Music, pyrotechnics hallmarks of the TSO
Last year, drummer Jeff Plate’s holiday season did not include flashing lights, billows of smoke or rock-infused versions of Christmas music.
For the first time since 1999, the longtime member of the Trans-siberian Orchestra was home for the holidays. The band, which performs classic and original Christmas music in shows that have the pyrotechnics of a rock concert, canceled last year’s winter tour because of the pandemic.
That meant Plate was home for the holidays.
“For myself personally it was, ‘OK, great. I’m home. I’m in upstate New York. There’s snow on the ground. We decorate the house,’” said Plate, 59. “But at the same time, I felt like I should be at work.”
This year, the band is back on the job: As part of a tour that coincides
with the 25th anniversary of its bestselling 1996 album, “Christmas Eve and Other Stories,” the Trans-siberian Orchestra will perform at 3 and 8 p.m. Dec. 26 at Nationwide Arena.
Plate appreciated the time off, but he’s glad to be back on the road.
“A lot of us are away from our families during the holidays, which is part of the deal,” he said. “Last year was a nice little injection of that back into the soul, and this year we’re back to work. But for us, bringing this to all these people is what it’s all about.”
Although the band’s rock sound and style may seem like an unlikely fit for Christmas music, the combination was part of the concept envisioned by founder Paul O’neill. In 1995, the heavy metal band Savatage — which O’neill, who died in 2017, managed and of which Plate was also a member — recorded the song “Christmas Eve/sarajevo 12/24,” in which the tunes “God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen” and “Shchedryk” were used to reference the Bosnian War.
“This song really became the vehicle for Paul to put together the Trans-siberian Orchestra, which was this dream project of his,” Plate said. “He wanted to be able to do something that was going to cover pretty much everything, musically, that you could imagine.”
The Trans-siberian Orchestra hit pay dirt with “Christmas Eve and Other Stories” and within a few years, hit the road. And with all those lights and all that smoke, their live shows have entertainment value beyond the music.
“Paul was a New York City guy,” Plate said. “He was into Broadway, he was into theater, he was into storytelling . ... And this is all presented in the show.”
And stationed at his drum seat beneath all the effects, Plate thinks he has the best seat in the house.
“I’ve been sitting in the middle of this from the first note,” he said. “I’ve seen it grow in front of me, above me, beside me, all of the above.”
To fans of the band, though, the music at the concerts coming up in Columbus will have a certain sturdy familiarity: Expect to hear staples such as “Christmas Canon,” “Promises to Keep,” “This Christmas Day” and, of course, “Christmas Eve/sarajevo 12/24.”
“It is the strongest, biggest song that we perform during the show,” Plate said of the latter. “I just kind of jokingly try to figure out how many times I’ve played this song. It’s got to be 2,500 times, but every time I play the song, the audience is excited. They’re on their feet.”
And audience response during the band’s first pandemic-era tour has been effusive.
“I think there’s an extra sense of appreciation,” Plate said. “We’ve always gotten a great response, ... but I think this year, just the fact that we are back onstage (and) the people are back in the venues enjoying the show, everybody is appreciating every moment of it a little bit more than usual.”
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