Your Most Memorable Live Performances

[Joni Wiljami 1,206]

.

[Quintus 5,399]

I've only ever seen Howard Shore performing the LotR Symphony with the LPO, but I'll never forget how splendid a night it was. The highlight was The Lighting of the Beacons. That kind of sound live - in our front row seats - was SPECTACULAR. Shore's face was a picture as well - the way he conducts baton-less, eyes closed and a smile full of glee. Just so joyous. Hearing the London Voices singing the lush harmonies of Rivendell was another sweet spot imbedded in memory; the acoustics of the Albert Hall allow for all sorts of dreamy acoustic engulfment.

[Gruesome Son of a Bitch 6,488]

- Williams with the Boston Pops E.T.'s Flying Theme, 2008 at Symphony Hall. Very nearly cried.

- SpectroMagic parade at Walt Disney World Magic Kingdom

- The American Adventure at EPCOT (this one is all robotics and electronics)

[Thor 7,465]

There are so many by now, so I wouldn't know where to start.

I've been to some great rock and pop acts with some of my favourite artists -- Jean Michel Jarre (5 times!), Pink Floyd (and Roger Waters separately), Manfred Mann's Earthband, The Rolling Stones, Dropkick Murphys, Prodigy, Kraftwerk, Roger Hodgson (of Supertramp), Public Enemy, Al Green, Rammstein, a-ha etc. etc. The list is long.

Some great classical and film concerts too. Like the Morricone concert in Royal Albert Hall in 2010.

But nothing has yet beat the two Ghent concerts in 2010 and 2011. Those qualify as not only some of the greatest live performances I've attended, but also one of the major cultural experiences in my life. The line-up in 2010 was incredible - Howard Shore, Elliot Goldenthal, Stephen Warbeck, Gustavo Santaolalla, Angelo Badalamenti, Nico Muhly, Gabriel Yared, Alexandre Desplat and others. Last year wasn't too shabby either - Hans Zimmer, Elliot Goldenthal, Abel Korzeniowski, Giorgio Moroder etc.

To see and hear these guys perform their music live is just fantastic, like the INCEPTION suite with Zimmer on keyboards and Johnny Marr from the The Smiths on guitar.

And also to get to talk to and hang out with the composers. Just plain amazing.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

The Blue Max suite, Royal Albert Hall, 2001. The LSO conducted by Jerry Goldsmith.

[Quintus 5,399]

Nice.

[chuck 154]

The Blue Max suite, Royal Albert Hall, 2001. The LSO conducted by Jerry Goldsmith.

Is this what you've heard?

[KingPin 201]

For me, probably any time that Williams has conducted the world concert premiere of any of his pieces. I've attended the world concert premieres of the following:

-The Flag Parade

-Duel of the Fates

-Hedwig's Theme

-Hell's Kitchen, 1964

-The Adventures of Tintin

-War Horse

-Heartwood (for Cello and Orchestra)

-Three Pieces for Solo Cello (complete)

Last year I went to an awesome Paul Simon concert (for free too!), and a couple years ago I attended a George Gershwin tribute concert at the Hollywood Bowl featuring Arturo Sandoval, Monica Mancini, Jason Mraz, and Nancy Wilson which was pretty amazing too. Seeing the B-52's live in Arizona was pretty memorable also.

[John Crichton 4]

Attending a rehearsal of John Williams conducting the Ft. Worth Smphony on one of his very few visits to Texas. It was actually better than if we had gone to the concert as we were able to listen to him interact with the orchestra to fine tune the performance. Lots of gems from him. And then Mark and I fighting our way down to get an autograph afterward, and laughing afterward that I was the only one able to speak in The Man's presence!

The whole story is in an old thread somewhere amongst the clutter.

[crocodile 7,984]

The Two Towers - Live to Projection. There were a lot of previously unused bits that never made into the film. So hearing some of that as it as intended by Shore was a true treat. His score felt much more complete. Not to mention the fact that seeing 250+people perform this kind of thing in front of you makes quite an impression. No matter if you're a fan or not. The film scoring art literally comes to life.

Karol

[Incanus 5,713]

Sibelius' 2nd Symphony in the Great Hall of University of Helsinki by the Radio Symphony Orchestra: The relatively small concert venue made the 2nd Symphony all the more powerful.

Mahler's 2nd Symphony "The Resurrection" performed by the Helsinki Philharmonics, soloists and choir: Astounding.

The Lord of the Rings Symphony by the Tampere Philharmonia: My first LotR concert. I was utterly moved.

The Fellowship of the Ring Live Projection by the Tampere Filharmonia: Again simply brilliance.

The Music of the Silver Screen, A John Williams Concert by the Lahti Symphony Orchestra: Just an unforgettable experience, the music of the Maestro played by a top notch orchestra. Performance of JFK Suite and Hymn to the Fallen were particularly memorable.

John Williams' 80th Birthday Celebration concert by Tampere Filharmonia: Another top notch Finnish orchestra performing great music by the Maestro. Excerpts from CEO3K, Themes from Jurassic Park and the Cowboys Overture special highlights for me.

[Omen II 1,235]

Nowadays when we are saturated by the media coming from all directions, my love for all kind of

LIVE performances has grown significantly.

I agree with you entirely, hornist. As much as I love all those fantastic soundtrack CD releases that we have had in the last few years, nothing beats seeing, hearing and feeling music being performed live; for me, it's like the difference between watching your favourite football team on TV and actually being there at the game. I'm very lucky being in London to be able to see so many world class orchestras and performers, usually without having to break the bank to do so.

There have been so many wonderful live performances that I have been to that it is impossible for me to list them all or even to pick a favourite. Certainly the first time seeing some of my favourite composers has always been a thrill - John Williams, Lalo Schifrin, Jerry Goldsmith, Patrick Doyle, George Fenton and others with the LSO, Ennio Morricone with the Roma Sinfonietta, Elmer Bernstein at the Proms, etc.

Sometimes the most memorable concerts are the ones you go to without expecting much, perhaps because you are unfamiliar with the music and have gone out of curiosity. One such example that will always stick in my mind is a concert that the London Symphony Orchestra gave three years ago featuring orchestral music from Latin America, conducted by Kristjan Jaarvi. There were not many people in the audience and I wondered what I was letting myself in for. The second half of the concert was the Mexican composer Silvestre Revueltas's film music for La Noche de Los Mayas; I had not heard it before and was just blown away by it, especially the finale (La Noche de Encantamiento), with something like a dozen percussionists on stage. As an encore they played it again with each of the percussionists effectively 'jamming' as if it were a jazz concert, before the music segued directly into Alberto Ginastera's Malambo from Estancia. It was spine-tingling stuff.

[indy4 155]

The first JW HOllywood Bowl concert I went to. I heard the Magnificent Seven and Dry Your Tears Afrika for the first time.