Mannheim Steamroller Concert Kicks Off My Christmas Season

From the opening video of Chip Davis entering the living room to the finale of angels seemingly flying into the audience, Mannheim Steamroller's show in my home town Sunday was simply breathtaking.

The multimedia presentation was amazing, particularly in the second set when the audience was transported back to the year 1490 during the Renaissance Era when minstrel songs became the basis of Christmas songs. A holiday feast was presented on the top half of a screen that reached from the stage to the ceiling and was between the band and the audience. The band was seen through the bottom half of the screen.

The band played "Gagliarda" from "Christmas in the Aire," "In dulci Jubilo" from "A Fresh Aire Christmas" and "Wassail, Wassail", "Carol of the Birds" and "I Saw Three Ships", all off "Mannheim Steamroller Christmas." After "Three Ships," which featured a 180-degree visual of birds flying, one of the characters in the video says "Hey Chip, how about something we can dance to?" The band then went into a rousing rendition of "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen" that featured good interaction between the band and the cast on the video.

To start the show off, the band played "Hallelujah" from "Christmas Extraordinaire" in signature Steamroller style. They followed with "Feliz Navidad" and "Deck the Halls," which brought a big cheer and applause from the sellout crowd. "We Three Kings" incorporated video scenes with a biblical era Middle Eastern touch.

For "Catching Snowflakes on Your Tongue" from "Christmas Song," the band was wearing white tail tuxedos and red shirts and was bathed in white light as they played the electronically synthesized song.

Smith did a moving performance of "Away in a Manger" on the acoustic guitar and then the pace picked up again with "Faeries" which brought another loud response from the audience. The band put the perfect Mannheim electronic twist on the classic "Nutcracker" piece.

A rocking techno version of "Good King Wenceslas" was followed by a piano solo lead into "White Christmas" which included the full orchestra to round out the first set.

In the second set, after the trip to 1490, the screen was raised and the soothing strains of "Christmas Lullaby" filled the hall, accompanied by a visual treat of Christmas memories. To wrap up the set, the band took on "Carol of the Bells" but didn't limit their repertoire to the bells. The orchestra's strings and horns were featured in this light and sound spectacular. The audience responded with a standing ovation.

"Silent Night," with a kind of Steamroller, non-instrumental a cappella start to it, kicked off the encore. The voices then evolved into full string and percussion bringing their talents to the front.

Then, to close, it was "Angels We Have Heard on High" in true Mannheim Steamroller style. The band rocked out to the Christmas classic and the visuals were out of this world with angels that were seemingly flying into the audience.

All in all, it was an audio-visual sensory spectacle of songs that started off my Christmas Season. I have always loved Mannheim’s musical take on Christmas classics and this concert was just what the doctor ordered to get me in the spirit of the Season. Merry Christmas to one and all from No Sheeples Here!

Below are two videos, one of the band itself from 2006 playing “Joy To The World” and an amazing video of a computerized Christmas light show set to “Hallelujah”. ENJOY!