhaps, eventually, a specices of rodent whose intelligence rivals that of humans. This is "ratkind." Https://iberianature.com/wildworld/tag/ratkind/ "Man, he took his time in the sun, Had a dream to understand A single grain of sand." From William Blake: "To see a World in a Grain of Sand, And a Heaven in a Wild Flower, Hold Infinity in the palm of your hand And Eternity in an hour." ...And the story of the planet in 24 minutes. Not bad. "He gave birth to poetry, But one day'll cease to be. Greet the last light of the library" A bittersweet redundancy: poetry with library, the last light with ceasing to be. Reminiscent of Elan: "Be the first to greet the morn [...] Travel with great élan, dance a jig at the funeral." "We were here!" Who else is going to vote for this song's inclusion on the next Voyager golden record, if there'll ever be one? I want to beam this song into space forever.

[@RyanMear]

Thank you, yes, SO much!

[@majbrat]

It really us so cool. You got Enter Sandman but did you catch the quick evolution of music it was included in. This fellow summed it up better than I so I copied it: in about ten seconds, goes through the Gregorian chant in Dies Irae (Mozart), Bach’s Minuet in G Major followed by his famous Fugue in D Minor, followed by Metallica’s Enter Sandman riff (!!!), finally ending in Rap/Hip-Hop and 90s dance music. Tuomas is truly a genius. The beautiful ending music was written as well for us to digest what we had seen & I find it very calming. I was forever changed by that statement about how lucky we are to have won the lottery of life. It helps me deal with tough times. :)

[@RyanMear]

No, I didn't catch those, my musical ear, honestly, isn't so worldly. Believe me, I'm listening to it again and again! Thanks, cheers

[@ddiachen]

One correction, the Gregorian melody Dies Irae is not the same music that Mozart used in his Requiem setting.

[@andreschreiber5167]

Everytime when i'm in the right mood, this song brings me to tears. The whole band live is a phenomenal. If it's Toumas, if it's Emppu, Jukka or Troy, they are just amazing, but, the interaction from Marko with Floor (or Tarja, or Anette) was just amazing. He was not only a great bass player, he was also the great singer, and the loss of him as a member of the band hurt's...

[@Skraeling1000]

"I don't know how to sum that up", yeah, you've reached the event horizon of language, where the the words you want to say can't escape your brain. Excellent reaction btw!

[@Eloso3135]

I love how Floor came on stage very quietly and unobtrusively, not letting her entrance distract from the beauty of what Tuomas was playing.

[@sandramelgers6028]

Love your reaction....Thank you!!! WE WERE HERE 🤘

[@reeilona]

I just found your channel and I am loving it!! Hope you do Nightwish as much as you can, they are remarkable! I just saw them two times live here in Finland, it was... No words, it was beyond everything

[@mattgraham2835]

this entire composition just goes to show the level of chord composition string progression drum progression almost everything you may want to hear what a really cool symphonic masterpiece and she looks absolutely stunning in that warrior queen of heavy metal her beautiful long hair waving around dutch windmill looks so bad ass

[@orangeguppie6897]

Thank you so much for this one, for me the very best reaction so far to this amazing song . Only if you have seen the greatest show on earth at Tampere performed with marco this song is complete, now you have really watched it, in it's endless form most beautiful. Again, thank you and see you at the next one, bye

[@soundworks1554]

A small but nice anecdote from the Nightwish virtual concert chat, while watching a replay I also remembered the following story: A nine year old son, I think the father called himself Michael in the chat, had the school assignment to present five music tracks that he liked. With his father's help and with the approval of the teacher, he was able to present Nightwish, TGSOE. With the result, the children were amazed and were so enthusiastic that their parents called and asked what spectacle they had experienced ... So if someone only understands what musicality, vocal art, creativity and visual implementation is offered, or in combination with that Universe, earth and human history and additionally with the message and idea behind it, this musical work of art can give those a lesson about and for life, and actually a lot more.

[@RyanMear]

Fantastic

[@arihalttu8949]

Dear Ryan Mear i have followed this journey you have with Nightwish and i love it for your sake(and mine offcourse)...i'm glad that you realise how freeking good this band is in all levels, emotional, and their skill as musicans, our metal Queen Floor.....and the genius behind it all Tuomas

[@RyanMear]

Thanks for stopping by!

