
NEW YORK (Lava Records) - With the holiday season still weeks away, Trans-Siberian Orchestra's (TSO) highly-anticipated new album has made an impressive mark on today's Billboard Top 200 Album Chart, debuting at No 26 with over 31,000 albums sold. Entitled "THE LOST CHRISTMAS EVE," the release is TSO's first studio album of new material in 4 years.
One of music's most exhilarating live bands, TSO's "THE LOST CHRISTMAS EVE" includes 23 new tracks and features their signature fusion of rock, classical, Broadway & R&B, which has made them an American phenomenon with fans ranging from ages 7 to 70.
The album also hit No 2 on the Internet Sales chart, No 1 on the Christian Album chart and has ranked in the Top 10 in sales in 7 major markets and the Top 50 is sales in over 50 markets. The release will be supported by an 80+ city North American concert tour, which will include a date at New York City's Madison Square Garden.
Established in 1996 by producer/composer/lyricist Paul O'Neill, Trans-Siberian Orchestra has crafted inspirational music and delivered compelling live performances during their short time together. TSO has become a holiday essential amongst music lovers. Both of the group's studio albums are annually one of the holiday seasons' best selling releases (Billboard Magazine) and their epic song "Christmas Eve/Sarajevo 12/24," inspired by the true story of a cellist who refused to be intimidated by the gunfire in his native city of Sarajevo, has become one of the most requested songs to be played on radio during the holiday season, receiving over 12,000 spins last year.
Taking a cue from Broadway, the group recently morphed into 2 touring groups in order to further accommodate the demand from audiences during the holiday season, which will allow TSO to hit 80+ markets nationwide. Scheduled to kick off in Biloxi, MS and Charleston, WV on November 11th, the tour has already sold over 150,000 concert tickets. The group's concerts have been attended by over 1 million people, and they are expecting over 600,000 tickets to be sold for the their 2004 holiday outing.
Scott Shannon, Program Director of New York City's WPLJ, says of their live show, "Amazing... powerful... you're going to be stunned."
In addition, for the third year in a row, PBS will broadcast TSO's TV special "The Ghosts of Christmas Eve," which co-stars Ossie Davis, Jewel and Michael Crawford.
For tour dates and additional information, please go to www.trans-siberian.com/press2004 or www.lavarecords.com