Concert Review - Mannheim Steamroller

I've been a fan on Mannheim Steamroller (MS) for something close to two decades now.  Their Christmas music is always part of our family Christmas season.  So I was really excited when tickets fell into our laps to see them at Shea's in Buffalo a week ago.

The first thing we knew we had to do was be fair and not compare them to our other favorite Christmas music show, Trans-Siberian Orchestra (TSO).  TSO does an arena show with massive production values while MS does a smaller theater show.  Different shows and different expectations.

So let me say first the music was awesome.  As always.  Sadly there were several items that detracted from our enjoyment:

• A general lack of showmanship.  It was a lot like watching a really great studio band working in the studio.  The music was great but that was about it.  We never got a feel for the performers, there was virtually no interaction with the audience and what there was stiff and felt scripted.  Plus there were smaller weird things (their "connection" with New York- let alone WNY- was that the bass player allegedly went to Woodstock.  Which is no where near here.  And a lame line).  Just a show with zero personality.  (EDIT - someone who was also at the show that day reminds me that they also talked about having been to Chautauqua and studying at Eastman in Rochester.  Absolutely true.  My memory says they kind of rushed through these too.  Quick obligatory nod rather than an attempt to connect with the audience to me)

• They made extensive use of videos to go along with the music.  Great idea.  Be even better if the videos weren't so obviously 10-20 years old.  I seem to remember several of them from the old MS VHS tapes we got as promo materials at the radio station.  And I haven't worked there in over a decade so these are old.  Maybe the old line fans are "comfortable" with them but the whole shown was just a little too comfortable I thought.  Did not impress the 24 year old with us.  A big yawn from her on the videos too.
• They closed with a silly and self congratulatory video that was basically reading their own reviews in video form.  The shows they've been on, the parades they've been in.  The effect was rather sad and pathetic.  Want to say thank you to your fans maybe?  Stop talking about yourself.  Left me with a really bad taste in my mouth.

So here's the bottom line - when we leave a TSO show you can't wait till they come back next year.  After Mannheim Steamroller it was more "Been there, done that, won't be going back".  And that's too bad.  Chip Davis needs to take a look at his pet project and decide if he's OK with it sliding slowly into performance senescence or if he really wants to keep being the #1 Christmas tour.