[@Tomalni]

If I have to choose one song, this would be ”The Song”. I like many different kind of music, instruments and melodies, so when these are combined in one song, that is a masterpiece.

[@shirazzza]

Watch it many times, you'll get so much from it each time!

[@CJ-lo1ny]

Yes Ryan ! your smile made me smile tooThat's way to start the day, thank you 🤘🏽🇳🇱

[@dennisweifenbach2647]

I don't have enough words to really describe this piece of music masterpiece.

[@steinbjermeland724]

Im so happy that you did the dive in this band man...

[@Zoey-K-1]

Well done….enjoyed watching this with you!

[@thisworldofwater8017]

"No, we're gonna marinade." Ryan, you had me snorting beer through my nose.

[@RyanMear]

Bwahaaaa!

[@marieskavo7159]

THIS!!

[@FREETHINKER-05]

@ryan, from this same concert Tampere , Weak Fantasy, lyrics and music will touch you. Awesome heavy song.🤟🤟✌️✌️🇨🇦

[@oniccolls]

Great reaction. You noticed the pattern match on the graphics that matched Kai's drum kit. Also noticed Floor's dress. the white patters are DNA strands. And, of course, she is wearing her iconic unicorn heel shoes. I first noticed these on the lyric video of "Endless Forms Most Beautiful".

[@brewswillis9783]

For the receptive, Nightwish is a life-changing experience and they definitely have been that for me. I believe that's the driving force for the Nightwish Army, we want everyone that's willing to have their lives changed by this transcendent group in the same incredible way they've affected ours. Thanks again Ryan for another candid and enjoyable reaction. I have a new group for you: Unleash the Archers. They're a Canadian Power Metal band that'll knock your socks off! Awakening is kind or their entry track (like Ghost Love Score is for NW) but it's a studio full band playthrough so hopefully you'll check them out, also female lead vocals. Cheers!

[@RyanMear]

Thanks, man!

[@ToTheWolves]

Oh i can't wait til you do the new album. I think about everytime I watch your videos. 🌍☄️

[@1982jeepcj8]

Bach's Minueto is in there as well as Metallica's Enter Sandman

[@jhansr.miranda1869]

y un poco de SYMPHONY OF DESTRUCTION de MEGADETH.

[@gene6690]

there are two songs in the Nightwish set list where you first have to listen to a good number of songs and get to know the musicians. Then you have to do some research on the songs to fully appreciate their meaning. I did not although I was very familiar with raichard Dawkins work, it still needed the research to put this song into context once that was done then this song is both awesome from both a music and a production point of view The Poet And the Pendulam needs even more homework done on the relationship dynamic between Tarja Tuomas and the rest of the band to again appreciate it to its fullest. A foot note a lot of the research is so well covered by the comments of the Nightwish army both directly and through links Thanks for a great reaction

[@LNKOutdoors]

oh jesus... that drive in Marco's base.... it is insane :D i can listen to this on repeat for hours.... and when playing it at home, my 2 year old son rocks the living shit out of it :D :D

[@seban678]

Oh Gawd... I have been waiting for this one ^^

[@seban678]

"Teach somebody something, that will make your life accomplished" 115% agree with that statement. You might even do it without realizing you are. I learned important life lessons from complete strangers who just happened to tell me something I'd never considered before, or show me a different way of looking at things. I don't know these people's names, what they do, where they came from, but they helped make me who I am. I dare to hope I have had or will have that effect on at least one person, because that is the purpose of human existence as far as I'm concerned ;)

[@RyanMear]

I think you understood me just perfectly😉👍🤜🤛

[@christophschmedes5975]

The eary Sound of a meermait Sing Floor live also the Growls with Marco and Troy and the concert was in the Rata Stadium Tepere South Finnland in 20016 5

[@markusjackel2132]

You don´t have to study anything before.......I like reactions without bias. And again - you did great if you ask me. And yes I agree: WOW. In capital letters. This Band is always able to surprise you. All Hail the Queen !

[@kezca]

Enjoyed your incites on this epic song, Thankyou.

[@martine3293]

It is a piece of art, this song. You mentioned religion... They touched on this with the line "Enter the god of gaps". There are songs in which they really tackle this subject and give their opinion. The song titles "Weak Fantasy" and "Tribal" should give you a hint about their views.

