Trans-Siberian Orchestra 2007

December 30, 2007 at 3:11 pm 1 comment

Last night was the long anticipated Trans-Siberian Orchestra show. This was my second time seeing them, but they managed to exceed my already high expectations for the show. It also helped that we got pretty good seats too. My parents and I ended up sitting on the floor, about 10 or so rows back. I was concerned that our seats were pushed off to the right a bit, but that ended up not being a problem for enjoying the light show (which we were basically sitting in because stretched out directly above us was a bunch more lights). They didn't seem to care about camera phone usage for taking pictures, so I managed to snag some. Crappy camera phone picture disclaimer applies, as usual.

The Movable Lights

If you've never been to a TSO show, you need to go. It doesn't matter what kind of music you like, if you like christmas or hate it…just go. TSO has the best stage show out there right now. Period. Their main lighting rig for this show consisted of 10 square frames suspended above the sage. with all sorts of lights on them, along with some towers in the back of the stage with additional lights as well as the lights that extended above the audience. The square frames were movable, so they reconfigured themselves during the songs or even danced around, performing waves and such during certain sections. And, as always, there were lasers and pyrotechnics.

Laser Beams!

They started out playing a song I didn't recognize but them moved into playing their first album Christmas Eve and Other Stories in its entirety, complete with a narrator and everything. During First Snow, we were sitting close enough where we got fake snowed on. That song is cool because they make it "snow" from the ceiling on the first few rows. And then…when the lasers come in, it makes all the snow in the air sparkle when the lasers hit it. During this song, I realized that our seats were going to actually end up being pretty cool because the lasers and everything were still very visible where we were at.

The other highlight was the rendition of Promises To Keep. Since they don't have a children's choir hanging around, they play a rocked out version an incredible woman on vocals. I just love her voice and I'm glad she's still on the tour since we saw it 2 years ago. That was one of the things that I was looking forward to hearing again. I'm having trouble remembering her name right now though. Bah…anyway, she's incredibly good and very powerful. I sorta wish that version of the song appeared on the album. Or was released at all.

More Lasers!

During then during the second half of the show, they pulled out some of my favorite songs that I wasn't expecting to hear.. Christmas Nights In Blue was played (with the vocalist that appears on the CD which is always a plus). Christmas Cannon Rock was also played which was the big surprise for me. I wasn't expecting that one at all.

More Movable Lights

They also did a lot of non christmasy songs, including a couple from their new upcoming album ("Ok guys, what do you think will happen first? A McDonalds on Mars…or…the release of the long awaited new TSO album Nightcasle?") and a lot of classical inspired pieces from their Beethoven's Last Night CD. There was also a really cool version of
Flight of the Bumblebee with a franticly paced laser light show.All in all, it was an excellent show, lasting around 3 hours long.
We got home pretty late (around 1:30) so I basically just synced my phone to check out if my pictures turned out ok and then plop into bed. I'm definitely going to try to go next year. Maybe they'll have a new album out. Yeah right! They were promoting the new album coming out the last time I went 2 years ago. Hah!

The pictures really don't do this show justice. You need to be there, watching it. And since I couldn't find a place to throw a picture of the fireballs being thrown up, I'm going to just throw it at the end here. Hopefully. Vox is not liking my layout for this post…