Mannheim Steamroller • December 16, 2024 • Eccles Theater
Reviewed and Photographed by Amelia Weyerstall
The “stars” on the ceiling of the Eccles Theater felt like a snowy scene when the Christmas band, Mannheim Steamroller, took the stage in SLC on December 16th, 2024. As the crowd filed into their seats in their fanciest holiday outfits, holiday cheer was undoubtedly in the air.
With their two musical troops traveling around the country, fans spanning every generation flock to see Mannheim Steamroller perform. Their performance at the Eccles Theatre was backed by intricate visuals in the background showing scenes of toy dolls and mice, forest scenes, and dancing figures. The band wanted to show the generational love of their music by showing photos of the band members when they were babies during their first Christmases and adding the band member’s kids’ baby pictures to complete the circle.
The theater was like a snow globe, fake snow and fog was coming into the front of the crowd, adding to the mystical atmosphere. Mannheim Steamroller is famous for its new-age rock aesthetic combined with classical Christmas music. It was prevalent throughout the show with the beams of red and green lights moving all through the audience and swirling lights projected onto the theater’s walls. It didn’t feel like a typical orchestra performance, but it was more of a rock concert.
Created in 1974, Mannheim Steamroller was originally an alias for the creator Chip Davis to create fusions of new-age rock and classical music. Since no significantly large record label would take on distributing the first album, Davis decided to found his own classical record label, “American Gramaphone” to release his own albums. Davis wrote and arranged over 35 albums, wrote 9 children’s books, and even created a food and bath line under the Mannheim Steamroller name, before turning it into the global sensation it is today.
This year is the band’s 40th anniversary of their Christmas album “Mannheim Steamroller Christmas”, and the 50th anniversary of the band’s album series “Fresh Aire”. Because of the anniversary of the “Fresh Aire” series the band decided to sneak in a few songs from the album, to which the audience applauded. There was even a projection in the background thanking the fans for making the band the “#1 top Christmas tour” which was met with even more cheers from the audience.
Each member of the band was spectacular on their own, but when they all came together it was magical to the ears. This was also in part due to the incredible acoustics of the Eccles Theater.
After opening with a few classical songs like “Aire On G String”, “Hallelujah”, and “God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen” (in rock and renaissance versions) the drummer Tom Sharpe welcomed the audience and introduced the band. Mark Agnor was the Conductor and violinist, Tali Rubinstein was percussion and played the recorder, Christopher Forte was the guitarist and bassist, Anna Lackaff was on the keyboard, and finally, Zachary Adamson (who also happens to be an SLC local) played the harpsichord and keyboard.
Sharpe also asked the audience to join the band in thanking the incredible crew and management they traveled around the country with, along with the Mannheim Steamroller Symphony Orchestra. Sharpe finished up his speech by saying “Our time together is going to seem very short, so just for now, be here with us in these moments, this is going to be a very special evening for us to be together and we are so excited to share this music with you, are you excited?” This was met with thunderous applause and really showed the excitement in the theater.
Throughout the night, heads were bopping along to their favorite songs, there was a flashlight swaying in the air, and even two little girls in the front row were dancing and spinning around in the snow and fog.
The crowd wasn’t the only ones with fancy outfits, the band all matched with blue detailing on their dresses and suits really tying them all together and adding to the magic. The band members also had outstanding showmanship, and you could tell that they were having so much fun performing on stage.
Towards the end of the night, Chip Davis came on screen to give a message saying thank you to the fans for attending the show and for their support, and to have a magical Christmas and happy new year from the entire Mannheim steamroller family. This resulted in hoots and hollers from some of the older members of the audience who remembered when Davis was still touring with the band.
At the seemingly end of the night (before the encore) when the band members were taking their bows, they received a well-deserved standing ovation from the audience. The crowd didn’t sit down until the band came back onto the stage and kept playing for their fans. Mannheim Steamroller ended the night with an incredible drum solo from Sharpe, and with “Deck the Halls” leading to another huge standing ovation and round of applause from the audience to end the night.