Whoever is planning the 2023 concerts at the Xcel Energy Center in Saint Paul, Minnesota, saved the best for last! On December 30, the Trans-Siberian Orchestra played two shows, one in the afternoon, and one in the evening, marking the final concerts at the well-known arena. Holidays are a difficult time to plan extra events in the family calendar, but I’m glad I squeezed this show in. The sold-out performances brought killer music, amazing theatrics, and a whirlwind of joy to everyone’s faces.
To be honest, this was my first time catching their live show, and I’m kicking myself for never trying to see them earlier in my life. I have seen hundreds of shows in my 40 years on this planet and this was hands down, one of the best. Before the show even started, a couple of the band members announced that one dollar from every ticket was donated to a local charity. A check was then presented to the Salvation Army for over $21,000! It’s wonderful to see bands supporting good causes in the cities they play in.
Trans-Siberian Orchestra, founded by the late Paul O’Neill, started the evening with the Savage songs, “The Hourglass” and “Mozart/Figaro.” The stage then began to evolve, the drum platform rose high up, and storyteller Phillip Brandon came out and narrated the story of “The Ghosts of Christmas Eve” with his commanding voice. The talent and legacy of the band was evident as they performed. Al Pitrelli is a master not only at playing guitar but also hosting the entire night with his charm and humor. The rest of the band consisted of Angus Clark on guitar, both Vitalij Kuprij and Jane Mangini on keyboards, Johnny Lee Middleton on bass, Blas Elias on drums, and Asha Mevlana on violin. The talent from the choir was equally outstanding. The vocals consisted of Andrew Ross, Dustin Bayley, Jeff Scott Soto, Matt Laurent, Minnesota’s own Nate Amor, April Berry, Chloe Lowery, Jodi Katz, Rosa Laricchiuta, and my favorite, Monica Formica (I’m a Plush fan).
The show consisted of nearly two and a half hours of power metal, two suspended bridges above the crowd, beautiful lights, flashing lasers, shooting fire, falling snow, and even a snow globe with a singer inside! The arena was packed with a wide range of ages. My ten-year-old son and I sat between two senior citizen couples- one of whom seemed to know the words to every song sung. Even if rock isn’t your genre of choice, it would be impossible to be bored at a TSO show. They performed a mix of songs from various albums, including favorites like “A Mad Russian’s Christmas,” “Music Box Blues,” “Christmas Canon Rock,” “O Come All Ye Faithful/O Holy Night,” “Christmas Dreams,” and “Wizards in Winter.” All in all, the band performed nearly thirty songs!
To close the set was the ever-popular “Christmas Eve” (Sarajevo 12/24). The crowd at Xcel Center was pumped for the band’s grand finale and we were not disappointed. Not only did they use every bulb and laser, but they shot off enough pyrotechnics to make Rammstein jealous. Saint Paul was thrilled to have them back. I’m going to start saving to take my entire family of six next year. It’s worth it! I would encourage every reader to immerse themselves in this living story and witness the magic. It’s undoubtedly one of the greatest performances ever.