[@RyanMear]

Those have been mentioned and I'm excited to get to them, yes👍😉

[@e.g.forin-stance5262]

@@RyanMear For Weak Fantasy, please do the Tampere version with lyrics. 🙂

[@mariusgearip]

Also in Tribal

[@AndyMagnusson70]

Same show, WEAK FANTASY. Amazing song also

[@MrKacangijo]

Damn!!!! This song always...i meant always makes me cry ❤️❤️

[@alleninfinity6730]

I am glad you enjoyed it man, I love it every time, beautiful. Somewhere in the future you can do it at Wembley, Richard Dawkins even makes an appearance there. I think you chose the right one though, both are quality, Tempere is just more beautiful to me. Nice reaction.

[@gerrygrouwe70]

That is what i said always stay positive enyoi the small things life brings you

[@BP-Crux]

..and its almost midnight there.. great reaction as always!

[@ristohyvarinen8448]

Hi Ryan, great to see you enjoying this song as much I did. And I do every time I see it. Sometimes I also love to see behind these songs. This first link takes us to Rock Academy reunion of Floor's and also let's us to see her a day before and after this concert. kzbin.info/www/bejne/eGSxepmrZdapqsk. This another link will open a bit the world of Tuomas and the band, how all this was made, making of new Nightwish album, Endless Forms Most Beautiful. It has 21 episodes, worth every second of it. The more we know the more we can enjoy and respect.

[@RonniePeterson]

Glad you really enjoyed this one. I think the new album Human.:II: Nature (both CD's) which in a way follows on from TGSOE will be just as if not more thought provoking.

[@cliffwilkinson6501]

Being a guitar guy, you should also listen to the Wembley version - Troy doing some of those early string pieces on a guitar with an e-bow. You will love it.

[@maggaw9869]

AURI. Pearl Diving. Tuomas & wife Johanna & Troy :) I love this song FI.

[@ikkeschopkont]

I think you would love Harvest aswell. It is a song from the last album and song by Troy. More folk style, but the meaning will interest you for sure!

[@moniquevanaken2638]

NW took also great care with the props and their clothing matching the theme of the show. Floor's dress in blue and white, the colours of the Finnish flag, and the white DNA double helix. Tuomas with the whales on his T-shirt and Einstein on Troy's. The keyboardprop is The Tree Man, Marko's mic stand has, as I interpret it, a dinosaur, Floor's mic stand has a skull, Troys seat has a fossil and Emppu's "beerstand" has, I think as it is hardly visible, a human form attached to it and I don't know the words for the grafics on Kai's drumkit. You're interested in astronomy. Have you ever heard of NASA's Eugene Shoemaker? If not, please google him, very interesting! NW made a song about him on their last album Human Nature and Tuomas said it would probably never be performed live. But they did it in the 1st virtuel concert. They couldn't find a good way of ending the song so Floor took it home and made the last part of that song. So emotional (again lol!).

[@RyanMear]

I need to look into that, for sure!

[@richardwest6358]

The gentleman of Troy's tee shirt is most certainly NOT Einstein but Charles Darwin.

[@moniquevanaken2638]

@@richardwest6358 YES..that's it!! You know when I wrote my comment it was 4.00 AM and I was very tired but could not sleep. I knew something was wrong but I couldn't put my finger on it and it was still nagging me. You solved it haha! Thank you very much!!

[@gerrygrouwe70]

Gerry Grouwe from enter Holland famous for its wooden shoes 😄😄😄🤘🤘🤘

[@pietheindejonge321]

I listened to the first half of your reaction. But now I have to go to bed. Tomorow however I will see the rest!

[@paisa20]

Thanks, great reaction

[@metallicaguy4679]

the enter sandman spot isnt suprising both toumas and emmpu both have said they are HUGE metallica fans.

