Trans-Siberian Orchestra 'The Lost Christmas Eve'

Market Wire, September, 2004

Just in time for the 2004 holiday season, Trans-Siberian Orchestra (TSO), one of music's most exhilarating live bands, is returning with a new studio album and holiday concert tour. On October 12th, the group will release "The Lost Christmas Eve," an album featuring 23 new tracks that brings together TSO's signature brand of rock which fuses classical, rock, Broadway & R&B. The cross-pollination of talent and musical genres is what has made TSO's style so unique, institutionalizing the group and its music into a holiday tradition. "The Lost Christmas Eve" is sure to delight TSO's fans who have made the band a seasonal staple and have been anxiously awaiting four years for new TSO material.

Says creator Paul O'Neill, "As a band we like having no limits, I like to think of our albums as large, old castles. They're magical from a distance or even close up, and the further you delve into them, the more there is to find. It's magical just to go inside, and it's magical just looking at the walls and wondering what might be behind them. But if you ever knock down a wall, what's behind it may -- or may not -- be the most magical thing of all."

"The Lost Christmas Eve" will be supported by a North American concert tour that will hit over 80 cities. Over 600,000 tickets are expected to be sold for the tour, which includes a date at Madison Square Garden on December 27th.

Established in 1996 by producer/composer/lyricist Paul O'Neill, who immediately brought on longtime writing partners Robert Kinkel and Jon Oliva, Trans-Siberian Orchestra has crafted inspirational music and delivered compelling live performances that have attracted fans from the ages of 7 to 70. Their epic song "Christmas Eve/Sarajevo 12/24" was inspired by the true story of a cellist who refused to be intimidated by the gunfire in his native city of Sarajevo. His playing outdoors amidst the shelling all around him represented the defiance of the violence that tore the city to pieces only a few years after it hosted the Olympics. This song became the centerpiece of TSO's "Christmas Eve & Other Stories."

Following the release of "The Lost Christmas Eve," TSO's critically acclaimed live spectacular will commence on November 11th. The group's concert tours have grown rapidly from year to year and have now been attended by over 1 million people. Seeking to further accommodate the demand from around the country, the group will once again move more than a quarter of its tour dates up to arena-size venues as well as morph into two touring bands which are scheduled to play over 100 dates this winter. The group's 2003 holiday tour sold out 62 out of 85 nights across the nation, making TSO one of the Top 5 Live Holiday Entertainment Attractions in the United States. Scott Shannon at New York's WPLJ says, "Amazing...powerful...you're going to be stunned."

With its timeless message, TSO has become a holiday essential amongst music lovers. For the third year in a row, PBS will broadcast the group's holiday TV special "The Ghosts of Christmas Eve," which co-stars Ossie Davis, Jewel and Michael Crawford. One of the most requested acts to be played on radio during the holiday season, TSO received over 12,000 spins last year. Now with a whole new album of material, the group's exhilarating brand of rock is sure to further reaffirm their place as an American holiday tradition.

Tour dates for TSO's 2004 North American Tour are as follows:

