Trans-Siberian Orchestra returns to Kansas City on Dec. 26

Revamping its famous Christmas tour, titled “The Ghosts of Christmas Eve — The Best of TSO & More,” the group plans on giving people more fond holiday memories.

The tour will make a stop at the T-Mobile Center for performances at 3 and 8 p.m. on Monday, Dec. 26.

Having to take time off in 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic, Pitrelli said both the band and fans were a bit pensive when shows returned in 2021. This tour has been a completely different animal.

“The energy is just ridiculous. Until you see it, it’s kind of hard to explain,” he said. “From the downbeat, as soon as the house lights go down, they’re just so much more jubilant.”

A reimagining of the band’s most famous tour, the 2022 version of “Ghosts of Christmas Eve” is split into two parts. The first half is a rock opera that features fan favorites like “Christmas Eve/Sarajevo 12/24” and “This Christmas Day.” The second half is a “Greatest Hits” set with blazing renditions of “Wizards In Winter” and “A Mad Russian’s Christmas.”

“We’re always bringing out new songs to the opening set, new songs to the second half of the show,” he said. “Folks in the audience want the (“Ghosts of Christmas Eve”) story intact. That’s the part of the tradition that they like, the familiarity of (founder Paul O’Neill’s) stories. But we change up enough of it where musically it keeps everybody excited.”

It’s all wrapped in a mix of over-the-top, hard rock bravado, with pyrotechnics galore and a presentation usually reserved for some of the biggest bands in the world.

With all that said, Pitrelli doesn’t believe the band is trying to top itself. He views it as adding on to something that’s always been a rock musician’s dream.

“To be honest with you, if I did the same show every night every year for the rest of my life, I’d be fine. As long as I put a Les Paul around my neck and get to be me, I’ve been dreaming about this since I was a kid,” Pitrelli said.

On top of being a magical music experience, the band continues the vision of its late founder by donating $1 from every ticket to local charities.

“From the jump, $1 from every ticket we’ve ever sold has gone back into the community in which we’re playing. People say, ‘Well $1 doesn’t make a difference.’ Well, no, but if you add those up over a long period of time, they’ve made a substantial difference,” Pitrelli said.

The hopes are that both the show and the band’s charitable efforts will continue to put people in the holiday spirit.

“If we’ve inspired a younger generation of people to at least look at performing arts, then that’s a great thing. For the rest of the folks in the audience, I hope they walk away saying, ‘You know, that was the best two and a half hours I’ve ever spent. That was fun. That was good,’” Pitrelli said.

Tickets are $39 to $109.50. They are available for purchase at Ticketmaster.com.