Trans-Siberian Orchestra tour leaves holidays behind with spring ‘Beethoven’ concerts

Perhaps best known for its high-octane performances of Christmas classics, the Trans-Siberian Orchestra is leaving the holidays behind in favor of its first-ever spring tour. The symphonic metal group’s new venture kicks off March 25 at Taft Theatre in Cincinnati, OH, and wraps up May 2 at the Nokia Theatre in Grand Prairie, TX.

Leaving behind its large-scale productions for a more intimate theater tour, TSO will visit 31 markets across the U.S. and Canada during its five-week venture. Highlights include shows on April 1 at the Wang Center in Boston, MA; April 8 at Radio City Music Hall in New York, NY; April 17 at Chicago Theatre in Chicago, IL; and April 24 at State Theater in Minneapolis, MN.

A single performance has been booked north of the border for April 13 at Massey Hall in Toronto, ON.

According to the official tour announcement, tickets for the U.S. concert dates will be available exclusively to members of the fan club, Trans-Siberian Express. Fans must register for the fan club by February 1, but no other ticketing details have been released yet.

Before this year, TSO regularly launched East and West Coast touring groups for a concert schedule that spanned the holiday months. The 2009-2010 holiday season tour kept the groups out on the road from November 1 through January 3, often with multiple performances each day.

But now the TSO, created by Paul O’Neill, is exploring new territory with a non-seasonal song selection taken from the 2000 concept album “Beethoven’s Last Night” and the 2009 release “Night Castle.” The tour is expected to hit Europe at some point, making it TSO’s first tour of that continent.

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