AL PITRELLI: "I AM GOING TO MISS HIM EVERY DAY FOR THE REST OF MY LIFE."
21st August 2017



trans-siberian orchestra

Trans-Siberian Orchestra have revealed their annual winter tour date for November nad December, the first tour to be undertook since TSO's beloved founder passed away aged 61 in April of an accidental overdose of prescription medication used to treat his numerous chronic illnesses.

Guitarist Al Pitrelli says that TSO will still deliver a merry Metal holiday spectacle. The Winter Tour 2017, which kicks off on November 16th in Erie, Pa, is based on the group's 1999 TV movie 'The Ghosts Of Christmas Eve', which features fan favourite tunes including 'Christmas Eve (Sarajevo 12/24)', 'O' Come All Ye Faithful' and 'Good King Joy'.\

The tour boasts a completely revamped stage setup and presentation of the film, which tells the story of a runaway girl who takes refuge in an abandoned theater on Christmas Eve. In its own way, the show will also honour O'Neill.

Former Megadeth guitarist Pitrelli told USA Today:

"Every note and every lyric is something that Paul had written; 99% of the production is Paul's design. Everything that you see on that stage is a tribute to the man's genius."

Pitrelli, who also played with Alice Cooper and Savatage before joining TSO in 1995, last spoke to O'Neill a few days before his death during one of their weekly Sunday night phone conversations, when they'd chat about their families and plans for new music. He got a call from his manager late on the evening of April 5th regarding his bandmate's passing.

"I lost my best friend, my producer, my big brother, the patriarch of this group," Pitrelli says.

"I remember just hanging up the phone and looking around my house, and the thirty or so gold and platinum records that are hanging on my wall directly correspond to my involvement with Paul. You say, 'Well, his physical presence is no longer here, but everything in my home, my children and my life is because of him.' As life goes on, it’s just an unfillable void right now."

The band also suffered another loss in July when touring bassist David Zablidowsky (aka David Z) died in a crash in Florida when an RV belonging to his band Adrenaline Mob was struck by a tractor-trailer. But TSO, which has touring acts on the East and West coasts, never considered cancelling the upcoming jaunt, as a tribute to both O'Neill and Zablidowsky.

"To cancel the tour — that's like me canceling myself breathing. I wouldn't know what to do without it, because this is one of our children," Pitrelli continues.

"I hear time and time again, 'It’s not the holidays until I see you guys live,' or 'From Thanksgiving to New Year's, we're playing your music in our home.' So the thought of ending that? No. It would never happen."

Pitrelli says tha what he'll miss most about O'Neill are his stories, generosity and constant motivation.

"He always wanted people to strive to be better than they were. Paul taught me something a long time ago that his version of Hell is when you die, you meet the person you could've become.

"Touring this winter, I think every one of these songs will become that much more poignant. I am going to miss him every day for the rest of my life. Every note that I play on my guitar will be because of him."




The full list of dates are as follows:

November 16th: Erie, Pa., Erie Insurance Arena, 4.00 and 8.00pm
November 16th: Council Bluffs, Iowa, Mid America Center, 7.30pm
November 17th: Baltimore, Royal Farms Arena, 8.00pm
November 18th: Allentown, Pa., PPL Center, 3.00pm and 8.00pm
November 18th: Denver, Pepsi Center, 3.00pm and 8.00pm
November 19th: Wilkes Barre, Pa., Mohegan Sun Arena, 2.30pm and 7.00pm
November 19th: Colorado Springs, Colo., World Arena, 2.30pm and 7.00pm
November 21st: Salt Lake City, Vivint Smart Home Arena, 4.00 and 8.00pm
November 22nd: Rochester, N.Y., Blue Cross, 7.30pm
November 24th: Worcester, Mass., DCU Center, 3.00pm and 8.00pm
November 24th: Spokane, Wash., Spokane Arena, 7.30pm
November 25th: Manchester, N.H., SNHU Arena, 3.00pm and 8.00pm
November 25th: Seattle, KeyArena, 3.30pm and 8.00pm
November 26th: Uncasville, Conn., Mohegan Sun Arena, 3.00pm and 8.00pm
November 26th: Eugene, Ore., Matthew Knight Arena, 3.00pm and 7.30pm
November 29th: Fort Wayne, Ind., Allen County War Memorial Coliseum, 7.30pm
November 29th: Fresno, Calif., Sav Mart Center, 7.30pm
November 30th: Lexington, Ky., Rupp Arena, 7.30pm
November 30th: Oakland, Calif., Oracle Arena, 7.30pm
December 1st: Toledo, Ohio, Huntington Center, 3.30pm and 8.00pm
December 1st: Sacramento, Golden 1 Center, 3.30pm and 8.00pm
December 2nd: Dayton, Ohio, Nutter Center, 3.00pm and 8.00pm
December 2nd: Ontario, Citizens Business Bank Arena, 3.00pm and 8.00pm
December 3rd: Grand Rapids, Mich., Van Andel Arena, 3.00pm and 7.30pm
December 3rd: Phoenix, Gila River Arena, 3.30pm and 8.00pm
December 6th: Richmond, Va., Richmond Coliseum, 7.30pm
December 6th: El Paso, Texas, Don Haskins Arena, 3.00pm and 7.00pm
December 7th: Charlotte, N.C., Spectrum Center, 7.30pm
December 7th: Lubbock, Texas, United Supermarkets Arena, 7.00pm
December 8th: Greenville, S.C., Bon Secours Wellness Arena, 4.00pm and 8.00pm
December 8th: Wichita, Kan., Intrust Bank Arena, 8.00pm
December 9th: Duluth, Ga., Infinite Energy Center, 3.00pm and 8.00pm
December 9th: Kansas City, Mo., Sprint Center, 3.00pm and 8.00pm
December 10th: Greensboro, N.C., Greensboro Coliseum, 3.00pm and 7.30pm
December 10th: Oklahoma City, Chesapeake Energy Arena, 3.00pm and 7.00pm
Deember 13th: Raleigh, N.C., PNC Arena, 7.30pm
December 13th: Birmingham, Ala., BJCC, 7.30pm
December 14th: Washington, Capital One Arena, 7.30pm
December 14th: Jacksonviille, Fla., Jacksonville Memorial Auditorium, 7.30pm
December 15th: Hershey, Pa., Giant Center, 3.30pm and 8.00pm
December 15th: Sunrise, Fla., BB&T Arena, 8.00pm
December 16th: Buffalo, N.Y., KeyBank Center, 3.00pm and 8.00pm
December 16th: Orlando, Amway Center, 3.00pm and 8.00pm
December 17th: Philadelphia, Wells Fargo Center, 3.00pm and 7.30pm
December 17th: Tampa, Amalie Arena, 3.00pm and 7.30pm
December 20th: Indianapolis, Bankers Life Fieldhouse, 7.30pm
December 20th: New Orleans, Smoothie King Center, 7.30pm
December 21st: Cincinnati, U.S. Bank Arena, 4.00 and 8.00pm
December 21st: Houston, Toyota Center, 3.30pm and 8.00pm
December 22nd: Pittsburgh, PPG Paints Arena, 3.00pm and 8.00pm
December 22nd: Dallas, American Airlines Arena, 3.30pm and 8.00pm
December 23rd: Detroit, Little Caesars Arena, 3.00pm and 8.00pm
December 23rd: San Antonio, AT&T Center, 3.30pm and 8.00pm
December 26th: Newark, N.J., Prudential Center, 3.00pm and 8.00pm
December 26th: St. Louis, Scottrade Center, 3.00pm and 8.00pm
December 27th: Albany, N.Y., Times Union Center, 3.00pm and 8.00pm
December 28th: Chicago, Allstate Arena, 3.00pm and 8.00pm
December 29th: Cleveland, Quicken Loans Arena, 3.00pm and 8.00pm
December 29th: Milwaukee, BMO Harris Bradley Center, 3.00pm and 8.00pm
December 30th: Columbus, Nationwide Arena, 3.00pm and 8.00pm
December 30th: St. Paul, Minn., Xcel Energy Center, 3.30pm and 8.00pm