In support for America’s veterans, Vet Tix has announced that Minutemen Family Of Companies and Barney Monk Event Staffing donated $50,000 to provide free tickets for veterans to attend TRANS-SIBERIAN ORCHESTRA‘s (TSO) electrifying 2024 winter tour, “The Lost Christmas Eve”. In an inspiring gesture of generosity, the multi-platinum classically infused prog-rock collective matched this donation dollar-for-dollar.
This latest donation to Vet Tix is a testament to the ongoing commitment of TSO and Jay Lucarelli, president and CEO of Minutemen Family Of Companies, and Barney Monk Event Staffing to support the veteran community. With this contribution, veterans across the country were able to experience the unforgettable magic of TSO‘s grand return of “The Lost Christmas Eve” to stages across the country.
“We are incredibly grateful to Jay Lucarelli, The Minutemen Family Of Companies, and Barney Monk Event Staffing for their generous support of our mission to provide unforgettable experiences for our nation’s heroes,” said Vet Tix founder, CEO and U.S. Navy veteran Michael A. Focareto III. “This partnership allows us to give the magic of TSO to those who have served our country with courage and sacrifice.”
This contribution brought TSO‘s total charitable donations for the 2024 tour to over $800,000 — at least $1 for every concert ticket sold — further solidifying the band’s commitment to giving back to the community. Since its first tour, TSO has now surpassed an impressive $20 million in total charitable giving.
The 2024 TSO tour, which began on November 13 and concluded December 30, featured a completely reimagined production of “The Lost Christmas Eve” with cutting-edge visuals, pyrotechnics, and a high-energy second set packed with TSO‘s greatest hits and fan favorites. The East Coast and West Coast productions and casts visited over 70 cities in total.
Previously, the partnership between Lucarelli, his companies, and TSO has had a significant impact on the group’s charitable efforts, adding $65,000 to TSO‘s charity donations during the 2023 tour alone.
“The Lost Christmas Eve” is a product of the imagination of and based on TSO‘s double-platinum CD of the same name. The plot is one that resonates with people deeply over the holiday season. Alone on Christmas Eve, a bitter old businessman wandered New York City. Once a rising star, he’d traded love, family, and joy for a life of solitude and regret. The tragic loss of his wife hardened his heart, pushing him away from his infant son and into decades of isolation. Then, a chance encounter with a mysterious girl led him to a life-altering phone call. His son, who he abandoned decades ago, was alive, a gentle soul caring for troubled newborns in a maternity ward. After seeking him out, the son gives a silent and forgiving gaze to his long-lost father. As they sit together, comforting innocent infants, a new reunited life together begins.
Prior to 2024, “The Lost Christmas Eve” hadn’t been performed on stage since 2013.
Pictured below (left to right): Adam Lind (Night Castle Management),TSO‘s Chris Caffery, Jay Lucarelli