Rewritten entry. The band Savatage, as noted in the entry devoted to them, created "Christmas Eve Sarajevo 12/24," a progressive rock rendition of "Carol of the Bells." When the band dreamed up the Trans-Siberian Orchestra concept, they re-recorded that song with full orchestral backing. This is the version that has come to be known as the soundtrack to that famous YouTube video of one guy's outdoor Christmas light display. As to the rest of what is TSO's first album, the whole concept is similar to the dreaded Mannheim Steamroller, but with a bit more crunch. It's mainly symphonic hard rock versions of existing Christmas music, so if your tastes run to those British Rock Orchestra albums of classic rock tunes that occasionally pop up, you'll love this. More of the same is available on their Christmas Attic album. TSO now employs two separate ensembles to tour their holiday shows, an indicator of how popular they've become by providing an updated rendition of pomp and circumstance in a holiday setting. For us at Mistletunes, it's all a bit much, as we're fonder of smaller-scale celebrations with the only thing being big is the beat. (Originally we suggested they should cop some of the attitude from Emerson, Lake and Palmer's version of "Nut Rocker," but Wikipedia notes they actually did cover that song with Greg Lake on bass, so props to them on that score.) Can't leave TSO without debunking the widespread Internet rumor that Metallica has something to do with TSO. They do not. Metallica did not perform on any version of "Christmas Eve Sarajevo 12/24." All of those Google links to "Metallica/TSO" are mistaken. Ron Alley wrote to tell us that Metallica actually did do "Carol of the Bells" live with the San Francisco Symphony once, but Google provides no indication that such a performance took place; probably all of the links to a "Metallica" version of "Carol of the Bells" are to TSO's performance.
Christmas Eve and Other Stories, Trans-Siberian Orchestra (Atlantic)
Rewritten entry. The band Savatage, as noted in the entry devoted to them, created "Christmas Eve Sarajevo 12/24," a progressive rock rendition of "Carol of the Bells." When the band dreamed up the Trans-Siberian Orchestra concept, they re-recorded that song with full orchestral backing. This is the version that has come to be known as the soundtrack to that famous YouTube video of one guy's outdoor Christmas light display. As to the rest of what is TSO's first album, the whole concept is similar to the dreaded Mannheim Steamroller, but with a bit more crunch. It's mainly symphonic hard rock versions of existing Christmas music, so if your tastes run to those British Rock Orchestra albums of classic rock tunes that occasionally pop up, you'll love this. More of the same is available on their Christmas Attic album. TSO now employs two separate ensembles to tour their holiday shows, an indicator of how popular they've become by providing an updated rendition of pomp and circumstance in a holiday setting. For us at Mistletunes, it's all a bit much, as we're fonder of smaller-scale celebrations with the only thing being big is the beat. (Originally we suggested they should cop some of the attitude from Emerson, Lake and Palmer's version of "Nut Rocker," but Wikipedia notes they actually did cover that song with Greg Lake on bass, so props to them on that score.) Can't leave TSO without debunking the widespread Internet rumor that Metallica has something to do with TSO. They do not. Metallica did not perform on any version of "Christmas Eve Sarajevo 12/24." All of those Google links to "Metallica/TSO" are mistaken. Ron Alley wrote to tell us that Metallica actually did do "Carol of the Bells" live with the San Francisco Symphony once, but Google provides no indication that such a performance took place; probably all of the links to a "Metallica" version of "Carol of the Bells" are to TSO's performance.
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