Christmas is $%#@in' Metal

Raiyven · 12-14-2005, 08:22 AM

So, last night, my fiancee and I went to see the Trans-Siberian Orchestra perform here in Toronto...

(I posted a video of someone making a TSO light show out of their house

...I have to say, it is by -far- the best live show I've ever seen. I haven't seen many, I'll admit, but TSO knows how to put on an incredible show. If any of you are familiar with them, they primarily do combined orchestral/metal versions of popular Christmas songs, and their latest album is the same cover of some of Beethoven's more recognized pieces as well. I've heard them many times before, but to see these people perform is something else altogether.

Atmosphere. The first half of the show was, essentially, a story being told in music. Their lead announcer, with a voice which reminded me of both James Earl Jones and maybe Duke Ellington, told a Christmas story of how he sat in a bar, on Christmas Eve, and listened to a man tell a story about how an angel went around the world listening to music and prayers.

I don't want to give you all the impression that this was a heavily religiously-focused performance, but it -is- a Christmas show. Anywho...

...each part of his story was punctuated by a different piece of music, telling each small corpus of the collection of little tales from around the world. The dominant message wasn't to push Christianity itself... but rather, and more powerfully than the light show could reflect, the message of peace. Peace and love for humanity... as the song goes, 'every man is your brother, and every child is ours'. The show was about togetherness, and peace. And metal.

This show reminded me more of a KISS concert. In full accompaniment to the music was an AMAZING light show. We were in the ACC (Air Canada Centre, for you non-ontario people ;D ) which is an arena venue with two tiers. We were sitting up in the nosebleeds, but still had a great view, and looking down on the light show was a little bit of a downer, but no less impressive. Then there were the pyrotechnics. At a christmas concert

After the intermission, their lead guitar came out and talked at us a bit (in a Leafs jersey, no less. Got to appease the crowd), and then launched into some metal jazz and some classic 70's metal (can i remember what they played? hell no.), topped off by a preview from their forthcoming album, a thrash version of Carl Orff's 'O Fortuna'. -that- was awesome. Oh, and their version of 'Flight of the Bumblebee', done to a strobe light arrangement that should have caused no fewer than a thousand seizures, and more lasers than a Battlestar Galactica convention.

It's something that I think almost anyone would enjoy... show was about two hours, and y'know what else, these people can -play-.

The three-minute drum solo, which was for no reason but just because, was farkin insane.

They have a wider US concert circulation than they do here, so if you can see them, DO SO, seriously, or... else

Ghryphen · 12-14-2005, 09:02 AM

Sounds cool

I have always liked TSO

Cerberus · 12-15-2005, 08:24 AM

SHuttle Traveled nearly 18 times the speed of light? WTH?

Raiyven · 12-15-2005, 08:36 AM

lol

i found that while i was poking around yesterday. i just -had- to.... c'mon, it's CNN, what isnt there to laugh at

Variable · 12-15-2005, 11:23 AM

That was after the Columbia disaster when it broke up in the upper atmosphere. Basically no one knew what was going on and I suppose they hired a physicist on crack to work up a reason why it could have happened, and that was his answer.

Raiyven · 12-15-2005, 12:21 PM

yeah, i figured whoever was making the news ticker at the time had suffered from the usual game of telephone, and probably mistook 'speed of light' for 'speed of sound', because the other one seems a little bit more believable

either that, or what we have here is a government conspiracy to cover up the secret development of the warp drive.

Gambit · 12-15-2005, 05:55 PM

ROFL. Ya, they meant sound. The "average" person knows enough science to think that scientists <> magicians, but not much more... And journalists, and their teletype people, are just as average as everyone else.

Seriously, I've seen some stupid "man on the street" science quizzes that just make me want to cry.

