The Trans-Siberian Orchestra‘s announcement of it annual slate of December shows can mean only one thing — Christmas season is on its way. The group took the Mannheim Steamroller business model and turned it up to 11 with a rock-inspired classical score (and a pretty rad laser show) that is a real, honest-to-goodness crowd-pleaser. How else could the group play the big arenas year after year? This year, the group is meeting demand in Denver by scheduling two shows on the same day — at 4 and 8 p.m. Dec. 22 — at the Pepsi Center. Tickets go on sale today at 10 a.m. ($25-$61, TicketHorse)
Dark Star Orchestra knows its place in the musical world. Yes, Dark Star is a cover band at its core. But instead of covering its source material, the Grateful Dead, with its own spin, Dark Star covers specific Dead shows — as in May 7, 1960. The songs are in order, and the nuances are all there. The band’s “From a City Near You” tour will re-create shows from the area of the venue in which they play, and so when the band plays the Fillmore Auditorium on Dec. 11, the band will re-create one of the Dead’s legendary Colorado shows — of which there were plenty. Tickets on sale now. ($25, Ticketmaster)
Jeff Dunham and his puppets have seen their entertainment stock rise considerably in the past few years. While some find his comedy impossibly inane, Dunham’s fans are sincere with their support. His Comedy Central show is a hit, and DVD sales of “The Jeff Dunham Show” reached platinum levels within a month of its release. Even better: A T-shirt featuring one of Dunham’s most popular characters, Achmed the Dead Terrorist (and his famous catchphrase “Silence! I keel you.”), is one of the top-selling men’s shirts at Wal-Mart stores. The most telling sign of Dunham’s popularity in Colorado is his just-announced headlining date at the 1stBank Center, the mini-arena in Broomfield, on Nov. 18. Tickets go on sale at 10 a.m. Saturday. (TicketHorse)
Godsmack still has the hit-making power that many of its peers have since lost. With its fifth studio record, “The Oracle,” Godsmack went back to basics with the help of producer Dave Fortman (who has worked with Slipknot, Mudvayne and others). The fans seem to like the familiar sounds, and the band will play the 1stBank Center on Oct. 27, a few days before Halloween. Five Finger Death Punch and Drowning Pool will open the show. Tickets go on sale at 10 a.m. Saturday. ($40, TicketHorse)
Z-Trip was one of the brightest highlights of this year’s Mile High Music Festival. And while the mash-up DJ/producer is no stranger to Colorado, he’s going to be at the center of some folks’ Halloween plans. Z-Trip will spin at the Ogden on the spookiest night of the year, Oct. 31. Tickets go on sale at 10 a.m. Saturday. ($23.50, Ticketmaster)
