Jessica Lee
Murphy News Service
Trans-Siberian Orchestra performed for a packed Target Center crowd on a recent Saturday night.
The orchestra is celebrating its 15th year of touring with an encore and final performance of their multi-platinum rock opera, “The Lost Christmas Eve.”
TSO was founded by Paul O’Neill in 1993. O’Neill had managed and produced popular bands like Aerosmith and AC/DC before he started Trans-Siberian Orchestra.
Trans-Siberian Orchestra is an American progressive rock band that is one of the world’s biggest arena rock acts, the Target Center website says.
They have played over 1,500 shows for more than 10 million fans in the past 15 years. Classic Rock Magazine says that TSO has sold more than 10 million concert tickets and over 10 million albums.
The first half of TSO’s performance told the story of “The Lost Christmas Eve” through their music and a narrator. The narrator would come out occasionally and tell the story of “The Lost Christmas Eve.” When the story was done, TSO spent the last half of the concert playing their versions of Christmas songs with their very intense special effects.
Some of the concert attendees attend the Trans-Siberian Orchestra’s performance nearly every year. Melissa Schuelke, 27, is one of these attendees.
“I try to go every year,” says Schuelke.”They just put on such an insane and remarkable performance”
The orchestra’s performances are always accompanied and intense special effects, which adds to that rock band feel. They have flames coming from the stage that are in sync with the music and shows’ dancers.
Two of the violinists walked through the audience on the floor at Target Center while playing their instruments. They walked to the other side of the arena where they were risen up on moving platforms while still playing their instruments.
Later in the show, these two violinists played on two different moving platforms that lifted them directly over the audience.
Besides the flames and moving platforms, the performance also consisted of dramatic smoke and intense light beams. Throughout most of performance there are flashing lights of various colors that go to the music being played.
“The Lost Christmas Eve” show includes a variety of different Christmas songs such as “Christmas Nights in Blue,” “Siberian Sleigh Ride,” and fan favorite “Carol of the Bells.”
TSO will be starting their 2014 European tour performing for over 1 million fans on New Year’s Eve at Berlin’s Bradenberg Gate.
Jessica Lee is studying journalism at the University of Minnesota.