Eight bucks for three chicken fingers? Twenty bucks for a CD? Thirty-five bucks for a T-shirt? Well, at least I got the tickets for free.
I’m talking about the Trans-Siberian Orchestra concert that went down at the Hartford Civic Center this past Sunday. I was lucky enough to get access to the show and get an up-close look at this extremely popular Christmas concert.
In case you haven’t heard of them, Trans-Siberian Orchestra is a rock ‘n’ roll orchestra based out of New York that is widely known for unique renditions of traditional Christmas songs.
It was at 7:45 p.m. when the lights in the Hartford Civic Center dimmed and the arena echoed with cheers. The pitch darkness was suddenly broken by red and green lights on stage. As the music began, the red and green were blinking so fast that I wouldn’t have been surprised if the crowd of over 10,000 people broke out into seizures.
The violins and pianos began to play softly, the distorted guitars were cranked up to 10, and somehow, it mixed perfectly.
There was “O Holy Night” with a face-melting guitar solo and “Carol of the Bells” with a drum solo that owns any other drummer out there. The lead vocalist was so good that it made Kelly Clarkson sound like William Hung. It truly was a rock ‘n’ roll Christmas Sunday night.
It was quite impressive to see a band capable of taking an old school Christmas song and being able to add in a guitar part more complex than anything Jimmy Page has ever written.
The only thing as impressive as the band’s musical talents would be the incredible light show it put on. Trans-Siberian Orchestra had more electronics on its stage than a damn Kiss concert. After all, who plays a rendition of “Silent Night” anymore without some hardcore pyrotechnics going on in the background?
A nice addition to the band’s set was the way it presented its songs. In between each song, a narrator approached the front of the stage and told a story of a lonely man on Christmas Eve.
Trans-Siberian Orchestra is definitely a must-see for the holiday season, although I feel the band may be taking advantage of this known fact. As awesome as the show was, and as much as I want to see the band perform again next holiday season, $65 seems like a pricey ticket.
Not only that, but its merchandise seems insanely overpriced. Twenty bucks for their CD? That seems kind of steep, considering you can purchase all three of their albums on Amazon for $35.
So, if you and your friends are looking for a fun concert to attend this holiday season, Trans-Siberian Orchestra is a sure bet- just be sure to bring a fat wallet.
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