Seven years ago, I started the annual tradition of taking the whole | jimmages | crew to the Trans-Siberian Orchestra concert as a Christmas bonus. The tradition has evolved over the years. TSO now sells out two shows in Dallas, so this is what a TSO day is like for me…
12:00 noon – leave Sherman and head to AAC for a 3 o’clock show. I normally go with a few friends from church, and we try to catch a lunch before the show
3:00 pm – the afternoon show starts. Usually our seats are excellent…I mean, right on the stage, because we get preferred tickets for having been groupies for so long. Plus, the harder core fans want the nigh show tickets.
6:15 pm – first show is over, so everyone in our group from the first show very quickly walks from AAC to West End to have a fast dinner with those who are going to the evening show. It’s a great time.
7:30 pm – evening crew gets on the bus at West End to head back to AAC for the next show
8:00 pm – the night show begins
11:15 pm – the night show is over, and so we all head back home to Sherman
11:18 pm – we take a wrong turn
11:20 pm – we take another wrong turn
1:00 am – we arrive back in Sherman, safe and sound
2:30 am – our hearing comes back, and my family analyzes how this year’s show stacks up to the others (hint – every show is better than any before them!)
10:00 am – I am up blogging about the experience, and begin to look forward to next year’s show :>)
Here are some photos from the two shows. The first few were taken in the afternoon, where we sat so close (row A, seat 1) we had a chance to discuss advanced music theory with Al Pitrelli, TSO’s music director and incredible guitar player.
The latter photos are further back, but you can get a better idea of the scope of the light show. It’s really incomparable to anyone else touring right now. And if you ever, ever say that these guys sound like Mannheim Steamroller, please understand…you’re killing me.
The photos were taken with my iPhone, while being very careful not to get caught doing it. The very first thing that I ever shot seriously 30 years ago was a Yes concert, and sneaking around shooting yesterday brought back some very funny memories.
Enjoy!
