Saturday - December 11, 2004

Happy Birthday to Rae and myself, we share the same birthday and always seem to really enjoy it together, this year was no exception.

Kicked the evening off with a bottle of Joseph Perrier champagne and friends, and then we were all on our way to a concert.  A Christmas rock opera by Trans-Siberian Orchestra.  I didn't know what to expect, I have never seen them before, it's rare when something surprises me musically anymore, but this did.  Probably the best light, laser, pyrotechnics I have ever seen, they even made it snow inside on the audience and shot a laser show through it, the snow flakes making sparkles as the laser beams pierced them in flight.  The musicians were fantastic, and kept cycling on and off the stage as needed.  There was an orchestra in back, but basically a rock band or an R&B band in front at different times, with a spoken narrative story line weaving between the songs.  The vocals varied from rock to gospel and opera...  male or female lead singers depending on the song.  The female opera singer out powering the four electric guitar players really caught my ear, I need to buy the CD with that track on it.

At one point a guitar player jumped on stage with a double barrel guitar like Jimmy Page from Led Zeppelin, and the music quickly shifted from Christmas songs to the Immigrant Song from Led Zeppelin, put a tingle down your spine you would have sworn Zeppelin was on stage, and as quickly as they had the crowd on their feet to that beat, they shifted directions and were rocking Beethoven out in a classy way.

It was just one heck of a show, even technically it amazed me how they were synchronizing so many lights, lasers, flame blasters, snow and fireworks to the tightly performed music.  Check out the schedule on their web page, they are on tour, very different, highly recommended.