Concert Reviews

Trans-Siberian Orchestra @ Prudential Center, Newark, NJ 12-26-17

  • By Gus
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There are a few shows that are synonymous when you think of Christmas.  A few like the Rockettes and certainly the Trans Siberian Orchestra. TSO is in their 17th year and with most cities getting double performances (a 3pm and 8pm show), their are no signs of this tour slowing down at all. With tragic deaths to the brainchild of TSO in Paul O’Neil  and bassist David Zablidowsky, the band decided to venture on. The them once again for the 3rd year in a row was ‘The Ghost of Christmas Eve.” The difference this year was a story had accompanying video screens that also helped tell the story along with longtime narrator Bryan Hicks. Also, it was nice that the drum kit was above the marquee on the stage.

The show continues to showcase some amazing vocal talent. All the vocalists take their respective turns at the front during the set. Russell Allen, Lisa Lavie and Dustin Brayley really stood out for belted their respective songs.  The show is in 3 parts. The first is a setup of whats to come. The second contained the Ghost of Christmas Eve and the last was a”Best of TSO” set.

The show had the musicians going into the audiences, fireworks, snow faking from the ceiling, risers going over the crowd and lost of lasers going all over the arena. The tune ““Safest Way Into Tomorrow” was dedicated to the memory of David Z and O’Neil.  Guitarist Joel Hoekstra and violinist Roddy Chong were all over the place, giving that rocker edge to the set. TSO is a mixture of all different type of songs but the songs that really define the band are “Wizards in Winter” and the Savatage cover Christmas Eve (Sarajevo 12/24) which the band knocked out of the park and got the people out of their seats.

Everything is BIG. What the band gives most of all is BIG. Everything is over the top and the fans keep coming back because that’s what they expect, and that’s what they get!

 

Setlist:

Time and Distance (The Dash)

Winter Place

The Lost Christmas Eve

The Ghosts of Christmas Eve

O Come All ye Faithful/O Holy Night

Good King Joy

Christmas Dreams

Christmas Eve (Sarajevo 12/24) (Savatage Cover)

Christmas Canon Rock

What Child is This? 

Music Box Blues

First Snow

Promises to Keep

The Christmas Day 

Siberian Sleigh Ride

Christmas Nights in Blue

A Mad Russian’s Christmas

For the Sake of Our Brother

Wizards in Winter

Madness of Men

Beethoven

Carmina Burana

The Safest Way Into Tomorrow 

The Night Conceives

The Mountain

Find Our Way Home

Requiem (The Fifth)

Christmas Eve (Sarajevo 12/24) (Savatage Cover)

 

Photo Gallery

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We would like to thank Shaunelle Gowen from Solters PR for the credentials to review the show.

About The Author Gus

My first opportunity to write about music was with Kissunderground, featuring just one band (KISS). In 2006, I started working for another outlet that showcased more musicians. It was a great experience for me at the time. I personally nailed down some great interviews during my time at glam-metal.com (Paul Stanley, Jonathan Davis, Slash and Sully Erna to name a few). In early 2009, I decided to venture out on my own with the idea of creating a website that has all the offerings that a reader would want in a music review website. That's when Backstageaxxess.com began. I’m so proud of what was created here and of our staff that brings it to you. Each one offers a diverse opinion and a creative ability to share it in a unique way. We are so lucky to have them here. When discussing making a list of favorite shows with the staff, I also found it hard to narrow that list down to a select handful of shows. Everyone experiences a concert in their own terms, whether it’s the show itself, maybe it’s the people you met there and the new friendships created, or maybe it was meeting the artist at the show. For my criteria, I tried to stick to just the show itself, but again, it was sometimes hard to do. My first concert was Sammy Hagar’s first tour with Van Halen at the Niagara Falls Convention Center, Niagara Falls, NY, on August 30, 1986. My favorites are as follows: 1. Kiss – Tiger Stadium - Detroit, Michigan 6/28/96 2. SARS (Rolling Stones, AC/DC, Rush, and handful of other bands) - Downsview Park – Toronto, Ontario 7/30/03 3. Paul McCartney (every McCartney show I saw was awesome, but Iwent with my first show) Air Canada Centre -Toronto, Ontario 10/10/05 4. Motley Crue – Memorial Auditorium – Buffalo, NY 12/19/89 5. Kid Rock – Tweeter Center - Camden, New Jersey 3/25/06 The honorable mentions would be any McCartney show (The Joint at the Hard Rock, Las Vegas, Nevada, April 2009 or Air Canada Centre Toronto, Ontario 8/10/10), Prince (Club 2112) at the Rio Hotel, Las Vegas 12/30/07, Heart (Pulse Lounge * only 200 people) Hilton Hotel, Anaheim, California, January 21,2008, Monsters of Rock (Van Halen, Scorpions, Metallica, Dokken, and Kingdom Come) Rich Stadium, Orchard Park, NY 6/19/88 and the Rocklahoma Festival (Queensryche, Lita Ford, Triumph, etc.). Also, Cher (with my mom) at the Blue Cross Arena Rochester, NY, November 22, 2004.

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