12-26-2019, 04:18 AM
My personal favorite TSO tour was most certainly 2000. I only saw a single show but that show remains memorable for many reasons.
1- The band was still a rather new entity (second tour - first major tour). Though I'd seen the first tour that concert was in a more Rock music-themed venue, which detracted somewhat from the Christmas-oriented performance.
2- The intimate setting of the majestic Detroit Opera House (befitting a band dressed in Tuxedos) provided a huge plus. The 2700 seat capacity allowed the gathering to be more “up close and personal” for everyone than it has become. And I was row 7 main floor center.
3- The night’s Setlist was comprised almost entirely of songs from their first two Holiday albums. The performance included “Grinch” & the trio of mammoth instrumentals from Beethoven's Last Night (which had been released earlier that year). “Christmas Eve And Other Stories” was performed in its near-entirety (w/narration).
4- The touring line-up included many of the same voices we were accustomed to hearing on the albums, including Daryl Pediford, & Joe Cerissano). Plus instrumentalists Bob Kinkel & Mark Wood.
5- This tour concentrated on the music (they did not introduce, as Chris so aptly put it “the green frickin' lasers” until 2001). The stage was rather bare, with subdued lighting & no effects whatsoever.
6- Adding a snippet of "Detroit Rock City" into one of the songs for good measure as an homage to the concert’s location was a master-stroke. This gesture sure pleased the predominantly Rock crowd.
7- Personal triumph. I had experienced the Gift of Life with a kidney transplant in September (and procured tickets to the much-anticipated show while still hospitalized). I took my entire family and triumph over tragedy was celebrated.
The lone negative on this night was the absence of my personal favorite TSO track - "Promises to Keep". When I asked Paul later about this noticeable omission he answered that the children in the choir should be spending the Christmas season with their family and not touring the US.
The current show with the renowned big production is very nice, but in my opinion, the presentation has become overblown and taken away from the majesty of the music (which attracted me to TSO from the outset). The lasers, fire & explosives (“light It, Fog It, Blow It Up”) seem to get louder crowd reaction than the powerful music emanating from the stage.
My ongoing TSO experience, though, remains fulfilling due to the good vibes provided by Paul O'Neill's ingenious creation.
1- The band was still a rather new entity (second tour - first major tour). Though I'd seen the first tour that concert was in a more Rock music-themed venue, which detracted somewhat from the Christmas-oriented performance.
2- The intimate setting of the majestic Detroit Opera House (befitting a band dressed in Tuxedos) provided a huge plus. The 2700 seat capacity allowed the gathering to be more “up close and personal” for everyone than it has become. And I was row 7 main floor center.
3- The night’s Setlist was comprised almost entirely of songs from their first two Holiday albums. The performance included “Grinch” & the trio of mammoth instrumentals from Beethoven's Last Night (which had been released earlier that year). “Christmas Eve And Other Stories” was performed in its near-entirety (w/narration).
4- The touring line-up included many of the same voices we were accustomed to hearing on the albums, including Daryl Pediford, & Joe Cerissano). Plus instrumentalists Bob Kinkel & Mark Wood.
5- This tour concentrated on the music (they did not introduce, as Chris so aptly put it “the green frickin' lasers” until 2001). The stage was rather bare, with subdued lighting & no effects whatsoever.
6- Adding a snippet of "Detroit Rock City" into one of the songs for good measure as an homage to the concert’s location was a master-stroke. This gesture sure pleased the predominantly Rock crowd.
7- Personal triumph. I had experienced the Gift of Life with a kidney transplant in September (and procured tickets to the much-anticipated show while still hospitalized). I took my entire family and triumph over tragedy was celebrated.
The lone negative on this night was the absence of my personal favorite TSO track - "Promises to Keep". When I asked Paul later about this noticeable omission he answered that the children in the choir should be spending the Christmas season with their family and not touring the US.
The current show with the renowned big production is very nice, but in my opinion, the presentation has become overblown and taken away from the majesty of the music (which attracted me to TSO from the outset). The lasers, fire & explosives (“light It, Fog It, Blow It Up”) seem to get louder crowd reaction than the powerful music emanating from the stage.
My ongoing TSO experience, though, remains fulfilling due to the good vibes provided by Paul O'Neill's ingenious creation.