Grandma is a Metal-Head

While we're on the subject, here's another concert story from last year.
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Brief Prog History lesson:

In 1996 members of the progressive metal band Savatage formed a side project called Trans-Siberian Orchestra. Under the direction of composer/producer Paul O'Neill, TSO was essentially Savatage's alter-ego using various singers and more frequent ballads. Their biggest hit was "Christmas Eve/Sarajevo 12/24" which was first released on the Savatage album Dead Winter Dead in 1995, but was subsequently copied and pasted into TSO's debut album Christmas Eve and Other Stories in 1996. TSO found a niche market playing symphonic metal versions of traditional Christmas carols. To date they have created 3 Christmas-themed albums and only one non-Christmas album (Beethoven's Last Night: 2000) Their next album Night Castle is officially expected to be released in 2008 - unofficially, don't hold your breath.
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I went to a Trans-Siberian Orchestra concert for the first time last night (12/9/2007). I could spend quite some time telling you all about the show - the band, the orchestra, the sound quality, the lighting, the lasers, the pyro, the presentation, etc - but it will suffice to say the show was great, but our seats were not. Apparently I'm cursed when it comes to getting good concert seats and unfortunately there was no "broken seat miracle" like at the Dream Theater concert, further proving that God is also a Dream Theater fan and He REALLY wanted me to have a good experience at that show. (For more details see "DT in KC" written August 2007) But the real story here is about the lady in front of me.

Growing up as a band geek I would rehearse with the jazz band in the morning, play classical music with the concert band during the day, and then go home and listen to Van Halen and Metallica while I did my homework. I never saw any reason why these seemingly separate worlds should not coexist. I would often imagine how it might sound if these elements were united in various combinations. So naturally I found my place in the world when I discovered the realm of progressive rock and symphonic metal, but it's still difficult to find bands that can pull it off well.

But TSO has found some mainstream success, so I prepared myself to see an arena full of soccer-moms and even a few older folks. I wasn't even all that surprised when I saw Brother & Sister Johnson as we came in. The Johnsons are a very nice couple - probably in their 50's - and I sit by them at church almost every week. But I still can't quite get over the old blue-haired lady that sat in front of me. She was probably at least 70 and she was seriously getting into it, especially the heavier sections. She would lean forward and wave her little wrinkled fist in the air saying "Yes…yes…yes!" She would try to clap her hands in the air, but she was always just a little too slow to be on the beat. It's just as well, if she clapped too hard she would probably fracture her frail wrists.

At times Granny would put her hands together in front of her - shaking with either excitement or Parkinson's Disease - as if she were either thanking God or begging for more. "Yes…yes…YES!" I was pretty sure before the evening was done that she would need to change into a fresh pair of Depends. I was almost expecting her to throw her hands up in the "horn fingers" gesture and then flash her goods to the lead guitarist a la Girls Gone Wild.

At one point the two guitarists engaged in a free-form improve solo exchange when one guitarist, much to the delight of the "younger" crowd (20 - 40), began to play the opening lines to "Voodoo Chile" by Jimi Hendrix. When he stopped and waited for the crowd to respond I yelled "More Jimi!", and Granny replied with all the vocal projection she could muster, "More Christmas!". So I cleverly responded, "MORE JIMI!!!" He didn't play any more Hendrix, but the other guitarist responded by playing a few lines of "Black Dog" by Led Zeppelin.

This little old lady apparently thought she was there to hear Christmas music, but it was very clear to me, and to all those around her, that she got most excited by the heavy metal elements of the songs (and I do mean … ahem … "excited."). And I don't blame her. After all, that's why I was there - to hear some well done symphonic metal.

So maybe this is the way to give progressive music the exposure it deserves: trick the public into thinking they're listening to something else: - It all starts with an exciting, modernized version of Carol of the Bells.

- Then maybe they can move on to rock versions of non-Christmas classical music (see Beethoven's Last Night and various songs by Savatage).
- Then make the transition from classical songs with modern elements to modern songs with classical elements (Nightwish, Savatage, Symphony X…)
- By then they will realize the orchestra is great, but not always required (Dream Theater, Porcupine Tree, Pain of Salvation…) and before you know it we will have an entire nation of well-rounded prog-heads. (See also "If Prog Were Mainstream")
So keep on rockin', Granny! As irritating as you are, you bring hope to the future of progressive rock. Maybe I'll see you at the Progressive Nation tour this summer with Dream Theater and Opeth!


This isn't the lady in the story. I just like the picture.

Kevineb
"Hermit the Prog"


P.S. If you like the idea of heavy metal being played on top of a full orchestra, do yourself a favor. You MUST go out and get the album Dark Passion Play by Nightwish. In fact you should get it even if you don't like metal. If you like soft ballads, you should get this CD. If you like female vocalists, you should get this CD. If you like male vocalists … if you like traditional Celtic music … if you like sea shanties … I don't care what you normally listen to, you will find something you like on this album. I have never endorsed a CD so fully before - and this is coming from a die hard Dream Theater fan - but this CD will permanently change the way you listen to music.