Trans-Siberian Orchestra and Christmas Music that Will Blow Your Mind

Trans-Siberian Orchestra is hitting the road for another holiday season tour. They have planned a 90-city, nine week showcase of their symphonic/classical/progressive metal Christmas music. One of the most successful touring bands of the past decade, Trans-Siberian Orchestra grossed nearly $45 million on their 2007 Winter Tour and played to over 1.2 million fans. They were the No. 2 ranked tour (for attendance), according to Billboard magazine.

Trans-Siberian Orchestra (TSO) formed in 1996 in Florida when Paul O'Neill, who had produced such greats as the Scorpions and Aerosmith, teamed up with composer Robert Kinkel and Savatage lead vocalist Jon Oliva. All had previously worked together on some Savatage material. The name "Trans-Siberian Orchestra," according to Robert Kinkel, comes from Russia's Trans-Siberian Railway, which connects various peoples in Russia's immense sphere of influence that would otherwise be isolated -- much like what music does.

TSO released their first album, Christmas Eve and Other Stories, in 1996. It remains their most successful album to date, selling over 2 million copies. Their last album, The Lost Christmas Eve, was their highest charting, placing at number 26 on the Billboard Top 200 Album Chart in 2004. Their catalog also includes another Chrismas album, The Christmas Attic, which was released in 1998, and Beethoven's Last Night, a classical concept album which was released in 2000.

This writer has been listening to Trans-Siberian Orchestra since their first album's release. A promotional clip for an upcoming concert was being aired on late night television. I was amazed by the sound of the small snippets used in the commercial. The next day I went to Wal-Mart and bought the album.

The power of the music was amazing. TSO had taken traditional Christmas songs, like "O Holy Night" and "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen," arranged the music to accommodate both an orchestra and hard rock chords, and went with it. It was soaring, energetic, enlivened. TSO had breathed new life into music that, for myself, had become quite boring. Radio stations even play "Christmas Eve (Sarajevo)."

Normally, I am not taken with Christmas music. My favorite Christmas songs and music had been relegated to cynical songs like "Father Christmas" by Emerson, Lake, and Palmer and "Father Christmas" by the Kinks. John Lennon's "Happy Xmas (War Is Over)" is also still a favorite. And I still love to hear Elvis' sing Christmas songs. "O Holy Night" by John Berry. A few others.

But not since my college roommate had turned me onto Mannheim Steamroller's instrumental Christmas music in 1985 had I been so excited about Christmas music. Trans-Siberian Orchestra rocked! And, lo and behold! They rocked Christmas!

Having meant to go see TSO for years now, I will see them when they make it to Atlanta this year, which will be in mid-November. They kick off this year's tour on November 1 in Youngstown, Ohio.

If you love Christmas music, listening to Trans-Siberian Orchestra is a must. If you like extravagant live shows with pyrotechnics and lasers, they're a band you will want to see. And if you think Christmas music is listening to Muzak in the department stores and "Grandma Got Run Over By A Reindeer," then you really need to get out add a Trans-Siberian Orchestra album to your collection. The first album, Christmas Eve and Other Stories, remains their best and is almost completely instrumental, but all their music is worth a listen.

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For tour dates and more information about Trans-Siberian Orchestra, you can visit their official website Trans-Siberian.com.

For a way to creatively use Trans-Siberian Orchestra's music to keep from going completely off the deep end around Christmas, try "Christmas Day: an Official Survivors Manual."