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Trans-Siberian Orchestra - concert review - Toronto

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TWT
Post subject: Trans-Siberian Orchestra - concert review - Toronto
Posted: Mon 19 Dec , 2005 8:31 pm
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Tuxedos, long hair & guitars

Tuesday, 13, December 2005

***** out of *****, 10 out of 10, 100% brilliance

I tried not to get too excited about the concert, in fact I had completely blocked it out of my mind un until the day of. We boarded the bus (the one I normally take to college everyday) at around 6 o'clock. The concert was supposed to be at 7:30 but I was none too worried because concerts never start on time. I wasn't worried, until two 18-wheelers hit eachother at a major intersection ahead of us. The bus sat there for about 10 minutes until the police came and cleared a path for us to get through, we made a little detour and got to the bus station at Yorkdale Mall at around 7:00. I breathed a sigh of relief. We got on the subway after an unsuccessful attempt to locate a Starbucks to kill my pumpkin spice latte urges. We arrived at Union station at 7:20 and I bought batteries for my camera. After that we proceded to walk to the Air Canada Center (about a minute walk since its connected to Union Station.

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Once in the ACC we got to the third level (since when I bought the tickets I couldn't find any cheaper ones) and upon seeing the blue illumination that the arena emitted and hearing the low hum of one of their songs being played in the background I started to feel excited. We got to our seats and sat down. I saw all around us young people, older people, middle aged people, middle aged crisis people and one security guard whom I made sure never saw my camera.

Finally at 8:00 the lights went down and the Trans-Siberian Orchestra came out to meet thunderous applause (and little did they know that Toronto would get ten times more enthusiastic by the time the night was out). Almost immedately after stepping on stage they went into playing Wizards in Winter with great energy. I've never heard better sound anywhere than that night. Their audio setup was immaculate and their lighting setup even better. All at once all sorts of lazers and different coloured lights started flashing everywhere to the beat of the music. Red and green lights poured onto the band members hair that was flying in all directions and it hit me: this was no orchestra, this is a rock concert!!!

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The first half of the show was all Christmas music, not something I was too thrilled about both because I don't celebrate Christmas and because I think most of the music is cheesy but man! TSO can make anything sound good. They rocked out to First Snow and then later to Oh Holy Night of which the guitar solo met deafening applause and much whistleing. A few songs later they played a Mad Russians Christmas. Between all the songs there was a black guy with a really nice voice telling some story of an angel and I guess the music told part of the story, I found it a bit cheesy and overdone but when the music started back up I was happy. As they finished th last song on their set: This Christmas Day everyone stood up and cheered. I thought it was over. I was wrong and I was extatic to hear the lead guitarist announce that this was infact the halfway point. At last the Christmas half was over and the band introduced themselves.

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The lead guitarist came out with what every smart musician that comes to Toronto comes out with: a Toronto Maple Leafs jersey featuring our captain's name, Mats Sundin. Deafening applause when people saw his outfit. He then tried his hand at stand-up comedy. The jokes were not that funny though we were at a concert and everyone laughed (out of respect no doubt), rather he was much more successful asking the audience how they felt now that hockey was back and ending his sentences with 'eh'. He proceded to introduce everyone saving the greatest introduction for their musical manager who was also on the keyboard, he in turn introduced the dude who did the original introducing, Chris Caffery.

"We're just getting started!" said Chris and out came with one of these: [ img ]

I leaned over and said: there's a Jimmy Page guitar and as soon as I uttered those words I could scarcely believe that I was hearing riffs to Zeppelin's 'Rock and Roll'. That's the point where I big grin grew onto my face like mould on a rock and I stood up to whistle and shout with everyone else in the building who knew what the song was (about 500 people, pathetic). Later on the drummer got about 3 minutes for his drum solo. It was not as impressive as a Bonzo solo from the Zeppalin concert but it was brilliant nonetheless and every concert needs one.

Sometimes the lighting was quite disconcerting as it looked like a helling fog was coming over with that eerie greet colour of the dead from Return of the King. [ img ]

Possibly the best recieved song of the evening was 'O Fortuna' from the opera. The riffs were heavy and the chanting eerie. During the song flames would shoot up almost to the ceiling. When they finished the song the clapping ha erupted into shouting and whistleing as everyone had absolutely loved that rendition.

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After O Fortuna (which apparently will be released on a upcoming CD) they launched into 'Wist Liszt' and the infamous Carol of the Bells which recieved an amzing reaction as well. During every beat at the end of the song blue, green and red flames would shoot up to make the effect even more dramatic. As they were playing the last few thunderous riffs the crowd started to get up. The one guitarist and the bassist ran through the crowd (with their wireless guitars) and proceded to get on a little platform almost directly in frond of us and that platform started to raise up and up and up until we could see them clearly.

[ img ]

When they got off the stage there was so much applause that it was deafening. Needless to say once we got out I coul barely hear anything and the next day I had a horrid headache, but bloody hell! It was worth it!!!


