We went to see the Trans Siberian Orchestra at Key Arena last night. This has become a regular holiday tradition for our family for the last three years. The first time we saw them in 2010 we were blown away and all decided right then that we would make this an end of the concert year tradition. We were (and still are) blown away by their incorporation of classical, orchestral, symphonic, and progressive elements into rock and heavy metal music.
Tonight’s show did not disappoint, and in fact we thought that it was the best TSO show that we have ever seen.
This was the last performance of the “The Lost Christmas Eve”, their show, which is based on the album released in 2004.
The stage set-up seemed much bigger than in previous years as well with side platforms and more projection area in the back of the stage. Of course they had the spectacular elevating platforms both in front of the stage as well as in the back of the arena where the performers would raise above and over the crowd while playing…very cool.
The show then transitions into the story portion of the Lost Christmas Eve, which starts out with a narration and set-up of the story followed by the band kicking into more of their signature sound. The story line is a musical tale of loss and redemption. A story of a business man who forty years prior had abandoned his newborn son to a state run institution, and how there is something about Christmas Eve that allows people to correct mistakes they have made in their lives…pretty emotional stuff, but mixed with great rock!
Following the story, they played another fairly lengthy set of their hit songs and the groups founder Paul O’Neill even came out and performed for much of the last part of the show. The stage show really picked up in the part of the performance. They broke out all of the lighting, lasers, pyrotechnics (felt the heat from the fire from where we were sitting) and a few members of the band even walked through the crowd while playing, stopping periodically to jam in the audience.
If you haven’t see Trans Siberian Orchestra perform, you absolutely must experience them at least once. You too will be blown away by the music, story and stage show.