Remember the first time you heard the music of the
Trans-Siberian Orchestra? For most of us, our first
exposure was Christmas Eve (Sarajevo 12/24), which is
played frequently on radio stations during the holiday
season. Unlike most holiday music, however, the music
of TSO demands attention.
The familiar tunes, mixed with the energy of rock music
and the support of a full string orchestra, are not so easily
dismissed. Many of us were captivated by the very first
listen. When asked, several people in the YahooGroup
shared the following stories with us. Now we're sharing
them with you. Some are heart-warming, some are
comical, some are even scary, but all are our stories of
how we came to love The Trans-Siberian Orchestra.
A mix of long forgotten words
With melodies no longer heard
All threads of long forgotten lives
But here somehow they had survived
These letters that had caught her eye
Now in her hands they seemed alive
And as each letter she unsealed
A small peice of the past was revealed
-The Christmas Attic
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If you had asked me who TSO was in November of 1999 I would have
been stumped. In the beginning of December my husband mentioned that he
was listening to this cassette tape of Christmas music by Trans-Siberian
Orchestra and I swear God was listening because the very next day at work I
heard the commercial for them appearing at the Tower Theatre. I hadn't
gotten Clark's "big" Christmas gift yet so I called and got tickets to surprise
him. I walked in not sure what to expect, by this time I had heard "Christmas
Eve" but nothing else, so you can certainly imagine my surprise at what I
saw. They became an immediate Christmas tradition and now my daughter
attends too!
-Kim
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I was working at another place and happen to walk out to shipping/
receiving. One of the guys there was listening to them, I will never forget his
name as he was the one who "turned me on" to TSO. I told my husband
about them and told him we have to get this.
Heard "Christmas Eve Sarajevo" the very next day on the radio and had to
check it out. That was the Christmas of 1997 and now my original CD I
bought at K-Mart is soooo worn out, I had to buy a new one. Now, KMart is
gone but I have two CD's of CEAOS and CA, and one autographed copy of
BLN.
-Kerry
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I was given tickets to their concert in 99, they were a gift from a client, so I
figured what the heck, I'll go, I have nothing else to do! At this time I was
saying "Trans Siberian WHAT???" I wasnt sure what I was in store for,
because at the time I had never heard anything they had played. When we
got to the show, we were very confused, people in their 80's to young
children were there, and a bunch of people wearing Savatage shirts. We had
no idea what to expect, just as we were debating on staying, Jeff Plate walks
past me, and then Chris!! Now I was more confused but very curious, we
took our seats right before the show started, and as they started to play, my
jaw just dropped! It turned out to be a wonderful night, and I like to think
that Cleveland helped put TSO on the map. Now a few years later, and a
couple years older, my love for their music just keeps growing.. The same
goes for Savatage. I still like seeing them when they come around.. HINT
HINT bring Sava back to Cleveland.
Hope everyone is having a wonderful day!
4 DAYS TO GO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
-Chris
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In 1999 my oldest niece (15 at the time) was over & she was watching
videos, TSO came on, she called me in the room & told me to watch this. I
did & have been a fan ever since, constantly spreading the word to others.
Now we're all Savatage & TSO fans. The funny part is my older brother
is/was a big Savatage fan & it took us a while to realize they were the same
people.
Enjoy the Show Everyone!
-Alice
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Simple story really, probably the same as many of the others...
Savatage - Dead Winter Dead...
-TEKKY
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Set the wayback machine for 1998. Like most, I'd heard Sarajevo on the
radio. Worked with a guy who was a big Savatage fan, he explained a bit of
the origin. I was curious, 'cos I'd interviewed the Oliva brothers back in my
college radio days. (Power of the Night, if memory serves).
Bought CE&OS in October of 1998. Loved it so much, I suggested to my
church choir director that we do it as a Christmas production next year. To
my shock, she said yes!
We did CE&OS in 99 & 2000. Took 2001 off. Doing Attic this year!
(December 18th).
Saw the band (West) at the Tabernacle here in ATL in 2000 & 2001. Got my
tix for the Fox this year! Bringing my 7-year-old this time!
Own all 3 discs, some rarities, the DVD, and went back and bought Sava's
Dead Winter Dead.
TSO has become one of my my all-time favorite bands.
-Scott
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My turn...I had really heard very little about TSO until fall of 2000. At that
point my husband Bob was offered the opportunity to go on tour with them
as Production Manager. He did not go as I was very upset with the prospect
of him missing the holidays, especially for my daughter. A number of our
friends saw that tour and told us what we missed. Last year the same
opportunity came up again and this time he took it. I went to my first show at
the Tower Theatre in Philly and fell in love. I saw 4 more shows last year.
This year he is out again and it looks like I'll see 5 or 6 shows. Thanx to TSO
I now also listen to Savatage, but I'm still a Deadhead at heart!!!
-Randi
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Year was 2000. We were flipping through channels and stopped when we
heard an awesome "Nutcracker" version. It ended up being TSO on the
Shopping Network (QVC I think) doing Mad Russian Christmas. We
immediately ordered the two CD (CE&OS and CA) Promotion package.
Loved it and went to two shows in each of 2001 and 2002. We can officially
thank a TV channel that we NEVER watch for introducing us. Life is funny
that way.....
