01-20-2015, 04:44 AM
(01-19-2015, 11:00 PM)MrWizard Wrote: Hi all,
This is Scott the keyboardist/music director of The Wizards of Winter....therefore the clever name, Mr. Wizard. I have been a TSO fan since first seeing them way back in '99. In 2010 I put together a tribute band around their music. Since then things have really grown. We now have our own album out and are about to have a couple of major announcements. Former members of TSO have been touring with us for the past couple of years. They include Tommy Farese, Guy LeMonnier, Tony Gaynor, Joe Cerisano, and Michael Lanning. Guy recorded two songs with us on our recently released CD and has officially joined The Wizards as a member. Both Guy and Joe will be singing on the next CD which we expect out later this year.
While I know it is a bit controversial, I readily admit that I was more of a fan when it was about the music and not so much about the lighting. The shows are too over the top for me now and have lost a bit of their appeal.
Having seen Wizards 2x in Portland ME I readily will endorse looking for their new album and that it's everything but a rehash of TSO. "Just Believe" with Guy on vocals will blow you away. Not just is it perfect for his voice but it made my girlfriend cry during the show .... which she only does when things are going bad, but it was such a touching song I turn and there she is crying and I'm having a panic attack wondering what is wrong. Now, after some ups and downs with us, she can't stand to listen to it as it's too intense! If that's not a positive review I don't know what is! I've also been known to sing it in the shower.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=caYTVak-K04
I also agree that the lighting has become more important than the players, who come and go so much that casual fans probably don't even notice. Or, as Alex Skolnick once said in an interview "the lighting rig gets higher billing than him." But, then I never liked the lighting show of Pink Floyd either. LOL