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The Wizards of Winter Storm Into Category 10 With a Thunderous and Family-Friendly Holiday Show in Nashville
The Wizards of Winter spun into Hurricane Hall at Category 10 in Nashville, Tennessee on Monday, December 08, 2025, to present their fun filled holiday spectacular to a big crowd who turned out to the popular off-Broadway honky-tonk to hear a night's worth of bombastic, prog-rock inspired Christmas melodies.
The Wizards of Winter were in full command on the Category 10 stage in Nashville. The Wizards of Winter is the vibrant vision of Scott (Composer, Keyboardist) and Sharon Joy Kelly (Lead Vocals/Flute). The show started back in 2010 as a one-off in an effort to assist a local community food pantry and it has evolved into a magical musical that tours the country annually. The Wizards of Winter currently support Tunnels to Towers who shelter America's heroes such as veterans and first responders along with Backpack Friends who provide essentials to children in need thus The Wizards of Winter embody the spirit of giving back and spreading joy. The Wizards ensemble includes world-class talent who have performed with renowned acts such as The Trans-Siberian Orchestra, Def Leppard, Rainbow, Alice Copper, Blue Oyster Cult, Trixter, NBC's The Voice and Broadway/Theatre Veterans. Although the musicians come from many diverse backgrounds there was a synergy flowing through their bold ballads and symphonic rock that was spellbinding. The Wizards of Winter took us on a musical journey into a snow globe to explore the various experiences of the season inviting listeners to reflect on what this time of year means to them. Videos were used effectively throughout the night to present the different people and places that we visited. Stylistically much of the sound was progressive metal paired with operatic vocals along with some softer moments mixed in. Most of the compositions were originals with snippets of well-known songs blended in. The Wizards of Winter are currently not the next TSO but they clearly had to be inspired by the enduring success of those towering titans of the holiday arena circuit. Like TSO, they had a narrator guiding us through the complex music and stories. Also, some of the Wizards have been in TSO so the quality of instrumentalists and singers was comparable without the over the top production (think lasers and pyro) that characterizes the TSO concerts.
Manny Cabo, Steve Brown and Scott Kelly brought an abundance of Christmas magic to Music City. Getting back to Category 10 - the Wizards led us to a snow globe surrounded by a pretty winter landscape. Traveling through a tunnel we explored an assortment of seasonal themes. We pondered what Mary may have been thinking when she was told about her Son. We also meet shepherds and three kings along the way. We encountered familiar faces such as the Grinch and Ebenezer Scrooge. All these visuals were enhanced by dramatic music punctuated by three-part guitar duels, soaring vocals and vivacious violin solos from Nashville's own more than capable Lacie Carpeter. In fact, Lacie Carpenter was a main focus for the fans in Nashville as many of her friends and associates from the regular Commodore Grille artist showcase rounds came out in support to watch their associate excel on a bigger stage. Lacie is no stranger to the spotlight, however, as the pretty entertainer has penned four #1 songs and has a trophy case full of awards including Fiddler Of The Year, Bluegrass Act of the Year, and "People's World Champion Fiddler". If TSO ever needs a sub for Roddy there's a good chance that they'll be giving Ms. Carpenter a call! As for Team MCN, a good portion of our attention was being paid to our former New Jersey neighbor and three-time RRL producer Mr. Steve Brown who has held down one of the two guitarist slots in The Wizards of Winter since 2019. Now, even in his Trixter days or sub roles in Def Leppard we have never seen Steve work so hard on stage - dancing, moving to and fro, rocking hard as only he can - all with a smile on his face that proves he still loves his job all these years after founding his glam metal band in Paramus in the mid-80's. Steve Brown brought his Jersey-bred swagger to The Wizards of Winter stage with well-honed playing that is equal parts precision and personality. Throughout the performance his razor-sharp riffs and potent power chords were consistently delivered with an arena-seasoned confidence. Brown, was a salesman on stage, too - having gone from gold record selling MTV star to guitar manufacture in just a few short decades. His multi-colored line of SBS (Steve Brown Signature) axes were being put through the paces all night in Nashville as him and his fellow six-stringer Fred Gorhau were both using them exclusively to power the big sound that The Wizards of Winter were conjuring up over the course of two spell-binding sets.
Sharon Joy Kelly, Steve Brown, Lacie Carpenter, Fred Gorhau and Greg Smith were in a class of their own at Category 10 in Nashville. Bandleader Scott Kelly made it a point to share how good things can come from one simple act of kindness as 16 years on from their founding The Wizards of Winter now stand alongside many other similar musical holiday traditions with four full-length CDs under their belt and a 2023 live concert recording that regular receives seasonal airplay on hundreds of PBS stations across the country ever year. Although most of the concert touched upon the happiness of the holidays we were also reminded of the hardships as we met the homeless on the streets of New York City which just as easily could have been Nashville. The Wizards also reminded us to think of people living in places torn apart by wars desperate for the hope of Christmas. Overall, The Wizards of Winter presented a festive holiday tale as told through Kelly's cinematic keys, guitar pyrotechnics, Sharon Kelly's soaring vocals and the ensemble's overall talent. Their setlist mingled originals with seasonal classics in sweeping symphonic arrangements paired with hard rock energy. Highpoints included "The Spirit of Christmas", "Journey" and "The Four Kings" alongside instrumental showcases that highlighted the collective's virtuosity - so check out The Wizards if they come to your town as they are on tour through December 21, 2025, or look for them on PBS. Luke Combs' Category 10 located in the heart of downtown Nashville is a celebrity bar/restaurant with five unique entertainment spaces including Hurricane Hall which is used for mainstream concerts such as The Wizards of Winter. There is a spot dedicated to sports and the first floor Honky-Tonk is your place to get close to the stage.
John O'Reilly helped keep the family friendly beat moving right along as the Wizards wowed Nashville. Related Links: For more information on THE WIZARDS OF WINTER and the other organizations mentioned please visit the following links - The Wizards of Winter | Category 10
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