Christmas Concerts
3Question for people (especially the Dallas area since a lot of it is based here) I’m looking to buy some concert tickets. The Transiberian Orchestra while fun is a bit pricey.
Here are the ones I am considering:
A Magical Cirque Christmas
https://www.verizontheatre.com/events/detail/358515
A Christmas Carol at Wyly Theater
Plano Symphony Orchestra: Home for the Holidays
Brian Setzer
Any feedback on any of these shows if you’ve seen them?
Add-on for you: If you happen to have a Blue Man Group Tour near you. Don’t wait, buy those tickets. One of the best shows I’ve seen. Lots of fun.
- 6 comments, 9 replies
- Comment
+1 for Blue Man Group. If you’ve never seen them, you absolutely MUST!
@shahnm Definitely it was a good time.
I’ve seen Trans Siberian Orchestra. In my opinion, WAAAAAYYYY overrated. I was with a large group, and a lot of the folks just gave up and left. I was stuck for the whole thing, because our large group being at that show was sorta an event on my behalf…
That was 7 years ago, and my wife and I still joke about it as hands down the worst, weirdest, and most boring concert we’ve ever seen. And we actually do enjoy their music when it comes on the radio at Christmastime… Small doses. That’s the key.
@shahnm I went and aw Mannheim Steamroller one year. That was ok, but it was a little too New Age for me.
@shahnm @Targaryen I am a lifetime Mannheim fan, been going to their Christmas concerts at Universal Studios for several years and always have their music playing around the holidays. For me personally, Christmas music doesn’t get any better than Chip Davis & Mannheim Steamroller.
@PooltoyWolf @Targaryen I saw Mannheim at Universal a couple of years ago. Definitely enjoyed them more than TSO…
@PooltoyWolf @shahnm @Targaryen I guess its just to each his own, but it floors me that someone could come out of a TSO concert labeling it as “boring”. The music might not be everyone’s cup of tea, but I found the show to be an epic event with an engaging story and pyrotechnics that make a Pink Floyd concert look like a bridge club meeting. On the contrary, I could understand a person finding TSO’s pyrotechnics too overwhelming and would prefer a more mellow brand of Christmas music. Again, I understand a thumbs-down, as its all subjective. But “boring” blows be away.
Out of approximately 300 concerts I have attended, I might rank TSO in the top 10, and would definitely put Mannheim Steamroller in the bottom 10. To me, the only comparison between TSO and Steamroller is they are both (primarily) Christmas music. Otherwise, they aren’t similar at all. Only because I was actually there, am I convinced that Steamroller wasn’t just one guy with a Casio keyboard.
@DrWorm @shahnm @Targaryen I agree heavily with your comments concerning TSO but am offended considerably by your opinion of Mannheim! I grew up with their music and I never considered their stuff anywhere near bad, or even mediocre (LOL). To each their own, I suppose.
@DrWorm @PooltoyWolf @Targaryen Bright lights and loud sounds do not necessarily equate to exciting or interesting. I’ll grant you that TSO puts on an impressive display, and that their music (in reasonable quantities) is engaging if you’re into that sort of thing. With that said, it’s a particularly impressive feat that they somehow channeled all of that potential into an absolutely boring overall show…
I’m glad those who enjoy it do, and TSO definitely works their butts off to put on their shows. Credit given where it’s due. I guess it’s one of those things you have to experience to decide whether you can’t wait until next year to see it again, or whether you wonder how you’ll ever get through the entire show without keeling over from exhaustion and boredom…
Several members of my group committed suicide just to make it end. They were the lucky ones.
Here are some upcoming local choral performances. I’m sure this is not a complete list tho.
Some of these groups will likely give Christmas concerts.
https://dfw.cbslocal.com/top-lists/best-choirs-in-dfw/
@f00l I love the Turtle Creek Chorale’s Christmas concerts. Lots of examples on youtube, such as The Jalapeno Chorus:
My kids (grown) and my granddaughters (semi-grown) all like Pentatonix and see them the past few Christmases.
I will tell you that I’ve seen the TSO Christmas show twice & both times rank in the top 10 concerts I’ve ever seen (& I’ve seen well over 100 shows)! So, basically, what I’m saying is that if you can figure out a way to see TSO you really should.
Short of that, I always look to local churches & even some colleges for inspiring Christmas shows. More often than not, they are really cheap & yet truly put one in the “Ho Ho Ho!” mood in a hurry!!
I have the CD of Brian Setzer Christmas record & really look forward to pulling that out for the season each year, so seeing his Big Band live would be awesome I’d think!
@tohar1 My go to Christmas CD/playlist is Michael Buble, but when I hear Brian Setzer I always think “that sounds like a fun show.”
I would go for Cirque … even the smaller Cirque productions are great… not that I think that one will be a small one, just in general.