GREATNESS AWAITS
Famous rock operas by groups such as The Who (“Tommy,” Quadraphenia”), Queensryche (“Operation Mindcrime”) and Pink Floyd (“The Wall”) often fade in our memories, getting relegated to the “oh, I remember that” part of the brain when we hear these songs, which are rarely played on the radio anyway. However, for the past 16 years, Trans-Siberian Orchestra has remained timeless, somehow finding a way to live forever in fans’ hearts and minds. Unlike other rock operas, TSO's are immortal.
Part one of their Christmas trilogy, “Christmas Eve and Other Stories” has been performed for 15 years to sellout audiences across the country. Such success goes against the formula of consistently having to have new material to stay relevant in today’s entertainment world, and proves that the story (performed by an all-star band who has never been an opening act, nor has had anyone open for them) is a timeless masterpiece that is handed down through generations of fans. For their 2014 tour (and their 16th year of touring), TSO is debuting “The Christmas Attic,” part two of the trilogy.
For those who don’t know, TSO is broken into two touring groups, East and West. That’s why their touring schedule might show two shows on the same date in different cities.
LASERS, SPARKS, AND FIRE, OH MY!
The Philadelphia show on 12/23/14 was an incredible experience. Having attended a Christmas Eve and Other Stories show at the Verizon Center in Washington D.C. many years ago, the expectations were high. And in true TSO fashion, all expectations were met or surpassed. Led by Chris Caffery (ex-Savatage), TSO-East includes a large cast of consummate musicians, led also by the guitar shredding of Joel Hoekstra (Whitesnake, ex-Night Ranger). Large classical orchestra and vocal sections work in perfect harmony with narrator Bryan Hicks, whose performance was impeccable. Roddy Chong goes crazy on violin in a way that reminds us that Skillet isn’t the only band with an uber-talented Asian violinist. Drummer Jeff Plate (who played with Caffery in Savatage and some other of the same bands), while an impressive talent, plays in a way that lets him stay out of the limelight and not call attention to himself. This lets the audience focus on the story and the overall performance and environment.
The current show features a giant opening toy box with all but the guitarists and vocal section rising out amidst the pyrotechnics. As the story unfolds, the box opens and closes as appropriate, lending a characteristic magic to the show that no attendee will ever forget. Following the completion of the Christmas Attic set, they played another hour of various selections from other albums.
Trans-Siberian Orchestra continues to be in my top 3 favorite bands of all time. They are a blend of contradictions that make them special, and like no other band in history. Contradictions such as a spiritual yet very human story, a stadium-style show of the past while maintaining an intimate environment, and hard rocking while staying family-friendly combine with unrivaled musicianship and impressive production to make a TSO show something to remember for a lifetime.
Monday, January 19, 2015
Monday, January 12, 2015
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