. He also really dug pyrotechnics. So, it’s a safe bet that O’Neill would’ve really adored , which touched down on Wednesday (Nov.
27) in Sacramento with all the subtly of Godzilla visiting Tokyo. It was loud, brash, bold, in-your-face and, yes, full of the type of pyro and laser light work that would’ve have absolutely thrilled O’Neill, the visionary composer-producer-lyricist who founded in 1996 and guided the group up until his death in 2017. These days, the Christmastime orchestral-rock outfit is very capably led by the three other founding members — — the latter of whom captained the TSO production that played two shows (a 3 p.
m. matinee and a 7 p.m.
nightcap) on Thanksgiving eve at Golden 1 Center. (Besides being the musical director, Pitrelli is also a fantastic electric guitarist.) Meanwhile, another TSO touring ensemble was delighting fans on that same night north of the border in Ottawa.
Yes, TSO has multiple productions on the road simultaneously, which helps explain how the group was recently able to draw its 20 millionth ticketed concert attendee while only touring each year during the extended Christmas season. The Pitrelli-led troupe was in fine form during the evening show in Sacramento, entertaining TSO’s incredibly faithful following with a two-set offering that is geared toward celebrating the 20th anniversary of the 2004 album “The Lost Christmas Eve.” Opening the 75-minute first set in appropriate fashion with “Welcome,” the band w.