So in the end I learned a lesson: tuxedos, long hair & guitars = brilliant!

[ img ]


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gimli_axe_wielder
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Posted: Tue 20 Dec , 2005 9:15 pm
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Brilliant indeed!!!! Looks like the same stage and light set up that I saw, though they didn't have that nifty lift them up thingy when I went last year.. must be something new!

I was thinking the same thing when they finished the Christmas part.. Wow that was pretty damn cool I just wish there was more... and then there was!!!

Did ya know they split the band in two for the concerts... half are on the east coast, and half are on the west coast! Thats how many people contribute to the albums!

Great review!

I don't know about your use of the word cheesy, but I'll let it slide since you are from Canadia and must have a different definition than we do in the states.... :D

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TWT
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Posted: Tue 20 Dec , 2005 9:18 pm
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I Christmas music in itself is cheese IMHO but when TSO rocks it up it suddenly becomes much better...


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gimli_axe_wielder
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Posted: Wed 21 Dec , 2005 12:53 am
The easily amuse-OH SHINY!
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bah :P anything they do becomes better.. thats a given :P

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Post subject: Re: Trans-Siberian Orchestra - concert review - Toronto
Posted: Sun 30 Nov , 2008 5:30 pm
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Just bumping this since I'm only discovering TSO for myself now. Loving it! The Christmas Canon Rock is awesome!

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LalaithUrwen
Post subject: Re: Trans-Siberian Orchestra - concert review - Toronto
Posted: Sun 30 Nov , 2008 8:53 pm
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You've seen this, right? I think this guy was in Cincinnati, Ohio.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s43fwebHyfw" target="_blank" target="_blank

(Embedding is disabled. I think it actually ends about 3 minutes in.)


Lali

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Dawnnamira
Post subject: Re: Trans-Siberian Orchestra - concert review - Toronto
Posted: Mon 01 Dec , 2008 12:56 am
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I love TSO and have for years! Never saw this thread, but it was dead before I joined even, I think.

:LMAO:

They're coming to my town (and my school's basketball arena, actually) in a couple of weeks but I think it's too late to get tickets and I couldn't afford tickets when they were available.

I'm still planning on trying tomorrow or Tuesday at the school's Ticketmaster, now that I have birthday money to spend. *knocks on wood*

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Post subject: Re: Trans-Siberian Orchestra - concert review - Toronto
Posted: Mon 01 Dec , 2008 9:37 am
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I don't think they get to this side of the Pond, but if they did, I'd try to get there.

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sauronsfinger
Post subject: Re: Trans-Siberian Orchestra - concert review - Toronto
Posted: Mon 08 Dec , 2008 5:42 pm
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PBS had their special last night and for $100 you got two floor tickets to their performance here in two weeks. And its tax deductible. So i went for it.

If I had not been reading this thread I probably would not have done so.

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Dawnnamira
Post subject: Re: Trans-Siberian Orchestra - concert review - Toronto
Posted: Mon 08 Dec , 2008 6:16 pm
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:drool:

I'm so jealous! You'll have to be sure to tell us all about it. :love:

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Post subject: Re: Trans-Siberian Orchestra - concert review - Toronto
Posted: Mon 08 Dec , 2008 7:03 pm
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Since I bumped the thread you have to bring me. Its in the rules.

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sauronsfinger
Post subject: Re: Trans-Siberian Orchestra - concert review - Toronto
Posted: Mon 08 Dec , 2008 8:06 pm
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okay ---- dec 21 Palace in Auburn Hills MICH

I was never sure about TSO because of the Chrismas element... but I have softened and mellowed considerable about Christmas.....

I do love overproduced, over-orchestrated and way too sophisticated rock&roll ala Meat Loaf and Jim Steinman - so maybe this will work for me .... Anything with a full orchestra, a chorus of 30, gongs, chimes and synthizers cannot be all bad ... sure wish they had a cannor or two also

I will write the requisite review....

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There are two novels that can change a bookish fourteen-year old's life: The Lord of the Rings and Atlas Shrugged. One is a childish fantasy that often engenders a lifelong obsession with its unbelievable heroes, leading to an emotionally stunted, socially crippled adulthood, unable to deal with the real world. The other, of course, involves orcs. - John Rogers


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gimli_axe_wielder
Post subject: Re: Trans-Siberian Orchestra - concert review - Toronto
Posted: Tue 09 Dec , 2008 5:10 am
The easily amuse-OH SHINY!
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I hate you....

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sauronsfinger
Post subject: Re: Trans-Siberian Orchestra - concert review - Toronto
Posted: Tue 09 Dec , 2008 7:32 pm
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There are other people ahead of you in that line. ;)

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There are two novels that can change a bookish fourteen-year old's life: The Lord of the Rings and Atlas Shrugged. One is a childish fantasy that often engenders a lifelong obsession with its unbelievable heroes, leading to an emotionally stunted, socially crippled adulthood, unable to deal with the real world. The other, of course, involves orcs. - John Rogers


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