12-14-2005, 08:22 AM	#1
Raiyven Big Bad Thread Boogeyman Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Burlington, ON. Age: 41 Posts: 406	Christmas is $%#@in' Metal So, last night, my fiancee and I went to see the Trans-Siberian Orchestra perform here in Toronto... (I posted a video of someone making a TSO light show out of their house ...I have to say, it is by -far- the best live show I've ever seen. I haven't seen many, I'll admit, but TSO knows how to put on an incredible show. If any of you are familiar with them, they primarily do combined orchestral/metal versions of popular Christmas songs, and their latest album is the same cover of some of Beethoven's more recognized pieces as well. I've heard them many times before, but to see these people perform is something else altogether. Atmosphere. The first half of the show was, essentially, a story being told in music. Their lead announcer, with a voice which reminded me of both James Earl Jones and maybe Duke Ellington, told a Christmas story of how he sat in a bar, on Christmas Eve, and listened to a man tell a story about how an angel went around the world listening to music and prayers. I don't want to give you all the impression that this was a heavily religiously-focused performance, but it -is- a Christmas show. Anywho... ...each part of his story was punctuated by a different piece of music, telling each small corpus of the collection of little tales from around the world. The dominant message wasn't to push Christianity itself... but rather, and more powerfully than the light show could reflect, the message of peace. Peace and love for humanity... as the song goes, 'every man is your brother, and every child is ours'. The show was about togetherness, and peace. And metal. This show reminded me more of a KISS concert. In full accompaniment to the music was an AMAZING light show. We were in the ACC (Air Canada Centre, for you non-ontario people ;D ) which is an arena venue with two tiers. We were sitting up in the nosebleeds, but still had a great view, and looking down on the light show was a little bit of a downer, but no less impressive. Then there were the pyrotechnics. At a christmas concert After the intermission, their lead guitar came out and talked at us a bit (in a Leafs jersey, no less. Got to appease the crowd), and then launched into some metal jazz and some classic 70's metal (can i remember what they played? hell no.), topped off by a preview from their forthcoming album, a thrash version of Carl Orff's 'O Fortuna'. -that- was awesome. Oh, and their version of 'Flight of the Bumblebee', done to a strobe light arrangement that should have caused no fewer than a thousand seizures, and more lasers than a Battlestar Galactica convention. It's something that I think almost anyone would enjoy... show was about two hours, and y'know what else, these people can -play-. The three-minute drum solo, which was for no reason but just because, was farkin insane. They have a wider US concert circulation than they do here, so if you can see them, DO SO, seriously, or... else __________________ "For in that we are both especially daring and especially thorough in calculating what we attempt, we can truly be distinguished from other men, for whom ignorance is boldness but calculation brings hesitancy. Rightly would they be judged strongest in spirit who recognize both dangers and pleasures with utmost clarity and are on neither count deterred from risks." - Thucydides, The Peloponnesian War: 2.40, "The Funeral Oration of Perikles" (431 BCE) Last edited by Raiyven; 12-14-2005 at 08:36 AM.

12-14-2005, 09:02 AM	#2
Ghryphen THZ Founder Join Date: Mar 2001 Location: WA, USA Age: 50 Posts: 3,927	Sounds cool I have always liked TSO __________________ The Hounds of Zeus \| Allied Tribal Forces

12-15-2005, 08:24 AM	#3
Cerberus One bad mofo'n Hound Join Date: Mar 2001 Location: Your Mom's House Age: 47 Posts: 1,319	SHuttle Traveled nearly 18 times the speed of light? WTH? __________________ Tribes:Ascend Play it today for free

12-15-2005, 08:36 AM	#4
Raiyven Big Bad Thread Boogeyman Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Burlington, ON. Age: 41 Posts: 406	lol i found that while i was poking around yesterday. i just -had- to.... c'mon, it's CNN, what isnt there to laugh at __________________ "For in that we are both especially daring and especially thorough in calculating what we attempt, we can truly be distinguished from other men, for whom ignorance is boldness but calculation brings hesitancy. Rightly would they be judged strongest in spirit who recognize both dangers and pleasures with utmost clarity and are on neither count deterred from risks." - Thucydides, The Peloponnesian War: 2.40, "The Funeral Oration of Perikles" (431 BCE)

12-15-2005, 11:23 AM	#5
Variable Forum Regular Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Augusta, GA Age: 42 Posts: 245	That was after the Columbia disaster when it broke up in the upper atmosphere. Basically no one knew what was going on and I suppose they hired a physicist on crack to work up a reason why it could have happened, and that was his answer. __________________ The world will not end in a blinding flash of light or virulent pestilence. It will end with me choking the life out of it with my bare hands.

12-15-2005, 12:21 PM	#6
Raiyven Big Bad Thread Boogeyman Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Burlington, ON. Age: 41 Posts: 406	yeah, i figured whoever was making the news ticker at the time had suffered from the usual game of telephone, and probably mistook 'speed of light' for 'speed of sound', because the other one seems a little bit more believable either that, or what we have here is a government conspiracy to cover up the secret development of the warp drive. __________________ "For in that we are both especially daring and especially thorough in calculating what we attempt, we can truly be distinguished from other men, for whom ignorance is boldness but calculation brings hesitancy. Rightly would they be judged strongest in spirit who recognize both dangers and pleasures with utmost clarity and are on neither count deterred from risks." - Thucydides, The Peloponnesian War: 2.40, "The Funeral Oration of Perikles" (431 BCE)

12-15-2005, 05:55 PM	#7
Gambit Forum wh0re Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: DFW area, TX Posts: 744	ROFL. Ya, they meant sound. The "average" person knows enough science to think that scientists <> magicians, but not much more... And journalists, and their teletype people, are just as average as everyone else. Seriously, I've seen some stupid "man on the street" science quizzes that just make me want to cry. __________________ XMEN member Card-carrying DTM OKL Fish-napper Though a program be but three lines long, someday it will have to be maintained. -The Tao of Programming

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