Trans-Siberian Orchestra brought an array of sight, sound and passion to the BOK Center Friday night. The spectacle, that has become a holiday tradition lit up the stage with lights, lasers and fire bombs.
Last year we had the Radio City Rockettes that kicked the Christmas season into high gear, this year went to TSO. The mix of progressive rock, metal and classical music is quite a bit to take in but makes for a very entertaining evening.
This years event was opened by a donation to the Rise School of Stillwater. A check in the amount of $10,157.00 was presented, $1.00 from each ticket sold was donated. Quite a tribute to the draw of TSO as well as what the BOK Center has become and means to the surrounding area. The Rise School provides assistance to families of Down Syndrome children. School director Rachel Stalling was on-hand to accept the over-sized check and say thank to the audience and Trans-Siberian for their support.
As band members began to take their places on the stage blanketed in darkness a buzz filled the arena. Something amazing was about to happen and you needed to prepare for it. As a newcomer to the Trans-Siberian experience I really wasn't prepared for what I was about to see. I had seen the You Tube videos that people have published of their Christmas house lights rhythmically dancing to probably TSO's best know song "Christmas Eve/Sarajevo 12/24" but the only other knowledge I had up to thus point was through CD. It was a night that I would be baptized into the elegance and grace of the holiday sensation.
The stage lighting of this show is as much a part of the theatrics as the performers are. Shifting rigging, and scissor lifts took the musicians to heights above the near cap city crowd and added amazing effects to the show. The first half of which was set along a story of an angel flying from country to country and town to town in search of Christmas spirit, narrated by Anthony Gaynor. Renditions of "Silent Night", "O Come All Ye Faithful", "Joy To the World" and songs from The Nutcracker were highlights of the evening.
As stated earlier this is mix of many different styles of music. It had something for everyone young and old alike.
The second half of the show featured selections from the new album, Night Castle. A disc of non-Christmas music that featured polished voices and great theatrics from world renown vocalist. A tour is tentatively set for the spring to support their latest effort.
I recommend taking the family next year to enjoy a new look at old classics of Christmas.