Trans-Siberian Orchestra tour announces calendar, ticket presales for 2009 season

While most other performers are still focused on their summer touring schedules, perennial touring favorite Trans-Siberian Orchestra is already looking forward to the 2009 holiday season. The rock orchestra has plotted its usual two-pronged tour for late fall that includes more than 100 individual performances in 85 cities.

Two sections of the holiday-geared musical group will hit the road on November 1 with parallel performances at the Chevrolet Center in Youngstown, OH, and the Mid-America Center in Omaha, NE. The North American circuit will be completed early in the New Year with similar performances on January 3 at Nationwide Arena in Columbus, OH, and the Sommet Center in Nashville, TN.

The Trans-Siberian Orchestra has been a holiday staple on the tour circuit since the symphonic rock group first hit the road in 1999. Separate East and West Coast touring groups were instated in 2000, allowing the TSO to perform simultaneous shows and hit more markets across the U.S. and Canada.

The group is known for its high-energy renditions of traditional Christmas songs that blend a classical symphonic style with rock and metal overtones, punctuated by impressive light displays. The genre-bending performances are popular tickets during the holiday season, and have featured prominently on TicketNews’s exclusive events rankings in previous years.

During the upcoming trek, more than 50 markets will host two performances per day — an afternoon matinee and an evening concert — including the scheduled opening and closing cities. Highlights of the outing are performances on November 3 at Pepsi Center in Denver, CO; November 21 at Wachovia Center in Philadelphia, PA; November 28 at Arco Arena in Sacramento, CA; December 9 at Verizon Center in Washington, DC; and December 26 at Allstate Arena in Chicago, IL.

Six Canadian performances are featured on this year’s tour, most of which are scheduled early in the run. Stops north of the border include November 12 at Air Canada Centre in Toronto, ON; November 15 at MTS Center in Winnipeg, MB; November 20 at Pacific Coliseum in Vancouver, BC; and December 29 at Copps Arena in Hamilton, ON.

Members of the official TSO Fan Club will have first access to ticket presales in early September. Presales for shows between November 1 and November 30 will be open on September 1, followed by September 2 presales for shows booked from December 1 through January 3.

Trans-Siberian Orchestra itinerary:
(Dates are subject to change.)

* two performances