Dec 16, 2011 By Hayley Martin for Weekend Magazine 4 min read

For those looking to get into the Christmas spirit without the cheesy holiday songs, The Trans-Siberian Orchestra (TSO) is just the answer. The rock opera group brings their annual holiday show of metal-inspired merriment to Consol Energy Center Dec. 23 for two electrifying shows.

The experience will be indescribable, said Derek Weiland, keyboardist and musical director for TSO.

“What I get from people is you really can’t describe our show in words,” Weiland said. “There’s the story and the music and the experience that you get from the show which makes it so very special. The live show is something that can’t be replaced on a video or hearing the record.”

Winding down its winter tour, TSO will be performing thei timeless classic “Christmas Eve and Other Stories” in its entirety as well as excerpts from their upcoming Rock Theater installment “Gutter Ballet and The New York Blues Express.”

“There are so many elements to our show and it’s truly unique,” Wieland said. “The story begins with narration and is intertwined with the original music and vocals. It’s really a rock opera that people get really excited about and reaches a lot of different people.”

Well known for their spectacular light show displays, TSO’s original brainchild, Paul O’Neill, first began the concept with the idea to create a progressive rock band that would push boundaries even further. Featuring a $20 million-plus production budget, TSO is sure not to disappoint, featuring cutting edge technology and theatrical story-telling taking the audience on a musical journey that is both exciting and moving.

“What’s really great about our show and being a part of TSO is to have all the different elements working together,” Weiland said. “We have the biggest production in the world with visuals, music and stories. We have an amazing band, singers and an incredible production that fills 18 tractor-trailers complete with lights, pyro and energy. It’s all different kinds of music interlaced with the story and very exciting.”

For many fans, the annual TSO holiday show has become part of their own family Christmas traditions. Speaking to fans young and old, TSO has been ranked among the Top 25 Touring Artists of the Past Decade (1999 — 2009) by Billboard Magazine. The band has become a year-round touring machine with over 200 shows annually.

“We’re very excited that our show is something for all ages,” Wieland said. “One of the greatest things we have is the kids out there. The band members come from all walks of life. We have classical, metal, blues and gospel. It’s really what draws all the different people.”

Once called a “mix of The Who’s Tommy and Andrew Lloyd Weber with Pink Floyd’s lights,” TSO has sold over 7.5 million CDs worldwide. Additionally, in the spirit of giving, for the past 10 years, TSO has donated $1 from every ticket sold to charity, which has surpassed $8 million over the years. In 2010 alone, their shows performed to over 1.1 million people worldwide.

“I don’t think anyone could predict our success,” Weiland said. “I like to compare it to Tchaikovsky’s ‘The Nutcracker’ and ‘Swan Lake’ because he could not have imagined millions would see these shows and hear the music every year. We are very fortunate that people love our show and that we can do it every year. Our fans wait for us to come back over and over again.”

In the spring, TSO debuted “The Birth of Rock Theater” which was a fundraiser for PBS this winter. The show features songs from the “Beethoven’s Last Night” tour as well as songs from the latest release, “Night Castle.”

After wrapping up their holiday season, TSO will hit the road again in February in support of its next installment, “Beethoven’s Last Night,” which will be visiting Wheeling’s Wesbanco Arena in April 2012. Of course, it doesn’t end there because according to Wieland there are many more projects in the works.

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TSO will perform two shows Dec. 23 at 3:30 p.m. and 8:15 p.m. Seats are still available for both performances. For more information on the show or the Trans-Siberian Orchestra visit www.consolenergycenter.com, www.ticketmaster.com or www.trans-siberian.com.