The last Christmas BATTLE OF THE BANDS and the last BATTLE
OF THE BANDS for 2015.
First up:
And the Opponents:
You know what to do and how to do it.
For more information and a link to the other players, please
go HERE.
Hopefully, I’ll be back on the 21st to cast my vote, and
let you know who the big winner is.
Merry Christmas to all and to all a Good Night!
#2 gets my vote. Was way more into it and that made it come off better for me.
ReplyDeleteHey Pat, thanks for stopping by and casting a vote. I truly appreciate your loyalty and hope you have a wonderful Christmas.
DeleteThe cello is one of my favorite instruments, but I prefer mellow and fluid. This cello version is well done, but doesn't tickle my Christmas fancy.
ReplyDeleteOn the other hand it's difficult to do wrong with TSO. Their version is dynamic and exciting with more musical depth and greater texture.
I cast my vote for TSO.
Merry Christmas to you too!
Arlee Bird
Tossing It Out
Now you've gone and tied this BATTLE up and with only two votes counted. Course, I'm hoping it will be a close one, so that's alright with me.
DeleteI LOVE Trans-Siberian Orchestra! Every year I tell myself that I'm going to see them when they come to Austin and every year another year goes by with me missing them!
ReplyDeleteI definitely enjoyed listening to the cello but Trans-Siberian Orchestra just grabs me and holds me breathless. My vote goes to TSO.
Merry Christmas Fae!
Michele at Angels Bark
You should go see them. No other concert like it.
DeleteI can definitely see their version 'holing you breathless'. Thanks for the vote Michele.
DeleteI didn't care for the mashup of "Carol of the Bells" and "God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen" that Trans-Siberia Orchestra did. I'll go with The Piano Guys' version, even though the focus was the cello. I liked the pizzicato at the beginning.
ReplyDeleteAnd the voting is tied up AGAIN. Can you tell I'm loving this?
DeleteI prefer the Piano Guys-The TSO is too hard rock for me while the Piano Guys have a nice "ring" (Nyuck, Nyuck) to it.
ReplyDeleteTSO definitely give this a harder rock sound. I know that kind of turns some folks off, when it's applied to Christmas tunes.
DeleteBoth of these versions are appealing to me (for different reasons).
ReplyDeleteNothing wrong with TSO any day of the week! Rock Christmas, guys!
The Piano Guys version and that cellist really connected with me today: his skills are amazing and I love his enthusiam. So, #2 gets my vote.
Merry Christmas, safe travels and God bless my friend.
I whole heartedly agree and too enjoy both versions (for different reasons). I think it depends on which day of the week, or maybe hour of the day I'm listening, as to which I might enjoy more.
DeleteAnother vote for The Piano Guys... Love TSO, but the cello in #2 really did it for me. GREAT battle, FAE, and merry Christmas!
ReplyDeleteGuilie @ Quiet Laughter
That not so mello cello seems to be giving The Piano Guys the edge.
DeleteTSO!!!!! You cannot beat them for an awesome, rocking Christmas song.
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely no surprise in your vote, Alex. Thanks for stopping by.
DeleteTrans-Siberian Orchestra, please. I'm a traditionalist--sometimes.
ReplyDeleteLove,
Janie
TSO for the 'sometime-traditionalist'. Ha, ha, ha!
DeleteI love instrumentals. And I've come to know and appreciate the Piano Guys. But TSO does this song amazingly. I couldn't vote for anyone but them. So much power and energy they put into the song. A true transformation of a classic.
ReplyDeleteI too like the power of an instrumental, especially with some of these Christmas songs where we know the lyrics so well. The TSO version sure does pack a punch.
DeleteWow! I'm a big Piao Guys fan, but TSO takes my vote. That guitar really made it for me. Enjoy Christmas, and time away!
ReplyDeleteIt's really interesting the various factors that everyone is pulling out when casting their vote. The guitar work of TSO takes it for you, OK, then.
DeleteI hate to be the knucklehead in the bunch, but (and bearing in mind, I haven't watched them live) I think TSO is a bit overdone. Plus, being an ELO fan, I rather enjoy the cello. #2 for me.
ReplyDeleteNo knuckleheads allowed. And your vote is not a 'knucklehead one'. This is all about personal preference and your prefer the cello over that harder rock sound. OK then, voting seems almost tied up again.
DeleteI really like both of these very much. I found The Piano Guys thanks to BoTB a few years ago... and have discovered that I really enjoy all their music.
ReplyDeleteThat said, today TSO appeals to me more. Maybe because it felt more dramatic (though I really liked the version by TPG, making this a tough one). So, give my vote to TSO.
If I come back in a few days, can I vote again???
Hey, no Chicago style voting here. Ha, ha,ha. glad it was a tough choice. Got you down for TSO.
DeleteFAE ~
ReplyDeleteThis will likely surprise you, but this is one of my favorite BOTB installments you've ever put together. Why? Well, for one thing, 'CAROL OF THE BELLS' is one of my Top Ten favorite Christmas songs (and, yes, the lyrics to the non-instrumental versions include a line indicating that the song is about Christ).
