Being able to see some of the members of Trans-Siberian Orchestra perform their
own music live at the Cutting Room was definitely the highlight of this trip. And the
fact that a few of them hung out and rapped with us made it even better! These
are, without a doubt or exception, some of the most talented musicians and nicest
people around today. They make me proud to say I'm a Fan!
Agent J wrote a very good review of the Cutting Room show for the TSO YahooGroup, so I'm going to use it here:
Hi All,
Sorry this will be so long. I've been hesitating to post because I
just have so much to say and I needed some time to recover from
my marathon 5 days with Liv in which we took NYC by storm. I
live here but it was great fun to act like a tourist and see my city
from another perspective. One of the cool highlights of the trip was
walking around The Village for hours and literally running into "Sex
and the City" being filmed. Liv, I had a blast with you and I think
we deepened a fun friendship. I'm looking forward to the next time
we hang out.
Now on to the show. We arrived a little early and ended up
chatting with some people from this board which was nice. After a
while, Joe C. came in and sat down with us and we chatted and
laughed some more. It was very nice of him to spend so much time
with us. Thanks Joe!
The first performer up was Joe C. Now, when Joe is perform-
ing, you are guaranteed a quality performance no matter what. He's
a dependably good and solid performer. You know you're going to
hear wonderful songs with well thought out lyrics sung with a voice
that is powerful and filled with deep emotion. His songs were a little
of every style mixed with a whole heck of a lot of heart and passion.
When Joe sings, you don't just listen, you take it in and absorb it
directly into your soul. The stories told in the songs are moving and
meaningful and his voice is unique, amazing and a pleasure to listen
to. I know, I'm corny, but I'm also sincere.
I don't remember the order of the other performers so I'll just talk about
them in any old order. Sylvia Tosun has a stunning voice and a poised stage
presence. She broke into a little belly dance in the middle of her set which
was so cool to watch. Her songs are quite lovely and striking.
TSO's resident angel, Dina Fanai did a wonderful set of her beautiful
songs. There is nothing left I can say about Dina that I haven't already said.
Thank you so much Dina for working so hard putting together another
amazing evening of incredible music for us.
I was blown away by American Trash. It was the first I had ever heard or seen them
perform. Steve Broderick was positively electric! The songs are awesome and he sings
them with such amazing energy. Since I play guitar, I was mesmerized by the guitarist
for American Trash. His fingers were flying up and down that fretboard effortlessly. I
was so jealous! Chris Caffery jumped on stage for one number with the band and that
was just awesome! American Trash rocked!
songs and the enthusiasm with which they are performed.
was Pinball Wizard.
The entire evening was fun and enjoyable. It was great talking to fellow TSO fans and
the performers who were so gracious with their time. I can't wait for the next one!
-"J"
Thank You "J", I couldn't have said it better myself!
Jill and I were fortunate enough to see the Alex Skolnick
Trio perform in Cincinnati, OH. It was the first time we'd
seen Alex perform away from TSO and I have to agree, he
is an amazing guitarist! I was totally blown away by that
show and seeing him at the Cutting Room deepened my
respect for this man's musical talent. It would be hard for
me to explain his type of music because it's so much
beyond compare. But if I were to try, I would have to say
it's like Tootsie Roll Pop. It's a jazzy/ bluesie remake of all
our old favorites with a hard and sometimes soft rock twist
all rolled up in one, making it a tasty treat!
I promised I wouldn't show this picture... but of
course, I lied. It was just too good to pass up!
Here are some "not so goofy" pics of Alex and his
boys performing in Cincinnati. (Note: To return to this page, just hit "Back" on your
browser to return to this page.)
Hanging out with the guys before and after
the show as well as in between sets was
awesome! These fellas never cease to amaze
me with not only their level of quality in
music, but also the attention they show to
their fans... Even the psycho ones like me!
It takes a very special person to achieve
what these people have and still remain so well
grounded. With their talent and popularity, they
could act any way they like off stage and still
have fans following them around like puppy
dogs, but they don't take their fans for granted
and that (in my book) is what makes them so
special. And even though I don't say it nearly
often enough, it is deeply appreciated!
What can I say? The girl's persistent!
just to get another hug from Joe!
In addition to getting to hang out with the TSO people, going to the Cutting Room also gave us the chance to meet up with other members of the TSO YahooGroup. All of whom are very cool and, I suspect, just as nutty as I am. (Although, Mare seemed a bit sedate that night. Lithium?) They are a part of a group of people I'm proud to call friends.
Now, I'm not going to carry on and embarrass them here, but I do want to say that it was great getting to know you guys better, and getting the chance to put
faces and voices to the personalities that I've been "talking" with
fans and that couldn't be more true
now. You Guys Are The Best!
that I've been "picked-up" in New York City.
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