Having a hard time getting into the Christmas spirit? Maybe carols at 120 decibels will work.
It certainly did for the crowd attending the Trans-Siberian Orchestra concert at Vivint Arena Wednesday night. And who can blame them? The phenomenal display of lasers, lights and rock ’n’ roll brought a distinctive lift to the otherwise gray and rainy evening.
After more than 20 years of performing the epic versions of beloved Christmas carols and tunes, one might worry that the show would start to feel a little stale. Any doubt will be washed away with the first thrums of the electric guitar, the pound of the drums descending from the sky and, of course, plenty of hair whipping. If anything, the show feels more like a well-oiled machine than a group of middle-aged baddies past their prime.
However, despite the leather pants, chains and abundance of lasers, a visit to see the Trans-Siberian Orchestra is not your typical rock concert. First, there’s the fact that you’re hearing arrangements of the Christmas music we’ve all grown up with (plus a few distinct originals). Then add a top-of-the-line laser and lights show that fills the arena. The cherry on top is that it’s not really a concert at all — it’s a story.
The show opens with a narrator with a voice akin to the soothing bass of James Earl Jones telling the audience that the next two hours will be a journey. The narrator reappears regularly to update us on the tale of an angel traveling around the world to get a better sense of what Christmas means and looks like. The musicians, on the other hand, show us what it sounds like.
A combination of talented musicians, vocalists and the colorful special effects work together to create an evening that transports the audience outside of the show venue. At one point, snow begins to fall from the ceiling. During another, waves appear to be rolling across the audience. And at the end of their most famous piece, “Christmas / Sarajevo 12/24,” flames so large erupt from the stage that the audience can feel it 28 rows back. It’s moments like those that explain why the performance continues to dazzle, and why it attracts such a diverse audience.
It’s easy to peg down if a group is part of a sporting event, symphony performance or metal concert. With Trans-Siberian Orchestra, that line is blurred.
Most events draw specific crowds. It’s easy to peg down if a group is part of a sporting event, symphony performance or metal concert. With Trans-Siberian Orchestra, that line is blurred. Looking around at the audience, it feels like a bit of an odd bunch: A young couple dressed in a suit and a dress, a couple of guys in sports jerseys, a family with young children and older couples bundled up in scarves and coats.
There aren’t many events outside of a Disney movie that can bring that kind of diversity together, but Trans-Siberian Orchestra manages it — year after year after year.
And ultimately, that’s why it’s remained such a successful, enjoyable show. For some it’s a tradition, for others it’s a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
Regardless, Trans-Siberian Orchestra captures the magic of the season and multiplies it a hundred times with their electric guitars. It’s for that reason the show, just like the Christmas season it heralds, never gets old.