TSO

This blog post is a bit of a combined effort, featuring as it does my lovely wife's photography employing her new Blackberry.

So, we've both been fans of Trans Siberian Orchestra for a long time. If you haven't heard of them, they do Christmas music. With electric guitars. It's pretty awesome. Every year they come to town and do a concert, which is supposed to be quite a show, and this year my lovely wife really wanted to go, so we said, sure. Let's go.

I have a bunch of friends who have told me, I've been thinking about going to that show.

Stop thinking. Go.



Our seats were front row. Front row as in, five feet from the stage, front row. When we got there I thought to myself, we're probably too close. We're going to be deafened.

Well, it didn't lack for volume, but I wouldn't have gone even one row back from where we were.

According to Wikipedia, the stagework takes 15 hours to set up. I can believe it. They did their first album of Christmas music, all threaded together into a story told by a narrator. They have two electric guitars, a bass, an electric violin, a drum set, two keyboards, a nine piece string section (staffed by local musicians) and nine vocalists who do backup in addition to each having a lead song of their own. This is supplemented by huge articulated frames festooned with lights, video screens, lasers and smoke. Oh, and they made it snow.

By the time they closed out their first CD, my ass was thoroughly kicked. Then they introduced the band, said hello, and said they were going to do their new CD next.

Their new CD is not Christmas music.


Their new CD is classical music, gothy stuff, but with electric guitars. And also, flamethrowers. And steam cannon and sparklers and indoor fireworks. And I think at one point there was a rocket ship.

It was an amazing night. I've never been to a concert like that before. If you ever have a chance to go see these guys, for the love of Pete, get your ass to it. We aren't going to let them come here again without being there.

Absolutely amazing.


We bought their new CD, t-shirts, programs, and a Christmas tree ornament. I think I might go find a few copies of their new CD to put in a few stockings, too.

Holy smokes.