-Newbs & Poundcake
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Can I go next? Please, please, can I? I was browsing through a Borders
bookstore one afternoon in 1998, and CEAOS was on. I was hooked (I love
big guitars and power chords). I bought it immediately, and listened over and
over. BLN and CA followed in 2000. TSO finally came to Pittsburgh last
year. I was fortunate enough to get 6th row seats two days before the show
(I had balcony seats, but these 2 were returned by theater subscribers at the
Benedum Center, so I bought them and gave the balcony seats to a guy and
girl in our youth group at church). Absolutely blown away, as were the 3
youth group kids that were with me. In fact, the girl that took my balcony
seat is a singer with a wonderful voice, and is preparing a demo tape and
getting head shots together to send to Krebs Communications about
auditioning for TSO next year...wow...how things come together, huh? Then
I found this group, and now I know what Beatlemania must have been like!!
-Marty
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I heard sometime in 1997 that the group Trans-Siberian Orchestra was
made up of Savatage members. As a big Savatage fan already, that was all
that I needed to buy CE&OS. I just kept playing it and playing it.
I never made it to the short tour during 1999 but have seen multiple shows
each of the past 3 years. One of the few (if not the only) TSO groupies out
there.
-twist
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OK, trying to remember what year it was... probably '97, but maybe '96. I
was working on Christmas Eve, driving around working on my payphone
route and happened upon Sunny 104 and they were interviewing Paul. Since
I had never heard of Savatage, I didnt know anything about them or TSO.
But they played "THE SONG" and I think a few more. And I rode around to
find the cd. Took three stores before the Tower store near the Cherry Hill
Mall had it. Got home around 3pm, and sat downstairs and played it, and I
dont know if Ive been the same since. When their show was announced in
'99, I was ready. Its been growing ever since. This year my wife and I will be
seeing our fourth year in a row and each of our daughters are going for the
first time. Our youngest will be at the Camden show and our oldest will see
the show in Baltimre.
And i keep thinking that in five years, the whole country will be see TSO
like its something brand new.
-vmang
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It's all my wife's fault!!!
I think in '97 my wife was raving about new Christmas music she heard. She
went after Christmas to find the CD but everybody was out. In '98 she
brought the CD home and gave it to me to give a listen. I skipped through
most of the songs and listened only to songs I new like O Holy Night. When I
saw the titles I thought it was more stupid PC let me write a Christmas song
crap. Old City Bar? The next night I gave it a half listen all the way through
as I was wrapping gifts. The music wasn't bad, but I still wasn't paying
attention to the words. The next night I was listening and I noticed the story.
I read the synopsis and that was when it really hit me. I then sat down with
the book in hand reading the story along with the songs. For the next few
nights some of the gifts were getting wet as I was wrapping.
I am now the big fan, always reading the posts, checking on the news and
spreading the word whenever I can. I have given about 20 copies of each CD
to friends and co-workers for Christmas. We missed the first show in Philly
at the Tower in '99 but have been there since. I am now also a fan of
Savatage and have many of their cd's.
-Joe E.
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Al was touring with BOC and mentioned that he was in Savatage and
Trans-Siberian Orchestra. I figured "Orchestra? Al?!?!?!" This I have got to
hear. I was blown away the minute I heard Xmas Eve Sarajevo and the rest
of CEAOS and Savatage's DWD. Finally saw my first TSO show last year in
San Francisco, and was utterly floored by the power and (for lack of a less
pretentious term) majesty of the show.
We've been listening year-round ever since.
-Charlie
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When I had Z Music Television (oh how I miss that channel) a few years
ago, they played the music video of "Christmas Eve (Sarajevo 12/24)" and
that's where I first heard TSO. Ever since then, I've been wanting to see
them in concert, but never got a chance to until last week's amazing show.
-Travis
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I first heard CE S 12/24 (as did many TSO fanz) on the radio. Loved it
right away - loved the idea of Christmas music and power rock. But, what
hooked me was, in 1999, listening to CE&OS and CA back-to-back on
Christmas Eve driving back home from by brother-in-law's house. CA was
about half over, and I went in the house and listened to the radio into
Christmas morning after my family went to bed. I was upset when I found
out that they had actually been in town. I vowed to see them the next year.
And I did. This Sunday will be my 5th show. Nuff said - fellow groupies!
God's Blessings
-David R.
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Ok, my turn: Last year I first heard TSO's either Christmas Canon or
Sarajevo on a cable music channel. I would often turn on this particular
music channel because it played all Christmas music all day long. Heard them
and immediately loved what I was hearing. Even to the point of running into
the room where the TV was to see the name of the artist. A couple of weeks
later I saw a commercial for their concert and mentioned it to my hubby. He,
being the great guy that he is, got us tickets for the concert. Once I knew we
were going to the concert, I went out and bought CEAOS & CA cds. Loved
the music, but really didn't appreciate them until seeing them LIVE!!!
WOW!!! When Paul (my hubby) ordered the tickets, he was having a brain
fart (LOL) and only ordered 3 instead of 4. A few days later he called back
to get one additional ticket, but could only get one that was no where near the
other 3 (first row balcony for the 3, left side on floor about 10 rows back for
the single one). I said, "I'll sit by myself", I didn't care. That's how I met Joe
(MagSeven) and his beautiful wife Kim. I sat beside them and we chatted
prior to the beginning of the show. I'll never forget how excited Joe was to
see the show. He told me all about what his friends had told him about the
show....his friends on the yahoo chat group. I asked him for the web site
address, went home that night and joined and here I am!!!! I remember Joe
"looking" for Marty that night and going over to him to say hello. I'm A big
TSO fan. I've now started to listen to Savatage's Dead Winter Dead cd. My
children 13, 11, & 4 love the music too. My older two will once again be
attending this Friday's show in Pittsburgh. Cant wait!!!!! We are also bringing
8 "newbies" to the show with us this year. I can't wait to see their faces once
the show gets underway. Phew! This was longer than I thought. Sorry for
going on and on and on... It's just so easy when you're talking about TSO.
-Pattie Jo