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Thread: TSO 2018

  1. #1
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    TSO 2018

    Anyone going to the TSO tour this year? I will be once again taking my now 87 year old father in a couple of weeks. He totally digs the whole thing. The tour opened Wednesday night and as an old Savatage fan I am happy to see that they are letting Zak Stevens pull out a song from the "Handful Of Rain" album.

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    Always wanted to go but never got the chance. Christmas time of the year is always so busy and I never want to commit to buying tickets and then not being able to go. I e always heard good things about their shows.


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    Quote Originally Posted by Fracktured View Post
    Always wanted to go but never got the chance. Christmas time of the year is always so busy and I never want to commit to buying tickets and then not being able to go. I e always heard good things about their shows.


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    It has kind of become a holiday tradition for us. I took my dad to the show a few years ago. I thought it would be too much hard rock sensory overload for him, but he loved it and now wants to go every year. He has a new lady friend in his life who is coming for the first time this year along with my wife and sister. For me, I have followed these guys since their days as Savatage band in the 80s / 90's and still dig what they do. Yea, the show is cheesy at times, but they are all great musicians and the production is about as spectacular is it gets.

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    Member Top Cat's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by SteveSly View Post
    It has kind of become a holiday tradition for us. I took my dad to the show a few years ago. I thought it would be too much hard rock sensory overload for him, but he loved it and now wants to go every year. He has a new lady friend in his life who is coming for the first time this year along with my wife and sister. For me, I have followed these guys since their days as Savatage band in the 80s / 90's and still dig what they do. Yea, the show is cheesy at times, but they are all great musicians and the production is about as spectacular is it gets.
    I think this is awesome you and your family are doing this together.
    Soundcloud page: Richard Hermans, musical meanderings https://soundcloud.com/precipice YouTube: [https://www.youtube.com/@richardhermans4457

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    Quote Originally Posted by Top Cat View Post
    I think this is awesome you and your family are doing this together.
    It’s awesome that he likes something like this. It’s always great when someone you love enjoys something that you also love.


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    I'm hoping they'll get back to the UK at some point. Even without the full production, they were brilliant.

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    Steve, bringing our 6 year old nephew this year, afternoon show.

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    Marklar Jimmy Giant's Avatar
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    Not a convenient location for us this year
    Last year we had floor seats right at the back edge of the center lighting rig.
    Most fantastic production I've ever seen. I love their shows.
    JG

    "MARKLAR!"

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    My daughter and I go every year - since 2006. Not a fan of the “dancing” that they added a few years back, but it’s always a fun show. Happy that they put Chance back in the setlist. They did this on their 2011 and 2012 spring tours and is such a treat. Having the original vocalist on hand now to sing for the East cast is great, though Andrew Ross does a great job for the West tour.

    Also going to see The Wizards of Winter a couple times this season. They don’t have the spectacle or dancing that TSO does - but they put on a great Christmas concert, much proggier than TSO, and they now have the great Rainbow/BOC rhythm section of John O Reilly and Greg Smith.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Brian View Post
    Steve, bringing our 6 year old nephew this year, afternoon show.
    We are doing the 3PM show as well.

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    Studmuffin Scott Bails's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Fracktured View Post
    Always wanted to go but never got the chance. Christmas time of the year is always so busy and I never want to commit to buying tickets and then not being able to go. I e always heard good things about their shows.


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    Yep. This is where I'm at, too. Have always wanted to see them in person, as I really enjoy their albums, but I just can never make it work, money-wise or time-wise.
    Music isn't about chops, or even about talent - it's about sound and the way that sound communicates to people. Mike Keneally

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    Quote Originally Posted by Scott Bails View Post
    Yep. This is where I'm at, too. Have always wanted to see them in person, as I really enjoy their albums, but I just can never make it work, money-wise or time-wise.
    Their tickets can be pricey, but then again they haul around what is probably the most elaborate touring production of anyone on the road these days, and somehow they seem to be able to top themselves every year.

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    This is a review from a Denver newspaper of this year's show. I always appreciate a more objective review, as so many of their reviews are cookie-cutter "Wow! This spectacle had it all! Amazing! Fire!, Christmas tradition, etc". This reviewer didn't mention much that he liked but was spot on about some of the elements of this Show:

    Trans-Siberian Orchestra Taxidermies Prog Rock for Christmas

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    Quote Originally Posted by Dan Roth View Post
    This is a review from a Denver newspaper of this year's show. I always appreciate a more objective review, as so many of their reviews are cookie-cutter "Wow! This spectacle had it all! Amazing! Fire!, Christmas tradition, etc". This reviewer didn't mention much that he liked but was spot on about some of the elements of this Show:

    Trans-Siberian Orchestra Taxidermies Prog Rock for Christmas
    Interesting review and I totally get what he is saying. Typically the audiences are pretty dead, and the cheese factor (especially the first half of the show) is pretty high. On the other hand, as I mentioned at the beginning of this thread, there are people in the audience like my 87 year old dad, who enjoy themselves, but aren’t going to be your typical rock audience. I also get the reviewers comments about the band, but again, I actually know who some of these musicians are, which for me makes a difference. Having Russell Allen and Zak Stevens being two of the singers is cool to me as I know both of them are great front men in their own right. In fact Allen's work with Symphony X ranks up with some of my all time favorite prog metal. Chris Caffery and Jeff Plate from Savatage up there is cool for me too. If my dad wasn’t as into it as he is, I probably would not go every year, but I still think it is a cool show.

