caption current_members associated_acts years_active alias label image_size background genre image article_title name
trans-siberian orchestra performing live in november 2006 paul o'neill jon oliva robert kinkel al pitrelli savatage , jon oliva 's pain 1996 & ndash ; present tso lava , atlantic , rhino 250 group_or_band progressive rock , symphonic metal april 2015 trans-siberian orchestra 4.jpg trans-siberian orchestra
 trans-siberian orchestra
trans-siberian orchestra

trans-siberian orchestra -lrb- tso -rrb- is an american progressive rock band founded in 1996 by producer , composer , and lyricist paul o'neill , who brought together jon oliva and al pitrelli -lrb- both members of savatage -rrb- and keyboardist and co-producer robert kinkel to form the core of the creative team .
the band gained in popularity when they began touring in 1999 after completing their second album , `` the christmas attic '' the year previous .
in 2007 , the `` washington post '' referred to them as `` an arena-rock juggernaut '' and described their music as `` pink floyd meets yes and the who at radio city music hall . ''
tso has sold more than 10 million concert tickets and over 10 million albums .
the band has released a series of rock operas : `` christmas eve and other stories '' , `` the christmas attic '' , `` beethoven 's last night '' , `` the lost christmas eve '' , and their two-disc `` night castle '' .
trans-siberian orchestra is also known for their extensive charity work and elaborate concerts , which include a string section , a light show , lasers , `` enough pyro to be seen from the international space station '' , moving trusses , video screens , and effects synchronized to music .
both `` billboard magazine '' and `` pollstar '' have ranked them as one of the top ten ticket-selling bands in the first decade of the new millennium .
their path to success was unusual in that tso is the first major rock band to go straight to theaters and arenas , having never played at a club , never having an opening act and never being an opening act .
in 2013 , tso kicked off their european tour with a performance on new year 's eve 2013-14 in front of over 1,000,000 fans at berlin 's brandenburg gate .
`` a daring feat in which the band played three shows across two continents in 27 hours . ''
the show was broadcast live to millions more on german television .
