Features

November 27, 2009

Twelve-Twenty Four rocks the holidays

A few years ago, a fan from California sent Maxx Mann, then a vocalist for the Trans-Siberian Orchestra, a link to local tribute band Twelve-Twenty Four’s Web site.

“He said, ‘Hey, watch out for your competition,’ ” Mann, 34, recalled. “It started off kind of as a joke, and then as I was watching I said ‘Hey, these guys are kind of cool.’ ”

Mann eventually had a disagreement with members of the Trans-Siberian Orchestra, and it came as no surprise when he formally joined Twelve-Twenty Four permanently about two months ago.

“Actually, to be honest, the caliber of musicians is pretty much the same,” Mann said. “It’s kind of like if I brought in some TSO board tapes and played them alongside Twelve-Twenty Four’s, people wouldn’t even be able to tell the difference.”

Locals can check out the musicians’ caliber for themselves this weekend at three shows: 8 and 10 tonight at Mount Airy Casino & Resort, Mount Pocono, and 7 p.m. tomorrow and 2 p.m. Sunday at the J.J. Ferrara Performing Arts Center in Hazleton.

Like TSO, Twelve-Twenty Four is a rock band that combines its sounds with those of an orchestra and has played in such New York venues as the B.B. King Blues Club and the Landmark Theatre. The group has played on the East Coast for 10 years and puts on a popular holiday music show.

“We’re going to be premiering a Twelve-Twenty Four Christmas original song,” Mann said. “Besides Christmas stuff, we’re also going to be doing post-holiday stuff.”

The group will tackle music from the likes of Daughtry, Nickelback and Creed in the future.

“My uncle was a percussionist who played with Santana on a couple of gigs,” Mann said. “He was pretty much my main influence.”

Mann is one of 17 members of Twelve-Twenty Four, which began with just five.

“We take it very seriously,” Richie Kossuth, an original member, said. “We have eight people on the road crew that set up all of our sound and lights, so it’s not a small production.”

“We’ve been practicing since February,” Kossuth, 48, said. “This way, when September comes we’re already six/seven months ahead of the ballgame.”

This weekend, fans can hear holiday favorites such as “O Come All Ye Faithful,” by Celtic Woman and more.

“Everyone knows that song from church, so songs like that tend to go over better,” Kossuth said, adding that playing in Twelve-Twenty Four is different than playing in a bar band.

“People pay attention to every song from the first to last,” Kossuth, also a drummer for local group Flaxy Morgan, said.

“I love it personally,” he said. “I do get a high off of it.”

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