Johnny Marr takes to the stage of Wembley Arena (like Eventim/Hammersmith Apollo, the old name sticks), an adoring crowd before him, world renowned musicians behind, playing tracks that bring back memories, introduced by a man with anecdotes and dry wit. Alas, it’s not Morrissey, and that @smiths_official reunion that Twitter hinted at, but world renowned, award winning composer Hans Zimmer, live.
From a small cavern of keyboards at the centre of the stage – his bat cave perhaps – Zimmer leads the musicians and choir on a journey through recent cinematic history, introducing each segment with stories; of how he came face to face with Mona Lisa while The Lourve was closed while recording The Da Vinci Code, or simply naming those in the orchestra who played a significant part in a certain score. The choir add a haunting layer during The Da Vinci Code, and if seeing these numbers live is an IMAX experience – never quite knowing where to look – these voices bring it to 4D and beyond.
Gladiator appears early, with a sole female vocal highlighting how in sync the musicians are, making it near-impossible to differentiate between the tidal wave of sound created live on stage and a mixed and mastered studio version. Dressed in a plain black tee, Zimmer appears comfortable addressing the audience, before perching on the drum riser to join another guitarist, casually explaining this this “might work, might not”. He even takes to the drums briefly for True Romance track ‘You’re So Cool’, explaining afterwards that it’s only included so he can be a rock star for a few moments.
It’s this attitude that differentiates Hans Zimmer from mysterious “composers”, explaining in various interviews that he’s “from punk” – he played with The Buggles and produced for The Damned – and as highlighted with the rock opera roars from The Amazing Spider-Man 2 ‘Electro Suite’ and The Dark Knight. As the percussionists continue their steady sticks-in-the-air beat, Hans takes to the mic for a touching moment, discussing Heath Ledger’s death and the shooting in America during a screening of The Dark Knight Rises. With musicians on stage from around the world, he offers a more sombre moment: “Let us put our arms around you with ‘Aurora’”.
The biggest reactions come from some of his more lighthearted work, with the appearance of Lebo M for the iconic opening of ‘Circle Of Life’ from The Lion King (blending traditional African sounds with sweeping strings), and the frivolity of Pirates Of The Caribbean that sees an accordion player roam the stage with a parrot on his shoulder. The fact that there are moments when you forget that both Hans Zimmer and Johnny Marr are on stage is testament to the genius of Zimmer’s scores. If you haven’t already seen the film, the music will make it your next Netflix search.
A huge organ is unveiled for Interstellar, a sound so grand it could fill the void of space, before an encore of Inception, ending on the simple, stunning ‘Time’. He may have recently announced his retirement from composing superhero soundtracks, but considering that Batman V Superman: Dawn Of Justice doesn’t appear tonight, as well as The Simpsons Movie, 12 Years A Slave, Thelma & Louise…, here’s hoping that this first full tour is only the beginning. While scores can find themselves playing second fiddle to the cast, tonight rightfully placed them centre stage as the top billed star.
Dan Bull
@danbull7609
Dan Bull
Latest posts by Dan Bull (see all)
- LIVE: Tom Petty And The Heatbreakers @ Hyde Park 09.07.17 - July 14, 2017
- LIVE: The Killers @ BST Hyde Park, 08.07.17 - July 12, 2017
- Glastonbury 2017: The bands, the brass and Barry Gibb! - June 27, 2017
