Trans Siberian Orchestra & the things we do for Love

[ForeverAutumn]

I have one of their Christmas albums and, yes it is a bit cheesy, but quite a bit different from Bing Crosby and worth a listen in the season. I got tickets for this years show for myself and my daughter. First timers. We will see.

After reading this thread, I'm curious to hear your thoughts after the show. How old is your daughter?

True, and also remember that before there was TSO there was Savatage. John Oliva is no longer a touring member of TSO (not sure if he is involved at all anymore), but the rest of the guys still are. TSO is way over the top, but I have seen them a couple of times and enjoyed it. I also remember the last time Savatage toured, they played to about 200 people in a club. 6 months later most of the same guys were playing to 20,000 people right down the road at the hockey arena. I guess it all comes down to marketing.....

I'm a Savatage fan too. The TSO thing has definately brought these musicians more success and money than Savatage ever could. No one can blame them for wanting to make a living. They get to play to sold out arenas every year, instead of tiny clubs where half the people just talk through your set. I know which one I'd rather do.

[BobM]

After reading this thread, I'm curious to hear your thoughts after the show. How old is your daughter?

She's 17 and a real music-head. Not current pop, but vintage rock and roll, punk, etc. A real Bowie, Floyd, Creedence, Beatles, etc. fan. Should be fun

[trurl]

I'm just thanking God TSO didn't do a cover of The Things We Do For Love.

[3LockBox]

Well, a few weeks ago I spent an evening attending a Little River Band show featuring one "original" member; I say original in quotations because he's an American born singer who joined LRB in '82 and the others hadn't been "members" for more than 6 or 7 years. It wasn't dreadful, but I woulda rather watched football instead. I'd be ecstatic if my wife bought TSO tix.

[LighthouseKeeper]

I've been 3 or 4 times over the years and have enjoyed the show. It definitely lost a lot of its charm when it moved to the bigger venues. I enjoy listening to their music around Christmas still. Sure its cheesy but its a Christmas staple here.

[Dan Roth]

My daughter and I have been going every year since 2006. Sure it's over the top and bombastic, and they make sure that the pyro, moving light trusses, and lasers are the stars of the show. That being said, they hire some incredible vocalists and musicians to do the tour every year and it's a really fun time. Last year they changed things up after 13 years of performing their first Christmas album, they changed it to their third Christmas album ("Lost Christmas Eve"). There is a reason that this year is billed as the "encore and final performance" of that album - sold out arenas are few and far between. The show is still fantastic, and this year's stage has some radical new elements to it.

For those that remember and enjoyed their more intimate days when they performed in theaters, some might be interested in checking out the Wizards of Winter. They are a band out of NJ that do Christmas shows in the style of TSO, but focusing more on the Christmas element and much much less on fire, catwalks and lasers. This year, they have four of the original TSO vocalists touring with them as special guests and doing some of the TSO classics that those singers are known for: http://thewizardsofwinter.com/fr_pressandcomments.cfm

[JKL2000]

LOL: