WILKES-BARRE — Jeff Plate, the drummer for the Trans Siberian Orchestra, said the multi-platinum, progressive rock group’s show, “The Ghosts of Christmas Eve,” will offer something for everybody.
TSO returns to Wilkes Barre for their 2022 Winter tour at the ASM Global managed Mohegan Sun Arena at Casey Plaza for two spectacular shows on Sunday, Nov. 27, at 3 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.
Tickets for both performances are available at Ticketmaster.com, or in person at the NBT Bank Box Office at Mohegan Sun Arena.
“Only a limited number of seats remain available for the 3 p.m. show,” said Will Beekman, General Manager at Mohegan Sun Arena and Northeast Regional Booking Director for ASM Global. “We still have some good seats available for the 7:30 p.m. show, but we expect those to start moving quickly now that we have limited options for the 3 p.m. performance.”
Stephen Poremba, Director of Sales and Marketing at the arena, said TSO will be donating $1 from every ticket sold to a local charity — Griffin Pond Animal Shelter. The charity is selected by 985 KRZ every year.
“If you’ve never heard TSO, you will hear a lot of very recognizable traditional songs and classical tunes,” Plate said. “And then there will be the visual art of the show.”
Plate promised a fantastic production with lighting and video lasers and it will even snow in the arena.
“We are a rock band with a holiday play list,” Plate said.
TSO remains one of rock’s most charitable bands — to date, approximately $18 million has been donated by the group.
A product of the imagination of TSO’s late founder Paul O’Neill, and his wife Desi, and based on TSO’s multi-platinum CD and TV special, “The Ghosts of Christmas Eve,” the rock opera features such enduring fan-favorites as “Christmas Eve/Sarajevo 12/24,” “O’ Come All Ye Faithful,” “Good King Joy,” “Christmas Canon,” “Music Box Blues,” “Promises To Keep,” and “This Christmas Day.”
The 2022’s tour will also boast a rousing second set containing more of TSO’s greatest hits and fan-pleasers including “Wizards In Winter,” “A Mad Russian’s Christmas,” and many more.
“It was so special to be back playing live last year,” said TSO’s music director and lead guitarist Al Pitrelli. “When you love something as much as we do and it’s taken away, it made us super thankful to be back. I look forward to seeing all our ‘repeat offenders’ and all our new friends when we hit the road.”
Pitrelli said he loves all of Paul O’Neill’s stories, but “The Ghosts of Christmas Eve” is one of his favorites and he said he can’t wait to unveil this incredibly amazing new show for everyone.
“We know some people may be having tough times, so we worked hard with the local promoters and arenas to have a low priced $29 ticket to do our part in helping out,” Pitrelli said. “God Bless all of you and see you in November when we celebrate in-person once again.”
For more details on tour dates and ticket sales, visit — www.trans-siberian.com.
Since its touring debut, TSO has played more than 2,000 Winter Tour shows to approximately 18 million fans, with tour grosses of more than $725 million, and has sold more than 12 million albums and DVDs.
Plate said from the very first note he ever played with O’Neill, he knew he had an idea in his head and he wanted to create something that was pretty much for everybody.
“Being in the studio with Paul made me realize immediately that this really is very good music,” Plate said. “Once people got it and heard Paul’s story’, they realized he was talking to them — to everybody.”
Plate said TSO appeals to all generations — from kids to seniors to metalheads.
TSO was created in 1996 and started touring in 1999.
Plate, 60, lives on an 85-acre farm in Horsehead. NY, where he said “there is always something to do.”
Plate, a teacher, said he loves being the drummer for TSO.
“You can’t have a great band without a great drummer,” he said. “The drummer keeps the beat — keeps everything on track.”
Plate said TSO travels all over the country — there is an east coast TSO and a west coast TSO — and they require 20 tractor-trailers and 12 buses to move from town to town, state to state.
“It’s the best job in the world,” Plate said. “I never get tired of playing the our songs. And there are always always different people with great reactions every time we’re on stage.”
Plate started out with a band called “Savatage,” which played at Tink’s in Scranton back in the day. Now, TSO plays sold out arenas every time out.
Plate said he owes it all to O’Neill, who passed away five years ago. “Paul could see farther down the road than any of us,” Plate said. “We never expected to keep going after we lost Paul. But we have a great team — the best.”