Trans-Siberian Orchestra 2004 Tour
Rating: 5 Skulls
Redwolff's Review (12/27/04, Madison Square Garden, New York City):
The last time I saw TSO, with Abyss, they were playing at the Beacon Theater, a considerably smaller venue than the Garden. And granted, all the seats were filled, but some of the people there seemed to have no idea what they were getting themselves into. By the end of the show, the couple on our left were giving me resentful looks; as I was wearing a Morbid Angel t-shirt along with my festive plaid skirt they knew that I had been in on the "secret" all along and had not warned them that they would be subjected to a laser show and metal music.Not so this time. The packed stadium was about half old-school metalheads and half families in their holiday finest, but everyone enthusiastically greeted the band and applauded each song. Apparently TSO's reputation is growing, as well it should. The first set was the same as last time: the entire Christmas Eve and Other Stories, the storyline of which has the potential to become sappy but somehow doesn't, thanks to the power and talent of the band and their playful attitude while on the stage. Although they play many a venue on their tours, they are somehow able to retain a freshness as if the show you are seeing is the only one they will do this year and therefore they are giving it their all. Opening night, every night. It even "snowed."
Once they ran through the entire Christmas Eve set and brought it to its heart-warming conclusion, Chris Caffery took a few minutes to talk to the audience, introduce the band members, and publicly lambaste his mom for coming to the show late; as the first set closed, she and some other family members had been led to the front row of the floor seats by an usher, dislodging a couple photographers who were perched there. Undaunted by her son's taunting, she stood up, turned around and gave a little bow. The second set then began, some of which they had played before, such as Carl Orf's "Carmina Burana," but other choices, such as a raucous, belted out version of Zeppelin's "Immigrant Song" were new to me. The songs alternated between jazzy tunes with vocals, metal, and an operatic demonstration by one of the divas onstage - a little something for everyone. All were accompanied by an impressive laser and light show.
The Trans-Siberian Orchestra is really a spectacle. It must have seemed like a crazy idea at first, but the concept of metal musicians joined with an electrified string section and versatile, talented vocalists really works - they put on a fantastic show. I just wish I could have seen them before Christmas, as I did the last time, so I could have gotten into the holiday spirit a bit more. As my companion joked in mock teen lingo, "Christmas is sooo last week."
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