I absolutely LOVE this melody.
Also, two Decembers ago, I actually heard the Trans-Siberian Orchestra version of this song on the radio while delivering legal documents in Phoenix and I jotted it down as a future potential competitor in a BOTB blog bit. I hadn't decided who I'd put up against them, but you've beaten me to it... and done it BEAUTIFULLY!
Both versions are great in their own way. I dig the TSO version because of its power. Yes, it's a bit bombastic, but let's face it, that also provides a good deal of its power.
But those (weirdly named) PIANO GUYS are tremendous! I never knew about them prior to the invention of BOTB (they've been used before) and now I'm thinking I need one of their Christmas albums.
THE PIANO GUYS get my vote. There's a certain nuanced, and more delicate, more highly-textured-with-variety aspect to their arrangement. Listen to it and think of snowflakes: It's like "hearing" inside of a gigantic, one-of-a-kind SNOWFLAKE, all interconnected with strings of ice. The sound of crystal beauty! WONDERFUL!
Now here's the humorous thing...
When I was a kid, I had NO IDEA that this melody was "A REAL SONG"! I always thought that some brilliant advertiser had invented it as the theme song for the (Link:->) 'ANDRE CHAMPAGNE' TV commercials!
My Brother, my Sister and I grew up thinking (in the 1970s) that 'CAROL OF THE BELLS' was simply (the lovely) "Andre Champagne commercial song". It wasn't until the early 1980s, as a young adult, that I came to realize that the melody was an actual CHRISTMAS CAROL. And then it became one of my very favorites.
This was an excellent, Excellent, EXCELLENT Battle. I listened to BOTH competitors twice before deciding I had it right the first time: THE PIANO GUYS.
~ D-FensDogG
'Loyal American Underground'
So glad to hear that you enjoyed this BATTLE. I've been having a great time reading the comments and watching the voting go back and forth. I haven't had time to count anything up yet, but I think it's fairly close. At least I hope so.
DeleteI watched the champagne commercial (I had not seen it before). What a clever idea. I liked the clinking of the glasses and that you never really saw anybody, just their hands with the champagne glasses.
The Piano Guys it is for you.
I listened to the second one first knowing I already liked TSO. My vote goes to TSO I found their version more exciting to my ears.
ReplyDeleteA vote for some excitement, eh, Mike?
DeleteRobin, what a tough choice! But I'm like Mike. I knew beforehand that TSO would get my vote. Nice, nice battle! I hope you have a very Merry Christmas and pray for God's blessings to be with you in the coming new year, my friend!
ReplyDeleteGot your vote and I appreciate the Christmas wish, just one little thing...this is FAE not Robin. I know BOTB is so big now it's hard to keep straight which blog you're at. You have a wonderful and blessed Christmas also.
DeleteThis one was easy for me. Although I intellectually see why people like TSO, I am not really a fan. Do I turn the station if they come on? Maybe, maybe not... it is a toss up.
ReplyDeleteBut I LOVED "Cello-boy!" (I did not watch... only listened.) Very very interesting version. It is technically great, it moves along nicely, and I could listen over and over. A strong vote for #2.
Merry Christmas, Far Away Eyes! (and ears, elbows, etc.)
And a very Merry Christmas to you my musically inclined friend. Glad you liked The Piano Guys (or maybe it should be Piano and Cello Guys). Got you down strongly for them.
DeleteLook forward to more BATTLE in 2016 (I still have the list of suggestions you sent and plan on using them interspersed through the New Year.)
A really good battle actually. Both are awesome. Ya know, once you hear TSO, hard to like anyone else. I'd go to a concert to see the other's though. They were good. Excellent. I love the cello.
ReplyDeleteGive my vote to TSO.
Seems a lot of yous guys are saying the same thing 'love them both'. I love, Love, LOVE it when that happens. got you as a vote for TSO.
DeleteOh dear, I loved both versions. Can vote for both of them?
ReplyDeleteIf not the cello, just for the way he seemed to be into it!
Gosh, that wasn't fair at all!
Merry Christmas!
Merry Christmas Yolanda. Thanks for stopping by and casting a vote.
DeleteI'll echo some of the others that said this is a great battle. It's fantastic. I love TSO and their powerful sound - always have - and this song in particular. It has such umph. It's hard not to feel the passion within each pounding note. The other is certainly beautiful, and a worthy competitor, but we're both big fans of TSO and easily hand our votes to them.
ReplyDeleteTwo more votes for TSO. Glad you also enjoyed this BATTLE. I've had a great time with it. Have a Great Christmas and wonderful, wonderful New Year!
DeleteAh...Darlink...thanks for stopping by, BUT did you even read my marvahlous post.
ReplyDeleteHello my friend. Sorry it's been so long. Not here to vote, just wanted to wish you a Merry Christmas and let you know I'm still kicking- although not as hard as I used to...lol. Love and blessings this holiday season- Jen
ReplyDelete