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Trans-Siberian Orchestra has come a long way from playing the small theaters and
select (but sold out) dates that started things off just five years ago. With
three stellar albums to date and more to come, the unprecedented blend of hard
rock and orchestrated Christmas favorites can now be found in live performances
from two touring companies packing arena-sized houses across the United States
from Thanksgiving to New Year’s.
While the majority of the band’s set has remained the same during the past five
years, it has grown to include even more, bringing it to almost two and a half
hours in duration. During their performance at the Mellon Arena in Pittsburgh
on the “Eve” of Christmas Eve, the Trans-Siberian Orchestra delighted the large
audience with an enhanced production, including an arena-sized light, fog, and
pyro show, as well as fake snow, and what seemed like a flawless sound system.
While the shows in the east may be built around the strong blues-influence of
vocalist Daryl Pediford, who belts out favorites like “The Three Kings and I”
and “Music Box Blues” from the Christmas Attic album, the variety of vocal
talents like Steven Broderick and Joe Cerisano was a treat in itself as always.
It
was also refreshing to find that the core band’s hard rock roots were not
forgotten as the band added a tiny bit of Led Zeppelin’s “Kasmir” into the set
(with the absence of Alex Skolnick and his traditional scat and jazz jam), as
well as a tribute to Emerson, Lake, and Palmer’s version of Tchaikovsky's
“Nutcracker Suite,” which was much different than the band’s own “Silent
Nutcracker.”
As always,
highlights of the set can simply be found in the band’s intense and meticulously
orchestrated instrumental performances like “A Mad Russian’s Christmas,” the
light-hearted “Boughs of Holly” from Christmas Attic, and their unanticipated
radio hit “Christmas Eve/Sarajevo 12/24,” which offers an intense interpretation
of the classics “Carol of the Bells” and “God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen.” But,
the somewhat freeform latter portion of the show, also offered a breathtaking
rendition of "Carmina Burana" as well as show-stopping performances by electric
violinist Mark Wood and guitarist Chris Caffery and Tristan Avakianlike
“Mozart/Figaro” and a traditional arena rock drum solo from Jeff Plate.
For more information on
Trans-Siberian Orchestra visit
www.trans-siberian.com.
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