[@MariusLapugean]

Nightwish managed to concentrate the history of the earth in 24 minutes. He managed to describe in a few rhythms the evolution of music from Bach to Metallica. They have always been concerned with nature and Tuomas has a deep inclination towards science and this is reflected in many of his plays. This ensured the entry of Nightwish into the history books of science, several discoveries in the field being named after them. These new discoveries include: Alpenglow Rockshelter: Archaeological site named after Nightwish Song. Tanidromites Nightwishorun: New Crab species. Sciophila Holopaineni: New species of Mosquito found in Finland. Ophiomitrella Floorae: New species of Cretaceous brittle star named after Floor Jansen. Tmesisternus floorjansenae: new species of beetle named after Floor. Also, the song "Shoemaker" from their latest album composed in honor of Eugen Shoemaker has become a favorite song of NASA's scientific community. As for your reaction ... I follow, when I have time, almost everyone who reacts to Nightwish. There is no point in going into details of why and how, but for me there are 3 types. The first category, those who react to Nightwish just because they have heard that this is how many subscribers quickly become. They usually don't understand anything, they react chaotically and get bored quickly. The second category is those who try to understand Nightwish, but only partially succeed. And there are those who manage to see beyond words and images and realize that their songs, all their songs, have many layers of messages, many meanings that escape those who do not know details about the band and its members. More or less in each piece contains at least a reference to other pieces of theirs or even other bands. Today I discovered your channel, the first reaction was "another one who gives his opinion and tomorrow he forgets everything" but I watched your reaction to "High Hopes" and I liked it. So I looked today I think about 6 or 7 of your reactions. And I liked the way you think and analyze what you see. So you got a new subscriber.

[@RyanMear]

Thanks so much!

[@nostrathomas2437]

18:57 is one of my favorite parts. Floor away from the mic singing along ,groovin , and having a blast!

[@Donna-C]

Wait until you read up on all the intricate details that Tuomas included in this. Simply amazing! 🤩

[@RyanMear]

I've been getting schooled in the comments, as expected..... and I love it.

[@Alejo519]

O man i need to sleep!!!! 1:00am👍 saludos from Chile!

[@eddiewinehosen6665]

That drumset was specially made for Kai just for this album so I'm sure there was an over arcing theme for the whole show etc that was planned, with graphics.

[@johnlindquist1784]

Don't know if you saw it or not but in the virtual concert Troy played a guitar part with an e-bow at the beginning of this. It was impressive as hell.

[@RyanMear]

I did see that!

[@johnveerkamp1501]

It’s a complete journey. !!

[@eFiend]

the beginning and loving to play a guitar over it comment, check the wembley version! in any case loved the reaction 🤘

[@mdudley52]

Troy plays over it using an E-Bow in the Wembley version.

[@kevdeburgh]

Troy plays guitar over one performance of this... Can't remember witch one though.. Amazing 🤘 ❤️

[@argantyr5154]

You mentioned the symbols on Kais drumms, those are DNA strings. You noticed Enter Sandman, before that there where some classical piece by Johan Sebatian Bach (I'm afraid I don't know the name of it). I've read some comment about there should be a part of Megadeth - symphony of destruction in there, but I've failed to find that myself.

[@RyanMear]

I haven't went back yet to story out the musical evolution bit. I don't know classical enough to recognize any of that, honestly....

[@julianne_warren]

Tampere has the best production when it comes to this song. Wish I could be there.

[@randymarple9830]

I sure enjoyed this reaction. Smiles the whole time. And science and faith can exist hand in hand. This is the video we should broadcast into outer space. Math is the universal language? What is music, if not math.

[@tjsherminator]

Interesting you said you would love to play the guitar over the opening chord progression cos thats exactly what Troy does when they perform this at Wembley 2015, though he has a gismo he holds on the strings that make it sound like a trippy cello. Tampere is definitely the best 1st one to check out but i'd strongly recommend this one too. Has tighter editinf if that possible and Richard Dawkins makes an appearance at the end and quotes the end section

[@RyanMear]

He uses an Ebow 😉

[@572Btriode]

@@RyanMear And a PRS. . . . . . . . . :-)

[@RyanMear]

I can get by without the PRS.... but the fuckin Ebow just shipped! LOL

[@572Btriode]

@@RyanMear Excellent, you go for it !

[@572Btriode]

@@RyanMear I do not know if you are aware; but it has all made its mark on the scientific community, they have such an accord with natural science and the scientific community through this work and others that some new species are officially named after the band, Tuomas and Floor - Tanidromites nightwishorum, Sciophila Holopaineni, and Tmesisternus floorjansenae; plus the prehistoric rock shelter found in the USA now called Alpenglow Rockshelter.

[@juxtapoxymoron]

I knew you were ready and you slammed it! Epic reaction to an epic performance 🤘 Next time you listen to it you may also hear J. S. Bach's Menuett out of the Notebook for Annalena Bach and the Toccata right before Metallica's enter sandman 😉