11 Nov. 2004 : Charleston, WV (Municipal Aud Theater) 7:30pm
11 Nov. 2004 : Biloxi, MS (MCC Fine Arts Theater) 7:30pm
12 Nov. 2004 : Louisville, KY (Palace Theater) 8:00pm
12 Nov. 2004 : New Orleans, LA (Saenger Theater) 8:00pm
13 Nov. 2004 : Ft Wayne, IN (Allen County War Memorial) 7:30pm
13 Nov. 2004 : Jackson, MS (Thalia Mara Theater) 8:00pm
14 Nov. 2004 : Akron, OH (Akron Civic Center) 2:30pm
14 Nov. 2004 : Akron, OH (Akron Civic Center) 7:30pm
14 Nov. 2004 : Nashville, TN (Gaylord Center Theatre) 7:30pm
15 Nov. 2004 : Akron, OH (Akron Civic Center) 7:30pm
15 Nov. 2004 : Birmingham, AL (BJCC Theater) 7:30pm
16 Nov. 2004 : Atlanta, GA (Gwinnett Center) 7:30pm
17 Nov. 2004 : Raleigh, NC (Memorial Auditorium) 7:30pm
17 Nov. 2004 : Cape Girardeau, MO (Show Me Center) 7:30pm
18 Nov. 2004 : Charlotte, NC (Ovens Auditorium) 7:30pm
19 Nov. 2004 : Johnson City, TN (Freedom Hall) 8:00pm
19 Nov. 2004 : Little Rock, AR (Alltel Arena) 8:00pm
20 Nov. 2004 : Greensboro, NC (War Memorial Auditorium) 8:00pm
20 Nov. 2004 : Tulsa, OK (Brady Theater) 8:00pm
21 Nov. 2004 : Columbia, SC (The Township Auditorium) 7:30pm
21 Nov. 2004 : Oklahoma City, OK (Cox Convention Ctr Arena) 7:30pm
22 Nov. 2004 : Springfield, MO (Juanita K Hammons Hall) 7:30pm
23 Nov. 2004 : Richmond, VA (Richmond Coliseum) 7:30pm
23 Nov. 2004 : Omaha, NE (Mid-America Center) 8:00pm
24 Nov. 2004 : Hampton, VA (Hampton Coliseum) 7:30pm
24 Nov. 2004 : Wichita, KS (Kansas Coliseum) 7:30pm
26 Nov. 2004 : Hartford, CT (Civic Center) 8:00pm
26 Nov. 2004 : St Louis, MO (Savvis Center) 8:00pm
27 Nov. 2004 : Providence, RI (Performing Arts Center) 3:00pm
27 Nov. 2004 : Providence, RI (Performing Arts Center) 8:00pm
27 Nov. 2004 : Kansas City, MO (Memorial Auditorium) 3:00pm
27 Nov. 2004 : Kansas City, MO (Memorial Auditorium) 8:00pm
28 Nov. 2004 : Manchester, NH (Verizon Wireless Arena) 7:30pm
28 Nov. 2004 : Moline, IL (Mark of the Quad) 7:30pm
29 Nov. 2004 : Indianapolis, IN (Conseco Fieldhouse) 7:30pm
30 Nov. 2004 : Toronto, ON (Air Canada Ctr-Sears Theater) 7:30pm
 1 Dec. 2004 : Buffalo, NY (Sheas) 7:30pm
 1 Dec. 2004 : LaCrosse, WI (LaCrosse Center) 7:30pm
 2 Dec. 2004 : Erie, PA (Erie Civic Center) 7:30pm
 2 Dec. 2004 : Milwaukee, WI (Bradley Center) 7:30pm
 3 Dec. 2004 : Wilkes-Barre, PA (Wachovia Arena) 8:00pm
 3 Dec. 2004 : Green Bay, WI (Resch Center) 8:00pm
 4 Dec. 2004 : Wilkes-Barre, PA (Wachovia Arena) 3:00pm
 4 Dec. 2004 : Wilkes-Barre, PA (Wachovia Arena) 8:00pm
 4 Dec. 2004 : Madison, WI (Alliant Energy Center) 3:00pm
 4 Dec. 2004 : Madison, WI (Alliant Energy Center) 8:00pm
 5 Dec. 2004 : Hershey, PA (Giant Center) 2:30pm
 5 Dec. 2004 : Hershey, PA (Giant Center) 7:30pm
 5 Dec. 2004 : Minneapolis, MN (Xcel Energy Center) 7:30pm
 7 Dec. 2004 : Denver, CO (Pepsi Arena) 7:30pm
 8 Dec. 2004 : Toledo, OH (Seagate Convention Center) 7:30pm
 8 Dec. 2004 : Colorado Springs, CO (World Arena) 7:30pm
 9 Dec. 2004 : Cincinnatti, OH (US Bank Arena Theatre) 7:30pm
 9 Dec. 2004 : Amarillo, TX (Amarillo Civic Center) 7:30pm
10 Dec. 2004 : Chicago, IL (Allstate Arena) 8:00pm
10 Dec. 2004 : Dallas, TX (American Airlines Arena) 8:00pm
11 Dec. 2004 : Cleveland, OH (Gund Arena) 3:00pm
11 Dec. 2004 : Cleveland, OH (Gund Arena) 8:00pm
11 Dec. 2004 : Austin, TX (Frank Erwin Center) 8:00pm
12 Dec. 2004 : Dayton, OH (Nutter Center) 2:30pm
12 Dec. 2004 : Dayton, OH (Nutter Center) 7:30pm
12 Dec. 2004 : San Antonio, TX (SBC Arena) 7:30pm
13 Dec. 2004 : Houston, TX (Toyota Center) 7:30pm
14 Dec. 2004 : Baltimore, MD (Mariner Arena) 7:30pm
15 Dec. 2004 : Washington, DC (Patriot Center) 8:00pm
15 Dec. 2004 : El Paso, TX (Don Haskins Center) 7:30pm
16 Dec. 2004 : Pittsburgh, PA (Mellon Arena) 7:30pm
16 Dec. 2004 : Albuquerque, NM (Tingley Coliseum) 7:30pm
17 Dec. 2004 : Detroit, MI (Palace of Auburn Hills) 8:00pm
17 Dec. 2004 : Tucson, AZ (TCC Arena) 8:00pm
18 Dec. 2004 : Columbus, OH (Nationwide Arena) 7:30pm
18 Dec. 2004 : Las Vegas, NV (Aladdin Theater) 8:00pm
19 Dec. 2004 : Grand Rapids, MI (Van Andel Arena) 8:00pm
19 Dec. 2004 : Fresno, CA (Warnor Ctr for the Performing Arts) 7:30pm
20 Dec. 2004 : Sacramento, CA (Arco Arena) 7:30pm
21 Dec. 2004 : Syracuse, NY (On Center) 7:30pm
21 Dec. 2004 : San Jose, CA (HP Pavillion) 7:30pm
22 Dec. 2004 : Rochester, NY (Blue Cross Arena) 7:30pm
22 Dec. 2004 : San Diego, CA (Copley Symphony Hall) 7:30pm
23 Dec. 2004 : Albany, NY (Pepsi Arena) 7:30pm
23 Dec. 2004 : Anaheim, CA (Arrowhead Pond) 8:00pm
26 Dec. 2004 : Camden/Philadelphia, NJ (Spectrum) 7:30pm
26 Dec. 2004 : Seattle, WA (Key Arena) 7:30pm
27 Dec. 2004 : New York, NY (Madison Square Garden) 8:00pm
27 Dec. 2004 : Spokane, WA (Spokane Arena) 7:30pm
28 Dec. 2004 : Portland, ME (Cumberland Cty Civic Ctr) 7:30pm
28 Dec. 2004 : Portland, OR (Rose Garden Arena) 7:30pm
29 Dec. 2004 : Uncasville, CT (Mohegan Sun) 7:30pm
29 Dec. 2004 : Nampa, ID (Idaho Center Theatre) 8:00pm
30 Dec. 2004 : Boston, MA (Fleet Center) 8:00pm
30 Dec. 2004 : Salt Lake City, UT (E-Center) 7:30pm