TRANS-SIBERIAN ORCHESTRA's JOEL HOEKSTRA Rips 'Backing Tracks' Accusation: 'It's So Annoying That People Think We Do That'

In a new interview with Meltdown of Detroit's WRIF radio station, TRANS-SIBERIAN ORCHESTRA guitarist Joel Hoekstra spoke late creator Paul O'Neill's refusal to rely on backing tracks or "lip syncing" for any of the performances for the longtime holiday favorites, despite speculation to the contrary. Joel said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "It's so annoying that people think that we do that. I hate when I read that. It's totally offensive, 'cause we spend a lot of time and value that we don't do that. I think what confuses people, or maybe that it's occurring, is that it's really polished musically, but we do play to what's time code to sync the production to us. So, we're on, basically — it's the equivalent of a metronome. But with some of the songs, there's times where it slows down or speeds up, or you'll get count-ins for certain sections. That's just running with time code to sync the lights and the pyro and things like that to us, so everybody's on the same page. But that's it. There's no tracks with TSO, I mean, there's no need to. We have so much talent in that band. I mean, you've got nine singers in each band. And the backing vocals — and no, we're good. We've got that covered. And everybody plays their parts relatively well, man. I mean, we work hard to sound good as a band. So, yeah, it's really annoying when people think that we're faking it. It's, like, dude, come on, man."

After Meltdown noted that not relying on backing tracks was one of the things Paul was really proud about when it came to TRANS-SIBERIAN ORCHESTRA's live shows, Joel concurred. "Yeah. Oh, definitely," he said. "Obviously, Paul was the guy to hire me, and that was all part of the opening 'I'm hiring you' rap, one of the things he hung his hat on. And there was a lot of those things that Paul had. Some of 'em were quirky and some of 'em made a lot of sense, and that one makes a lot of sense to me, 'cause you don't want somebody to question the integrity of what it is you're doing. But I guess it's such the norm these days that most bands have tracks going, that people just assume. No, we actually don't. And there's no way, if Paul were alive right now, that he'd let us. It would just never happen."

TRANS-SIBERIAN ORCHESTRA's 2025 Winter Tour will bring the multi-platinum rock group to 64 markets for 106 concerts across the country. This year's tour will feature an all-new production of their beloved "The Ghosts of Christmas Eve" alongside a special second set of hits and fan favorites that includes a 25th-anniversary salute to "Beethoven's Last Night". "The Ghosts Of Christmas Eve: The Best Of TSO And More" tour promises to continue TSO's tradition of captivating audiences nationwide with an unparalleled blend of rock, classical, and theatrical spectacle, complete with dazzling pyrotechnics, lasers, and incredible storytelling.

The 2025 TSO tour promises a reimagined and expanded presentation of the beloved holiday tradition, "The Ghosts of Christmas Eve", which has captivated multiple generations. A product of the imagination of TSO's late founder Paul O'Neill and based on TSO's multi-platinum DVD TV special, "The Ghosts of Christmas Eve" follows the journey of a runaway who breaks into an abandoned vaudeville theater on December 24. Following this powerful rock opera, the 2025 tour will also deliver a high-octane, visually stunning second set packed with more of TSO's greatest hits, fan-favorites, and unexpected delights.

Building on the monumental milestones celebrated in their last tour, TSO continues to redefine its success. With over 20 million concert tickets sold and a staggering more than $20 million donated to charity since their inception, TSO remains one of rock's most generous bands, proudly upholding Paul O'Neill's vision, by contributing at least $1 from every ticket sold to local charities.

With an incredible $1 billion in gross sales, TSO's remarkable and consistent appeal is reflected in recent industry accolades: Pollstar recognized TSO at No. 4 for Top North America Tours and at No. 6 on their Top 100 Worldwide Tours chart by gross for Midyear 2025, while Billboard placed them at No. 5 in Midyear 2025 Top Ticket Sales and No. 13 on the Midyear 2025 Top Tours chart. Adding to their impressive achievements, their iconic hit "Christmas Eve/Sarajevo 12/24" has just surpassed 100 million streams across digital platforms, further cementing its status as a timeless holiday classic.