Trans-Siberian Orchestra tour maps concert dates for 2010 holiday season

For most people, August signals the close of summer, but for Trans-Siberian Orchestra (TSO), it’s a sign of the holiday season to come. Following its usual tour announcement timeline, the rock orchestra this week unveiled its winter 2010 holiday tour itinerary.

A pair of touring groups will tackle the 78-date schedule, which opens with coinciding shows on November 3 at Covelli Centre in Youngstown, OH, and at Mid-America Center in Council Bluffs, IA. The two-pronged tour wraps on with another pair of shows on December 30 at the Scottrade Center in S t. Louis, MO, and at the Palace of Auburn Hills in Auburn Hills, MI.

A mix of U.S. and Canadian cities are included on the early winter trek. Stateside stops include November 6 at the XL Center in Hartford, CT; November 18 at the Verizon Center in Washington, DC; December 3 at the Frank Erwin Center in Austin, TX; and December 22 at the Pepsi Center in Denver, CO.

North of the border, TSO’s Canadian fans can catch performances on November 12 at Rogers Arena in Vancouver, BC; December 22 at Scotiabank Place in Ottawa, ON; and December 23 at Air Canada Centre in Toronto, ON.

Members of the TSO fan club Trans-Siberian Express will have first access to tickets during early September presales. Presales begin September 1 for all tour dates booked through November 28; concerts scheduled from December 1-30 will be available during September 2 presales.

While public onsale dates haven’t been announced for the entire tour, the first sales will start around September 18, according to Ticketmaster.com event listings. Ticket face values start around $25 in most tour markets, while top tickets will be set at about $60 or less.

One more stop, on December 18 and somewhere in New Jersey, will be added to the itinerary before TSO begins its holiday trek. Most other confirmed markets will host two performances each — an afternoon matinee and an evening concert — for a total of about 128 shows overall. More details about the tour and its onsales can be found on the official TSO Web site.

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