Saturday Suggestion

I don't think I've ever posted a tip on upcoming events here in South Florida, so this is a first.

Trans-Siberian Orchestra will perform in concert tomorrow night at the BankAtlantic Center in Sunrise at 8 PM.

Trans-Siberian who?...you may be asking.

TSO is an ensemble that combines hard rock with classical orchestra, and focuses on Christmas/Holiday songs and themes. They have released 4 CDs to date, all but one having a Christmas theme. They receive quite a bit of airplay on radio and VH-1 during the holidays, mainly for their instrumental tune "Christmas Eve/Sarajevo". Their CDs are made up of a mix of interpretations of classical pieces by Mozart, Tchaikovsky, Lizst and others, as well as original compositions. Think Mannheim Steamroller, but with much more steam coming out of their engine. They also resemble other bands who have successfully melded rock with classical, such as ELP and ELO.

Check out some video/audio samples here. Also, check out this cool video filmed by a fan from Ohio who synchronized his house Christmas lights to the music. This video became such an underground smash that the Miller Brewing Company picked up on it and featured it in a Miller Lite commercial which ran last December.

Their tours are hugely successful, and last year they ranked as the 12th most successful touring act. Their holiday tour began last night and runs all the way until the end of the year. I've never seen them in concert, but they have a reputation for putting on a hell of a show.

I know it's still a little early to get into the true holiday spirit, but the show tomorrow night should be a fine start to the holiday season.