If it’s Christmas season, it must be Trans-Siberian Orchestra season! TSO is out for its 26th year of touring and the spectacle keeps getting bigger and better! The band recently landed at the Mohegan Sun Arena for its customary two shows in one day. TSO did not provide a photo pass, so I could not take photos from the show.
Please scroll down for the MisplacedStraws Trans-Siberian Orchestra live review.
It is always difficult to write a Trans-Siberian Orchestra review because the band holds such a special place in my heart. I was there in 1999 at New York’s Beacon Theater for their second live performance ever, and have been there every year since. I have been lucky enough to have interviewed many of the members for their projects outside of TSO. That’s a long way of saying that I go into the show expecting it to be great, and the Trans-Siberian Orchestra has never let me down.
A TSO show is neatly divided into two parts, part one is a narrated story, and part two is a more of a free form look into their catalogue. This year’s story, The Ghost of Christmas Eve, is based on the PBS special we have all watched for decades. The band has used this same story for many past tours, and there is a worry that it may become stale. However, the team behind the scenes creates such an amazing visual experience that each year feels fresh and new.
The visual aspect this year felt like constant motion. From lifts that each member was strapped on to at some point, to the light rig dancing overhead, to the screens that created the effect of moving through the amazing winter scenes, the story was reinvigorated by the incredible visuals, and of course, the bursts of fire throughout.
Part two of the evening is different every year. This year had an added emphasis on the Beethoven’s Last Night record as it is celebrating its 25th anniversary. This part of the night truly shows off the incredible musicianship of the band. Guitarists Chris Caffery and Joel Hoekstra have mastered the art of blazing solos while running through the crowd, while keyboardists Derek Weiland and Mee Eun Kim constantly propel the music forward. The Beethoven section reached a climax when Plush frontwoman Moriah Formica appeared on the lift in the rear of the stage for a stirring “The Dreams of Candlelight” while a series of drones illuminated her performance.
For those of us who watched the evolution of Savatage into Trans-Siberian Orchestra nearly 30 years ago, hearing Savatage songs played is always a highlight. This year’s set features two Savatage classics, first up was “Sleep” from 1993’s Edge of Thorns. Even though the original vocalist of the song, Zak Stevens, is in the TSO lineup, the vocal fell to Kayla Reeves who gave a beautiful rendition of the song, mashed up with Black Sabbath classic “Changes”. The second Savatage track was the iconic “Believe”, originally the climax of 1991’s Streets – A Rock Opera and sung then by TSO co-founder Jon Oliva. This tour sees it performed flawlessly by the criminally underused Robin Borneman.
Trans-Siberian Orchestra live is an experience like no other. A stage full of world-class musicians and singers, most of whom have major careers outside of the band, a sound and lighting system that is the gold standard for live performance, and the ability to turn a rock concert into a family tradition. The band has been eligible for the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame for 5 years now, they have the record sales, the ticket sales, and the influence to be part of that institution. This band perfected the idea of mixing rock, classical, and Christmas, and deserves to be recognized for that.
