Trans-Siberian Orchestra weaves its magic in Youngstown

By GUY D’ASTOLFO

VINDICATOR ENTERTAINMENT WRITER

YOUNGSTOWN — Trans-Siberian Orchestra ushered in the Christmas season Thursday night with a concert that, for many, has become a holiday tradition.

The Chevrolet Centre show was actually the first in the annual TSO concert tour — a nationwide blitz of holiday spirit.

By now, many people know what a TSO concert is like, either because they’ve seen it live or on a PBS special, or through cultural osmosis. And Thursday’s show was more of the same, but polished ever brighter.

There were metal rigs everywhere — hanging from the rafters, over the stage and behind it — supporting a zillion or so strobe and laser lights. The light show is a hallmark of a TSO concert. Same for the fog and dancing flames, which also were back.

As in years past, seven powerful vocalists (three men and four blonde-haired women in black dresses) and a string section comprised of local musicians accompanied a seven-piece rock band. Together, they delivered the classic metal-meets-Christmas carol sound, a brilliant mash-up that scratches so many people where they musically itch.

This year’s show isn’t much different from last year’s. The first half was a note-for-note playing of TSO’s inspirational mini-opera “Christmas Eve and Other Stories” (released as an album in 1996). As in years past, Brian Hicks provided the narration with his deep and warm voice.

The Chevy wasn’t completely full for the opener — a few hundred seats were empty — but the huge crowd was hungry for its annual fix of Siberian goulash.

The TSO troupes have been doing this for years, so this troupe appeared to be ready for its tour opener (actually, there are two TSOs — the other one opens its tour tonight in Lakeland, Fla.).

What rust there may have been got banged off quickly. Even the blondes’ back-up-singer choreography was about 95 percent in synch. That should hit 100 by the time TSO pulls out of town Saturday after the last of four shows at the Chevy.

After the first half of the show, band leader Chris Caffrey introduced his mates, and — just like last year — played the Ohio card to rev up the crowd (true to form, he threw a YSU football shirt on). He also joked about the now famous delays that have been holding up the release of TSO’s next album, “Night Castle,” for years.

In the second half of the show, the rockers basically go nuts, reeling off instrumentals like “Carmina Burana” and Emerson, Lake and Palmer’s “Nutrocker” (an electrified “Nutcracker Suite”). It’s cool, but it sidelines those seven soaring vocalists for long periods.

Because the TSO experience only comes around once a year, it never wears out its welcome. But toward the end of TSO’s marathon show (it pushes three hours), I couldn’t help but wonder if shaving 10 minutes off the second half wouldn’t make the performance more effective.