| Author | Message | ||
     Rob Bond |
Hi Val!, A few questions regarding your touring with the Trans-Siberian Orchestra (TSO). Keep in mind that I've never seen the TSO, other than on VH1.
Best Regards, Rob | ||
| paul brown |
I thought I posted about the TSO elsewhere, but can't find it... so allow me to say that the TSO did a very good show to a packed house in Dallas, and Valerie (The "ConcertMistress") was great to watch... even doing her "out into the audience" playing, always received with great appreciation... And great talking with you afterwards, Val --- happy 2002 to you and the 'boys'... see you in April, and better luck with the new RV when you get it!!! Paul | ||
| Valerie Vigoda (Val) |
This is Valerie, weighing in MUCH later than she had hoped. Thanks for your patience, Rob--and that you Paul, for your good wishes! Great to see you in Dallas! To answer your questions: 1) My duties on the tour consisted of: Arriving at the venue 1 to 2 hours before everyone else, meeting the 7 new string players (new people in each town!), and whipping them into shape on the music for the show in a 2-hour rehearsal. Then I'd lead them through sound check, and conduct them (while playing) during the show. Sometimes, as Paul pointed out, I'd get to run around out front with the boys and their big guitars, but much of my time was spent making sure the strings and the band started and ended together.  2) We got around on buses. I left New York on Thanksgiving Day and flew to Minneapolis, where we began doing one show per night, nearly every night. After the show, we'd pile onto the buses and sleep in our bunks while we were driven to the next town. 3) The backgrounds of some of the players: there were a few Broadway actor/singers, some brilliant heavy metal and rock musicians (the music director has recently played with Megadeth, for instance), and little ol' me. To find out more about them, check out the new "unofficial" fan site for TSO: http://tso-fanclub.freeservers.com This site is still being constructed, but has much more info on us than the "official" TSO site. 4) When did I begin to count the days until it was over? I never had time to get bored, mind you, but I did find myself missing the band (again!) and when I saw Brendan in San Francisco and he played me some new tunes he'd been writing, I was positively green with envy at how much he'd been able to do for GrooveLily in his time off. All in all, it was another great experience, and I made friends with some excellent musicians I would not have met otherwise. Yahoo! Val | ||
| Paul Brown |
Wow... New string players in each town??? I don't envy your ConcertMistress duties... no WONDER you were standing so often to give visual cues to them!!!! I had no idea... Well, the TSO concept is obviously a success, at least based upon attendance in Dallas!!! PB | ||
| Pamela Hood |
Val, I have been fortunate to see you perform three different times. First my sister and I discovered you in West Jefferson N.C. under the stars. We thought you were great and stayed to the end to get your autograph. That was the day you had two flat tires on your lemon mobile. The next unusual concert was in Pembroke Pines Florida the night before a concert at Miami Dade College. There was a lot of promoters at a private home to hear you..I lucked out and saw it on this web site and was able to attend. It was so cosy with candle light. Brendan probaly got splinters from being jammed between his keyboard and a turn of the century armoire. Gene was introduced playing drum because he could only fit one in the limited area. You put on a show for 20 like it was 2,000. My next experience was seeing you in Tampa performing with the TSO. It was an incredible show that I was able to share with my husband and 19 year old daughter. She was impressed and thought you are very talented and that you struted around like a Dixie Chick. I wasn't able to stay around to see you because my husband was ready to crash at the hotel. I was curious about if you had the same band each night. Reading your note above about your breaking in a new group each show is amazing. I think you had the hardest job. I hope Brendan was inspired enough by your absence to write some more fantastic songs. Are you going to be in West Jefferson this summer? If so I will see you then. Pam | ||
| Brendan Milburn (Brendan) |
Just got a chance to mention this--Unfortunately, we're not going to be able to make it to Christmas in July this year. Something else got booked before we knew what was happening. We'll find a way to come back, though. How about that Val chick, huh? I think she's pretty cool, too. |
