Hans Zimmer Revealed... and friends - review
Quite simply, if you have watched a film in the last twenty years then you have listened to Hans Zimmer’s music. From The Lion King to The Dark Knight trilogy, the German composer’s omnipresence in Hollywood has gained him legendary status, rivalling the greatest names in film music, including John Williams (Star Wars, Indianna Jones, Superman) and Danny Elfman (Batman, Spider-Man, Planet of the Apes). To compete with, and practically eclipse these men is testament to the quality and diversity of Zimmer’s scores. And for just two nights at the Eventim Apollo Hammersmith, fans had the chance to see him live in concert for the first time ever.
Performing to a sold out audience of 5000, Zimmer was set to electrify. Opening with the comical theme to Driving Miss Daisy was perhaps unexpected then – or more likely unrecognised by the tagalong portion of the audience. Four familiar plucks of a banjo soon changed the mood however, signalling the start of the Sherlock Holmes theme 'Discombobulate'. Cue the first of many audible cheers. All the while, separating curtains were rising to ‘reveal’ each section of the orchestra.
Zimmer’s programme ranged from his first Hollywood score for Rain Man to fan favourites such as Pirates of the Caribbean and The Da Vinci Code. One of the most mellifluously performed pieces however, was Gladiator. Providing the instantly recognisably vocals in place of original singer Lisa Gerrard, Mirriam Blennerhassett offered an operatic sound that may have irked the more pedantic members of the audience, but nonetheless, still captivating.
The relevance of ‘… and friends’ became apparent in the second half as Pharell Williams joined Zimmer on stage for a surprise performance of 'Happy', followed by the "almost impossible" 'Electro' from The Amazing Spider-Man 2. If it didn’t sound as great as the post-production version, it at least drew attention to an impressive light show, conducted by Pink Floyd’s Marc Brickman. Guitarist Johnny Marr (The Smiths) also stood by Zimmer’s side, which for any keen-eyed fan hinted towards an encore of Inception.
Crowd pleasers Man of Steel and The Dark Knight had been saved for last in an energetic and drum-heavy finale. His closing scores encapsulated the technological and contemporary style that his music has embodied in recent years.
Having shared self-effacing anecdotes for the duration, Zimmer finally brought the attention back to him with a solo performance of 'Time'. Played under spotlight, the composer drew the concert to a calming conclusion, prompting a standing ovation.
For his first live show it was, as expected, a celebration of his finest work. Naturally then, there would be certain omissions - Black Hawk Down and Pearl Harbour to name a couple. But considering an endlest array of scores to choose from, Revealed offered more than just a taste, it offered a once in a lifetime experience, the effect of which evident in the tapping of hands, the leaning forward and engrossed expressions of the audience. True genius - conducted by the deft flick of Zimmer's hand - unmistakable and undeniably the best.
Listen to the entire performance here.
