Star Wars in Concert
Tuesday, October 27th, 2009
Here’s some Star Wars facts about me:
1. I once kicked a girl I was dating out of my apartment because I wanted to show her STAR WARS at my place on our 3rd date. She said the movie was “dumb??? after an hour of watching it. It never would’ve lasted.
2. When other kids were playing “Cowboys and Indians???, my brother and I were playing “Rescue Han from Carbonite”.
3. My first action figure was C3PO.
4. I was invited to an advanced screening of Episode III and a girl I was seeing tried to forbid me to go so I broke up with her. The theatre was showing the movie 4 days before America got to see it.
5. I was a boy in a small Texas farm town… and Star Wars changed my life.
So when we found out that “Star Wars In Concert” was coming to Texas, we were intrigued. And once we looked up the info on the internet and played the preview trailer that advertised it, we knew we had to go.
On October 23rd, 2009, in a vehicle displaying the Imperial symbol, Crutchboy and I took off to Dallas, Texas to watch the spectacle. What is Star Wars in Concert? Well, it’s just what it sounds like… but more. It’s a concert. With a complete professional orchestra and chorus. They play music from John Williams epic Star Wars movie scores which alone is worth the ticket price to see… but there is more. The folks at SW In Concert have expanded this concept into an all encompassing experience that really submerges you in the magic of these movies. Along with special scenes from ALL six movies, the show (hosted by Anthony Daniels of C3PO fame) moves to tell the story of Star Wars. Along with laser lights, pyro effects, and more the show is around 2 hours long but literally doesn’t feel like it. If anything it felt like the time wasn’t enough.
Along with the show is a travelling exhibit which shows props and models from all six movies. In addition to the concert, this was also very cool to see. About 9 years ago, the Smithsonian did a travelling exhibit showing various Star Wars props and models that made its way to Texas, this one was very cool because it showed a lot of stuff from the prequels we had never seen. Also on hand were tons of Storm troopers courtesy of the 501st and various other costumed fans.
The sound was great, the orchestra was top notch, Anthony Daniels was a great host, and the live experience was a sensory overload from free wheeling R2 units to cheering fans.
Besides the show’s physical features, there is one thing that they don’t advertise. That’s the feeling of being 6 years old again. When I was a kid, we didn’t have VCRs or DVDs. When my parents took me to the movies to see Star Wars, it was once maybe twice. The movies made such an impact, I memorized every scene in my little elementary school brain. I took those scenes and imagined a galaxy far, far away. I was reminded of this when I looked around and saw kids, hundreds of them dressed in Star Wars costumes. They were so happy to be there, they marveled at everything the old folks did, and appreciated it all the more. They had lightsaber battles in the aisles and they never missed a moment to revel in the fun.
This concert took me back to those days. For two hours, I was that little boy again. I knew I was going to age instantly when the experience ended, but for that moment, it was magic. That alone is worth the ticket price.
-Timothy Danger
For more information and touring dates on Star Wars in Concert, visit the official site at www.starwarsinconcert.com.
