Transiberian "Orchestra"...

For a few years, I have heard and admired a couple of Transiberian Orchestra's songs on the radio - "Christmas Eve in Sarajevo" is my favorite and their most well-known song (it's on our playlist at the bottom of our blog if you want to listen). I told my hubby a couple of years ago that I wouldn't mind seeing them in concert (they come here every year). Last year, we thought about going but were too late to get tickets. Well, this year he surprised me! A couple of months ago, he said, "Hey, I got your Christmas present today and you are going to love it!" He wouldn't give me any hints other than "It's something you have been wanting to do for awhile and you'll figure it out before Christmas." After a couple of weeks, I figured out he was taking me to see Transiberian Orchestra in concert. That was Surprise #1. Surprise #2 came when he told me we were on the FIFTH row!!!!

After I found out we were going, a thought occurred to me...I really know nothing about this "orchestra". So, I got on their website to find out they are not an "orchestra" at all - they are actually a full-blown rock band. I had no idea the music I was hearing on the radio was the sound of electric guitars and fiddles (okay, I am not that musically inclined). I decided to purchase one of their CD's and then found out that they also have vocalists in their "orchestra". Long story short...I wasn't sure I was going to like the concert. I was completely wrong - it was AMAZING!!! The Orchestra is comprised of two electric guitars, an electric fiddle, 2 keyboards, a violin, a drummer, 8 vocalists, a narrator who puts Morgan Freeman to shame, and some other folks I am sure I am leaving out. I have never seen anything like it. The show they put on was incredible!! Maybe I was so amazed because I have never been to a "rock concert" before, but I think even among "rock concerts" this would take the cake. The smoke coming from the stage, the lights, the lasers, the "snow" falling from the ceiling, and fire (and yes, it was real - we were getting hot on the fifth row!) shooting up from the stage. The crowd there ranged in age from five to ninety-five and were dressed in everything from business suits to jeans and t-shirts. They played for almost three hours, and I never got tired of it. I could have stayed all night. This is one group I definitely want to see again, in another 368 days or so. AMAZING!!!!! Thanks, hubby, for such a great Christmas present!!!