On the evening of Sept. 16, thousands of people across several generations streamed into TD Garden. But who was drawing in this eclectic mix of young and old? None other than the masterful composer Hans Zimmer, who has scored films ranging from “Kung Fu Panda” to “Rain Man” — and who doesn’t cater to any one audience.
The massive stage was lit up with a live feed of the audience for roughly 20 minutes before Zimmer and his band entered. This live feed, though seemingly strange at first, made sense by the end of the show. By displaying the audience’s faces, Zimmer seemed to be hinting that the show was as much about the audience as it was about his performance.
The piercing voice of Loire Cotler from the iconic “Dune” soundtrack thundered across the stadium, causing many to erupt in screams. From there, things only picked up. Zimmer and his band entered the stage with gusto, bringing with them a dazzling — if at times overwhelming — display of synchronized laser lights.
While they played popular soundtracks from films like “Wonder Woman” and “Gladiator,” close-ups of the band flashed on screens above the stage.
Zimmer broke things up by taking the time to individually call out and offer thanks to members of his band. This included his cellist, Tina Guo, who played while her hair dramatically billowed in the synthetic wind, and Guthrie Govan, who riffed on guitar while looking impossibly calm as lasers and strobe lights surrounded him.
The show, while extremely wild and somewhat jarring due to the intense bass and swelling of the orchestra, also had a tinge of absurdity and irony, ushered in by Zimmer’s jubilant mood and personal anecdotes.
He explained to the crowd that while writing a song from “Gladiator,” he couldn’t leave his studio for three days, causing many of his band members to assume he’d lost his mind. He chuckled after recalling this story, then immediately turned to his band and said, “Okay, let’s do ‘Pirates [of the Caribbean]!’”
The audience was entranced throughout, and the only phones visible in the Garden were dutifully recording videos. Though classical music lacks lyrics and demands more focused attention, it was clear that the crowd had a deep — almost religious — reverence for Zimmer and his work.
Heads bobbed throughout the lively, bass-filled songs from “The Dark Knight,” and a few tears were probably shed during the soft piano of “Interstellar.”
The performance culminated with a joyous performance of “He Lives in You” and “The Circle of Life,” among others, from “The Lion King,” which got many audience members up and dancing.
Zimmer’s own personality and candor reverberated throughout the large hall, especially when he gushed about his touring orchestra, whose members hail from Ukraine, explaining how proud he was of them.
In a venue filled with thousands, one could feel just how much both the songs and the movies meant to Zimmer. As the tunes swelled and soared, filling the stadium with familiar favorites, it seemed listeners were transported.
Whether that was to their childhood, or to the first time a film got under their skin, or even the first time they saw their favorite superhero, Zimmer’s music and the films that coincide with it mean different things for everyone — and you could feel it. The audience was reminded not just of the power of Zimmer and his music, but of movies themselves and what they can represent.
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