November 16, 2022 – Mid-America Center – Council Bluffs, IA

On Wednesday night November 16th, the Trans-Siberian Orchestra’s 2022 winter tour, “The Ghost of Christmas Eve”, made a stop at the Mid-America Center in Council Bluffs, Iowa.  Thousands of concert-goers packed the venue to witness the 26th anniversary of the band’s formation, and they got their money’s worth!  The Trans-Siberian Orchestra has been ranked as one of the top twenty-five ticket-selling bands in the first decade of the new millennium, and have over one million monthly listeners on Spotify.

This was the second time I got to experience the spectacle of the Trans-Siberian Orchestra live in person, and from the opening song, to the last note that was played, I was in awe.  The group is filled with so much talent, ranging from singers, dancers, musicians, and the production crew.  Lights, smoke, lasers, moving stage pieces, fire, huge video screens, and even at one time, “snow”, filled the arena, and had the audience wanting more.  They played for a little over 2 hours, and mentioned many times how thankful they were for the crowd in attendance.  This was definitely a great way to kick off the holiday season!

Since their formation in 1996, the group has sold over 10 million albums and over 10 million concert tickets, and their popularity has only continued to increase.  The production value by itself is worth the price of admission, but when you add in the dynamic singing voices and spectacular musicians, the concert experience gets taken to another level.  The Trans-Siberian Orchestra has a yearly tradition of playing at the Mid-America Center, and the thousands in attendance were thrilled to have them back.  If you have the chance to witness the spectacle that is, Trans-Siberian Orchestra, do it!  I guarantee you won’t be disappointed.

Trans-Siberian Orchestra Set List:

• Fate
• Prometheus (Instrumental)
• The Lost Christmas Eve
• The Ghosts of Christmas Eve
• O Come All Ye Faithful / O Holy Night
• Good King Joy
• Christmas Dreams
• Christmas Eve (Sarajevo 12/24) (Savatage cover)
• Christmas Canon Rock
• What Child Is This? (William Chatterton Dix cover)
• Music Box Blues
• First Snow
• Promises to Keep
• This Christmas Day
• Second Half of Concert
• Christmas Carousels / Siberian Sleigh Ride
• A Mad Russian’s Christmas
• For the Sake of Our Brother
• Christmas in the Air
• Wizards in Winter
• Child of the Night / A Last Illusion
• Not What You See (Savatage cover) (Dedicated to Paul O’Neill)
• Madness of Men
• The Snow Came Down
• Requiem (The Fifth)
• Christmas Eve (Sarajevo 12/24) (Reprise)

_{For the complete photo gallery from this show, please visit The Review Junkie Facebook page.}