Trans Siberian Orchestra Message Boards

TSO are once again booking theaters for their 2021 winter tour. Though last year’s third band for theaters ultimately fell apart, this appears to be in place of an arena tour. More news to come...

Reduced demand for touring? A fall from grace since Paul died? What's happening?

(02-06-2021, 04:10 AM)DarkMacek Wrote: [ -> ]Reduced demand for touring? A fall from grace since Paul died? What's happening?

Well one thing we know is happening is the arenas may not be ready to be open in time for the tour, or at least not enough to make a full tour worthwhile.  Same issue as 2020.   It is also likely that even if arenas are able to open again, the audience to fill them may not be confident quite yet to attend. The whole climate is changing - the industry is talking abut increased insurance costs due to Covid, vaccination cards might be needed to attend, and surcharges being passed along for "cleaning" of the venues.  Theaters will be hosting events before arenas.  It is likely that they are booking a theater tour so at least something goes out this year.  If they can make this theater tour profitable, then at least they can keep their name out there.  I know they would rather tour than do another online streaming show.

They were doing something similar last year with booking theaters, but the intent then was to run out a third band playing in theaters along with the arena tour, thereby encroaching on the markets for TSO tribute bands and other theater-level acts.

(02-06-2021, 05:04 AM)danfromnj Wrote: [ -> ]

(02-06-2021, 04:10 AM)DarkMacek Wrote: [ -> ]Reduced demand for touring? A fall from grace since Paul died? What's happening?

Well one thing we know is happening is the arenas may not be ready to be open in time for the tour, or at least not enough to make a full tour worthwhile.  Same issue as 2020.   It is also likely that even if arenas are able to open again, the audience to fill them may not be confident quite yet to attend. The whole climate is changing - the industry is talking abut increased insurance costs due to Covid, vaccination cards might be needed to attend, and surcharges being passed along for "cleaning" of the venues.  Theaters will be hosting events before arenas.  It is likely that they are booking a theater tour so at least something goes out this year.  If they can make this theater tour profitable, then at least they can keep their name out there.  I know they would rather tour than do another online streaming show.

They were doing something similar last year with booking theaters, but the intent then was to run out a third band playing in theaters along with the arena tour, thereby encroaching on the markets for TSO tribute bands and other theater-level acts.

Thanks for the info Dan.

(02-06-2021, 05:04 AM)danfromnj Wrote: [ -> ]They were doing something similar last year with booking theaters, but the intent then was to run out a third band playing in theaters along with the arena tour, thereby encroaching on the markets for TSO tribute bands and other theater-level acts.

Interesting. That's the first I heard of that one. Any idea who was going to be in the theater group? I would probably prefer that to the sterile arena show.

Yeah, surely it's both East/West theater and not one unified group? 

I'm in New York, so I'm not too worried about this (they might play two nights at the Beacon here, or the theater at MSG) but lots of cities would miss out.

Really, unless they release some new music this year, I just can't work up much enthusiasm for TSO anymore. I've seen them in concert four times, and always enjoyed it, but I don't have an urge to continue shelling out money to hear the same music again and again. And even if they release a new album, it would have to be a significant improvement over NC and Letters for me to really get excited about it.
I feel like 2020 would have been an ideal time for them to record new music, seeing as how they weren't on tour, and with that extra time, maybe they could have had something ready to release just before this year's tour. But I haven't heard any reports of them taking advantage of the opportunity, which is a shame.

(02-11-2021, 03:10 AM)Mangar Wrote: [ -> ]Really, unless they release some new music this year, I just can't work up much enthusiasm for TSO anymore.  I've seen them in concert four times, and always enjoyed it, but I don't have an urge to continue shelling out money to hear the same music again and again.  And even if they release a new album, it would have to be a significant improvement over NC and Letters for me to really get excited about it. 
I feel like 2020 would have been an ideal time for them to record new music, seeing as how they weren't on tour, and with that extra time, maybe they could have had something ready to release just before this year's tour.  But I haven't heard any reports of them taking advantage of the opportunity, which is a shame.

I wish that had happened too, but I'm guessing that, being an older band, they're used to the in-person dynamic and probably not as in-tune with the idea of "Let's setup a dropbox to share our recordings and mix it all together."

(02-11-2021, 04:11 AM)DarkMacek Wrote: [ -> ]

(02-11-2021, 03:10 AM)Mangar Wrote: [ -> ]Really, unless they release some new music this year, I just can't work up much enthusiasm for TSO anymore.  I've seen them in concert four times, and always enjoyed it, but I don't have an urge to continue shelling out money to hear the same music again and again.  And even if they release a new album, it would have to be a significant improvement over NC and Letters for me to really get excited about it. 
I feel like 2020 would have been an ideal time for them to record new music, seeing as how they weren't on tour, and with that extra time, maybe they could have had something ready to release just before this year's tour.  But I haven't heard any reports of them taking advantage of the opportunity, which is a shame.

I wish that had happened too, but I'm guessing that, being an older band, they're used to the in-person dynamic and probably not as in-tune with the idea of "Let's setup a dropbox to share our recordings and mix it all together."

I always had the impression that they recorded many of their parts separately even when there wasn't a pandemic.  Not sure where I got that idea, but I could have sworn I read it somewhere.  Fully willing to admit I might be wrong about that, though.

(02-11-2021, 06:19 AM)Mangar Wrote: [ -> ]

(02-11-2021, 04:11 AM)DarkMacek Wrote: [ -> ]

(02-11-2021, 03:10 AM)Mangar Wrote: [ -> ]Really, unless they release some new music this year, I just can't work up much enthusiasm for TSO anymore.  I've seen them in concert four times, and always enjoyed it, but I don't have an urge to continue shelling out money to hear the same music again and again.  And even if they release a new album, it would have to be a significant improvement over NC and Letters for me to really get excited about it. 
I feel like 2020 would have been an ideal time for them to record new music, seeing as how they weren't on tour, and with that extra time, maybe they could have had something ready to release just before this year's tour.  But I haven't heard any reports of them taking advantage of the opportunity, which is a shame.

I wish that had happened too, but I'm guessing that, being an older band, they're used to the in-person dynamic and probably not as in-tune with the idea of "Let's setup a dropbox to share our recordings and mix it all together."

I always had the impression that they recorded many of their parts separately even when there wasn't a pandemic.  Not sure where I got that idea, but I could have sworn I read it somewhere.  Fully willing to admit I might be wrong about that, though.

What I'm used to hearing is that Paul and Al will get together and put most things together and pull in other members as needed. 
It's possible that, when using another guitar player, the part is tracked remotely and then re-amped there in the studio. But I am not sure that the band (or, Al and Paul) operate as such. They seem kinda traditional to me.