HANS ZIMMER LIVE
AO Arena, Manchester
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It wasn’t until 2016 that the legendary film composer Hans Zimmer embarked on his first ever live concert tour – and a much anticipated live tour at that – though in the seven years that have followed it would seem that Zimmer has certainly developed quite the bug for touring, selling out arenas across the globe with repeated world tours and clearly relishing the chance to play his extraordinary music live for his adoring fanbase.
Since 2016, the Hans Zimmer Live experience has now grown into a truly epic spectacle, one filled with dazzling lights and lasers, superb video projections and thrilling, sweeping soundscapes that fully immerse the audience in the thrilling scope of the music. It has set a new standard for live orchestral arena tours that will be hard to match.
The music itself is legendary, and each individual score will mean different things to different people. Throughout the mammoth three-and-a-half-hour show we are treated to blistering renditions of all the classics, complete with remarkable, arena-filling visuals and effects. When Zimmer first toured, the show included medleys of some lesser know works and deeper cuts, but now its all about the epic blockbusters: Gladiator, Dune, Inception, Pirates of the Caribbean, The Dark Knight, Wonder Woman, No Time To Die, Interstellar, and the list goes on and on.
Zimmer himself remains a remarkably humble and unassuming figure. There’s a real charm in the seemingly unprepared nature of his dialogue and introductions as he shuffles about the stage often forgetful, often rambling. Zimmer never makes the show about himself. He never seeks praise or takes the limelight. Instead, he makes this show all about the astonishing performers (musicians and vocalists) that accompany him on stage and makes a real point of spotlighting their work.
The Hans Zimmer Live band is comprised of many of the finest musicians in the world, the vast majority of which are not household names – Tina Gun, Pedro Eustache, Juan Garcia-Herreros, Nile Marr, to name just some – but certainly all deserve to be. The musicianship and artistry on display is truly jaw-dropping, and this is a full-blooded celebration of their immense skill and the musical craft. Zimmer is also joined on tour by the wonderful Odessa Opera Orchestra, shining a light on some of the incredible musicians from Ukraine.
Once particularly great aspect of Zimmer’s live shows is that they mostly feature they original artists that performed on the iconic original soundtracks and scores. We get to hear Lisa Gerrard perform her spine-tingling work from Gladiator, including the haunting Now We Are Free, and the legendary South African artist Lebo M – the voice of The Lion King – reprise his iconic vocals from the cherished Walt Disney animated classic.
Hans Zimmer Live is an epic and unforgettable celebration of exceptional music and exceptional musicians, and to hear these genius artists play live and be swept up in the thrilling music is an incredibly special experience.
Running Time: 3 hours and 30-minutes (approx.), including one 30-minute interval.
