Photos by Andy Argyrakis

Every winter, Trans-Siberian Orchestra outdoes itself when it comes to staging a gargantuan touring spectacle that usually ranks right towards the top of the season’s highest grossing tours. And though the massive troupe didn’t disappoint once again during the first of two Allstate Arena appearances, this year’s visit was particularly significant for several reasons.

The lasers, smoke, pyro, rotating visuals and hydraulic lifts could’ve dwarfed even the likes of Pink Floyd or AC/DC in their heyday…

For starters, it marked the first time Trans-Siberian Orchestra ever brought the TV special turned DVD “The Ghosts Of Christmas Eve” to the stage, while also simultaneously unveiling selections off the new “Letters From The Labyrinth,” a non-seasonal album that also marks its first of any kind in six years. The front half of the spectacle was stacked with bits of both, including the present tense progressive rocker “Time & Distance (The Dash),” followed by a complete rendering of the aforementioned holiday heart warmer about never being too late to make a fresh start.

Throughout it all, the massive band and rotating cast of lead vocalists revisited modern day Yuletide classics such as “Christmas Canon Rock,” “First Snow” and “This Christmas Day,” all wound around Trans-Siberian Orchestra’s signature symphonic rock stylings. Also keeping with tradition, the lasers, smoke, pyro, rotating visuals and hydraulic lifts could’ve dwarfed even the likes of Pink Floyd or AC/DC in their heyday, though in some segments, the constant barrage of effects was nearly blinding.

Indeed there was never a dull moment, especially as the second half introduced less famous but equally noteworthy current cuts “Forget About The Blame,” “Not The Same” and “The Night Conceives,” alongside the already established “Find Our Way Home” and “Requiem (The Fifth).” Members also made a customary run through the crowd as fireworks swirled during a reprise of “Christmas Eve (Sarajevo 12/24),” rounding out yet another crowd-pleasing performance that continues to expand in sound and size sound with each passing year.

Click here for more Trans-Siberian Orchestra photos from Allstate Arena. For additional information on Trans-Siberian Orchestra, visit Trans-Siberian.com.

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