Megamickel
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And yet, Trans-Siberian Orchestra makes it happen. If you haven't heard them, I suggest you go and downloBUY one of their CDs. As it so happens, I was fortunate enough to get to attend one of their shows yesterday. Let me tell you - it was awesome.
Now commencing my professional review.
We were sitting in the Don Haskins center, not great seats, but not terrible seats either. When the lights dimmed, the audience erupted in applause, and as if in answer, the lights on the overhanging metal structure came on. The structure began to rise off of the stage, revealing the members of the band standing there. The first violins came in, and the guitars started screaming. I wasn't sure what the name of the first tune they played was, but they played it quite well - the vocalists did an AMAZING job filling out the sound, and the whole thing was really compelling. The fast-paced, minor song announced the beginning of the show, and after that piece, all the lights dimmed, save for one spotlight on the mike. The pianos were playing, and the narrator stepped up and removed a bowler hat, telling us a story about a bar and magic and all kinds of things I can't be arsed to really remember. But then, they moved into the next piece, and the piano began playing the first section of O Holy Night, soft and slow. A short ways into the piece, the guitar came in, with ringing chords that set up what was to come. When the drummer came in, the piece became a slow rock power ballad, and the guitarist really got to show off, embellishing certain parts with some solo action, and when the piece was drawing to a close, he moved into an extremely technical guitar solo to rival some of the greatest guitar solos of all time. His fingers flew up and down the neck and the audience shouted their approval as he landed on the last chord. The narrator spoke again, this time of battlefields and other unpleasant things, and when he was through, the guitar began playing a few soft notes, and the cello came in with the melody from God Rest Ye, Merry Gentlemen, and was backed up by the xylophone. The music slowed down and came to a halt on a suspended chord, and then the guitar came in with some rhythmic chords and the time signature changed from the initial 4/4 to 6/8 as the string section played what sounded like a descending minor scale, and after the fourth, half the section returned to the top, accompanied by the lead guitar. The lights and lasers were dancing on the roof of the Don Haskins, and the strings began playing Carol of the Bells, and after the first phrase, the guitar came in with the melody. The piece moved quickly, and the effect was instant - the audience was screaming by the end of the piece, and when the last note was struck, the back of the stage exploded with fireworks.
The rest of the narrative section consisted mostly of just some soft pieces, including a beautifully sung Silent Night and Christmas Canon, but the real fun began when they finished the narrative and started playing some of their more famous pieces (and a couple of new ones). The rendition of Beethoven's Fifth sent me into chills - it's really indescribable, but I'll do my best. Between the flames erupting in time with the music and the lights flashing, there is really nothing to compare it to. The piece itself was amazingly well performed, especially the ability of the lead guitarist and electric violinist (Yes, electric violinist) to play while rushing to the rising platform in the pit area, which appeared to shoot up like a rocket due to some truly amazing effects work (gotta hand it to the road crew, this was a 4:00 show and they got it all taken care of). Then they replayed Carol of the Bells (without the intro) as a grand finale, and MAN, was it an amazing performance. As if they were driven further by the yells of the crowd, they gave a truly masterful musical performance for the last song.
All in all, the concert was amazing - the music, the effects, all of it left me in chills. I'd give it a 10/10.
Now commencing my professional review.
We were sitting in the Don Haskins center, not great seats, but not terrible seats either. When the lights dimmed, the audience erupted in applause, and as if in answer, the lights on the overhanging metal structure came on. The structure began to rise off of the stage, revealing the members of the band standing there. The first violins came in, and the guitars started screaming. I wasn't sure what the name of the first tune they played was, but they played it quite well - the vocalists did an AMAZING job filling out the sound, and the whole thing was really compelling. The fast-paced, minor song announced the beginning of the show, and after that piece, all the lights dimmed, save for one spotlight on the mike. The pianos were playing, and the narrator stepped up and removed a bowler hat, telling us a story about a bar and magic and all kinds of things I can't be arsed to really remember. But then, they moved into the next piece, and the piano began playing the first section of O Holy Night, soft and slow. A short ways into the piece, the guitar came in, with ringing chords that set up what was to come. When the drummer came in, the piece became a slow rock power ballad, and the guitarist really got to show off, embellishing certain parts with some solo action, and when the piece was drawing to a close, he moved into an extremely technical guitar solo to rival some of the greatest guitar solos of all time. His fingers flew up and down the neck and the audience shouted their approval as he landed on the last chord. The narrator spoke again, this time of battlefields and other unpleasant things, and when he was through, the guitar began playing a few soft notes, and the cello came in with the melody from God Rest Ye, Merry Gentlemen, and was backed up by the xylophone. The music slowed down and came to a halt on a suspended chord, and then the guitar came in with some rhythmic chords and the time signature changed from the initial 4/4 to 6/8 as the string section played what sounded like a descending minor scale, and after the fourth, half the section returned to the top, accompanied by the lead guitar. The lights and lasers were dancing on the roof of the Don Haskins, and the strings began playing Carol of the Bells, and after the first phrase, the guitar came in with the melody. The piece moved quickly, and the effect was instant - the audience was screaming by the end of the piece, and when the last note was struck, the back of the stage exploded with fireworks.
The rest of the narrative section consisted mostly of just some soft pieces, including a beautifully sung Silent Night and Christmas Canon, but the real fun began when they finished the narrative and started playing some of their more famous pieces (and a couple of new ones). The rendition of Beethoven's Fifth sent me into chills - it's really indescribable, but I'll do my best. Between the flames erupting in time with the music and the lights flashing, there is really nothing to compare it to. The piece itself was amazingly well performed, especially the ability of the lead guitarist and electric violinist (Yes, electric violinist) to play while rushing to the rising platform in the pit area, which appeared to shoot up like a rocket due to some truly amazing effects work (gotta hand it to the road crew, this was a 4:00 show and they got it all taken care of). Then they replayed Carol of the Bells (without the intro) as a grand finale, and MAN, was it an amazing performance. As if they were driven further by the yells of the crowd, they gave a truly masterful musical performance for the last song.
All in all, the concert was amazing - the music, the effects, all of it left me in chills. I'd give it a 10/10.
