Just caught these guys tonight. Way different type of show from when I saw them a few years back. Then, it was largely a Christmas show with a few non-Christmas tunes mixed in. This time, it was a set of Christmas tunes, all nice and happy, then a set of heavy rock/metal, fire and brimstone. A ridiculous contrast!
They even had the guitar tone in the first set toned down a bit, so it was subdued, back in the mix—for the old farts, I guess. The second set, however, was damn heavy! If you miss the over-the-top 80s concert experience, then definitely catch a show. I mean, there were lasers, explosions, sparks, lights, hydraulic lifts (one like a crazy UFO-type thing), a killer drum solo, even some synchronized stripper dancing from the female singers. It ruled!
And get this. The band donates $1 from every ticket sold to a different charity each show. Tonight, they donated $8,081. (Wicked cool, by the way.) So there were 8,081 people in attendance. Our tickets were $62.50 each. I think the cheaper tickets were like $58 or something. But who cares, just multiply 8,081 by $50.
That's $404,050! HOLY CRAP! These dudes are pulling nearly half a million each night. No wonder Savatage is on the back burner! I realize that's not all profit, but these cats are still making a ton of money.
And some good news for us—they're doing their first non-Christmas tour this summer. I imagine it won't sell as well, and I doubt the production will be as huge...but hell, maybe it will be. Who knows. Even a fraction of the Christmastime sales would be awesome, especially if they play some Savatage tunes, besides the few they've played before.
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"There are people who want to kill me, all around the world" —The Dead Milkmen
Subject: Re: Trans-Siberian Orchestra 
Wed Nov 04, 2009 1:55 am