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    Studmuffin Scott Bails's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by SteveSly View Post
    Their tickets can be pricey, but then again they haul around what is probably the most elaborate touring production of anyone on the road these days, and somehow they seem to be able to top themselves every year.
    I'm sure it's worth every penny. It's just a tough time of year for that kind of thing.
    Music isn't about chops, or even about talent - it's about sound and the way that sound communicates to people. Mike Keneally

  16. #16
    Member paythesnuka's Avatar
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    In Florida, we get to see the TSO West band, which includes ex-Savatage members Johnny Lee Middleton and Al Pitrelli, as well as vocalist Jeff Scott Soto. But I'd much rather see the TSO East band, with Stevens and Allen on vocals, especially the former since my favorite Savatage song is now in the set.

    I saw one of the very first TSO shows at the Beacon Theater in New York, and have seen them many times since. The production gets better every year.
    "It's such a fine line between stupid and... clever" -- David St. Hubbins & Derek Smalls, Spinal Tap

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    I saw the show yesterday in Grand Rapids Michigan. As I have mentioned here before, my 87 year old father totally digs this show so it has become a bit of a family ritual the last few years. I have seen TSO quite a few times in their 20 year history and I think this one may have been one of the most enjoyable. Instead of starting out with the same old Christmas story thing, they mixed things up a bit opening with a couple of tunes from the “Nightcastle” album. They then broke into the Christmas part of the show doing The Lost Christmas Eve thing, but again they inserted some other material and it did not come across as corny as it has some years. Of course the production was way over the top as every year they try to top themselves. Lights, lasers, explosions, fire, visual graphics, risers, you name it, they had it. We went to the 3:00PM show, which was sold out. They were doing a 2nd show later in the evening. How drummer Jeff Plate pulls off two 2.5 hours in one day is pretty amazing. He has to be completely exhausted by the end of the day. The band was pretty much the same lineup as last time with Chris Caffery / Jeff Plate from Savatage, Joel Hoekstra from Whitesnake, and a host of others. The vocalists were mostly the same this year, although they did add former American Idol winner Caleb Johnson who did a fantastic solo spot in the 2nd half of the show. I saw him as an opening act in a club last year and the kid is the real deal. Also back on vocals was Russell Allan from Symphony X and Zack Stevens from Savatage. Zack had a larger role in this year’s show and even pulled out the old Savatage chestnut “Chance” which was a highlight for me. Overall I thought the set list was really strong. Some years there have been some pretty major lapses in energy, but this year’s show seemed to be paced really well. At 2.5 hours (with no intermission) it may be slightly long, but they certainly give you their money’s worth. I still get a lot of enjoyment from seeing these guys and a fun time was had by all. Here is the set list:

    NIGHT ENCHANTED
    WINTER PALACE
    THE LOST CHRISTMAS EVE
    GOOD KING JOY
    CHRISTMAS DREAMS
    CHRISTMAS EVE SARAJEVO
    CHRISTMAS CANNON ROCK
    WHAT CHILD IS THIS
    MUSIC BOX BLUES
    FIRST SNOW
    PROMISES TO KEEP
    THIS CHRISTMAS DAY
    A MAD RUSSIAN’S CHRISTMAS
    HARK! THE HERALD ANGEL’S SING / THE THREE KINGS AND I
    WIZARDS IN WINTER
    SHINE ON YOU CRAZY DIAMOND / TRACERS
    CARMINIA BURANA
    SOMEDAY
    CHANCE
    MADNESS OF MEN
    FIND OUR WAY HOME
    REQUIEM (THE FITH)
    CHRISTMAS EVE SARAJEVO REPRISE

    Here is a pretty good youtube video someone took at the show of the "Shine On / Tracers" section of the show:


  18. #18
    Do TSO ever tour the non Christmas albums? They are all good fun and would work well onstage, I reckon.

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    Quote Originally Posted by the ferret View Post
    Do TSO ever tour the non Christmas albums? They are all good fun and would work well onstage, I reckon.
    They toured their “Beethoven’s Last Night” album for three tours 2010-2012. They were fantastic concerts imho, and the first time they broke out the Savatage classic “Chance” that they are playing again this year. They played to much smaller audiences though, playing theaters or arenas that had the seating reconfigured for smaller audiences. Not sure how successful those tours were for them, but they haven’t returned to non-Christmastime tours since.

  20. #20
    Would have loved to have seen that show! Beethoven's Last night is a lot of fun.

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    Taker of Naps IncogNeato's Avatar
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    I've seen them 7 times now, including once on the Beethoven's Last Night tour. They are consistently very good. But I think I'll skip a few years.

  22. #22
    Outraged bystander markwoll's Avatar
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    Sort of the musical equivalent of a monster truck jam.
    The folks in the front row might need welders helmets to keep their eyes intact.
    Tons of fun for all.
    "It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it."
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  23. #23
    NEARfest Officer Emeritus Nearfest2's Avatar
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    We have seen TSO twice. It is a fun show. My kids love it. The lights and effects are outstanding.

    I have to wonder sometimes with all the flailing around and posing if the musicians are actually playing. I don't mean that to sound blasphemous, especially with some of the names involved in the shows (on both coasts), but it's almost too perfect of a production and the guitar players do an awful lot of posing, etc.

    FWIW, I hope I'm wrong.
    Chad

  24. #24
    Taker of Naps IncogNeato's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by markwoll View Post
    Sort of the musical equivalent of a monster truck jam.
    The folks in the front row might need welders helmets to keep their eyes intact.
    Tons of fun for all.

    Haha! Pretty much...

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    Member rickawakeman's Avatar
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    If there's such a hunger for symphonic rock here in the US, why is Prog such a niche genre?

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