The Trans-Siberian Orchestra (TSO) visited Pittsburgh’s PPG Paints arena for two performances on Saturday. This year marks the ensemble’s twenty-fifth year of touring as well as the twenty-year anniversary of The Lost Christmas Eve, which was brought back to the stage for the first time in more than a decade this season along with a second set of high-energy favorites.
TSO remains true to the vision of their late founder, Paul O’Neill, by being one of rock’s most generous bands. This year, the band will surpass a staggering $20 million donated to charity, a testament to their ongoing commitment to philanthropy.
According to TSO music director and lead guitarist, Al Pitrelli, who can be found on the road with the band’s ‘West’ touring ensemble, time was always more important than money to their founder: “When I was working on Lost Christmas Eve with Paul O’Neill, we talked a lot about time. He said that losing money or things wasn’t as bad as losing time. Material losses can be recovered, but you can never get time back. That’s why he always thought it was never too late to change. Never too late for forgiveness. People can make things right, forgive each other, and reconnect. The Lost Christmas Eve is about that hope: it’s never too late for any of us.”
The Lost Christmas Eve is a product of the imagination of and based on TSO’s double-platinum CD of the same name. The plot is one that resonates with people deeply over the holiday season. Alone on Christmas Eve, a bitter old businessman wandered New York City. Once a rising star, he’d traded love, family, and joy for a life of solitude and regret. The tragic loss of his wife hardened his heart, pushing him away from his infant son and into decades of isolation. Then, a chance encounter with a mysterious girl led him to a life-altering phone call. His son, who he abandoned decades ago, was alive, a gentle soul caring for troubled newborns in a maternity ward. After seeking him out, the son gives a silent and forgiving gaze to his long-lost father. As they sit together, comforting innocent infants, a new reunited life together begins.
As narrator Brian Hicks revealed the emotional story of The Lost Christmas Eve, the Trans-Siberian Orchestra brought the story to life with explosive sound from sound engineer Dave Wittman (who coincidentally is a Pittsburgh native) all while surrounded fire, snow, and a breath-taking lightshow by Brian Hartley.
The band features emcee Chris Caffery along with Joel Hoekstra on guitar, Tony Dickinson on bass, Jeff Plate on drums, musical director Derek Wieland along with Mee Eun Kim on Keyboards, and Roddy Chong leading a group of local strings on violin (and running around the length of our arena along with Chris and Tony during this ‘East’ performance). In addition, Kayla Reeves returned on vocals for a Savatage classic and joined the band on guitar for the finale while hoisted above the crowd on a two-part platform that allow the band to get a little closer to the audience.
This year’s vocalists also included new addition Kelsey Watts who delivered an emotional performance featuring on lead vocals during “For the Sake of our Brother” which contains excerpts from the familiar carol “Oh, come all ye faithful.” And the voices of Gabbie Rae, Georgia Napolitano, and Natalya Rose Piette returned along with frontmen Zak Stevens, Russell Allen, John Brink, Robin Borneman, and Caleb Johnson.
With the focus on The Lost Christmas Eve, the fourth studio album by TSO, the band’s set included a charismatic performance of “What is Christmas?” by John Brink taking on the persona of the bitter businessman from the story, along with favorites like “Queen of the Winter Night,” featuring the return of the illuminated snow globe masterpiece at the rear of our arena. And naturally, the band included a second set of classic TSO magic with favorites like “Requiem,” which was foreshadowed by the Savatage song “When the Crowds Were Gone,” and of course the finale of “Christmas Eve (Sarajevo 12/24).”
The tour which kicked off in mid-November will continue through the end of the month with additional shows in Texas, Ohio, Michigan, and Canada, and we’ve even seen that Savatage logo on festival dates in the coming year! For more details on tour dates and ticket sales, visit www.trans-siberian.com.
Coverage by Editor and founder Kara Marie Uhrlen on 12/22/2024. Photos credited to the photographers as noted.
