I knew the Game of Thrones Live Concert Experience featuring Ramin Djawadi was going to be good but also feared it might be a little gimmicky since die-hard Thrones fans are known to throw their money at anything that provides a fix during the dark days without new Westeros material. After all, we are still months away from the Season 7 premiere and who knows how long until the 6th book, Winds of Winter, is released. While the live concert did provide a fresh fix, it was not gimmicky at all. The stage set was beautiful and the musicians were so very talented. I read that a few of the instruments played during the concert were invented specifically for the live show. Some other types of instruments played (ones I can name anyway) included: piano, violin, cello, dulcimer, organ, percussion, horns, didgeridoo, etc. It was an astounding performance and well worth going to see.
The show opens with the white raven of winter's coming flying across the 3 screens followed by a visual of the Doom of Valyria, swords clanking around in the vortex-like storm. This leads us into the Game of Thrones theme song where a large screen with two 3-tiered screens on either side proudly displays the sigils of the great (and feuding) houses of Westeros. Cheers explode as the audience cheers for their favorite houses. Targaryen and Stark gets the loudest support. I wasn't alone when I hooted ascent for the Lannister's but I definitely lacked support in my section. This part of the concert felt like being at a Medieval Times dinner show. In a good way. While the sigils are being displayed, the center screen lifts to reveal an Iron Throne on the main stage. The orchestra is revealed beneath one of the tiered screens and the show officially begins with a bang.
The first House theme played is Goodbye Brother-House Stark. The center screen displays a montage of the Starks in various stages leading to their downfall. A Weirwood tree takes the circular stage using the 3-tiered screen for the tree canopy and a gossamer fabric for the trunk. The violin soloist is at the *heart* of the tree, playing the haunting song from the inside as winter comes, and red leaves and snow begin to fall.
The next House theme played is What is Dead May Never Die-House Greyjoy. A solo cellist plays the Kraken's song on a wet stage as *waves* come up around her. Scenes highlighting the Greyjoy family are played but I'm a bit distracted by a woman who is talking loudly about how different the Greyjoy plotline is in the books. It annoys me, as we paid good money to hear a concert and not her opinion about book to show differences. I get it, Lady...I've read the books too but truthfully, no storyline was more butchered by the show than the poor Martells and I'm not complaining, so let me listen to the beautiful cellist do her thing and save your gripes for a more appropriate setting.
Next is Rains of Castamere, the song about how Tywin Lannister extinguished House Reyne of Castamere for testing and disrespecting House Lannister following the death of Tywin's father. It is often played in Westeros in admiration (and fear) of Tywin and the Lannister family's strength and guile. A soloist in a Lannister crimson gown sang the lyrics beautifully. The piano was the perfect accompaniment and as the song built around the chorus, the rest of the symphony joined in while the soloist belted out the climax of the song. The effect was captivating.
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| Rains of Castamere by George R.R. Martin |
The next couple of songs, Reign and Sons of the Harpy, showcase Daenerys' rise to becoming the Mother of Dragons, Queen of Meereen, and hopeful conquerer of the Seven Kingdoms. This is followed by a song titled Needle which highlights Arya's journey from Westeros to Braavos. I couldn't help thinking I wished the show had consolidated Arya's Braavos story arc as efficiently as the song did but I digress.
I forget exactly where it was on the set list, but Jon Snow's theme, Now My Watch Has Ended, played to scenes of his resurrection. After Sansa makes her way to the Wall to seek help from her *brother* Jon Snow (R+L=J), we are reminded that the Starks are still in the fight. Iconic scenes from the Battle of the Bastards episode play with the music as Sansa and Jon rally the North (and the Vale) to take Winterfell back from Ramsay Bolton. This transitions into Bran Stark scenes where, through his visions, he learns the part his warging (taking temporary possession of Hodor) had in Hodor's death. The violin during Hold the Door was tear-jerking as we watched Hodor 'hold the door' to the Weirwood entrance (dying as a result of his sacrifice) so crippled Bran and Meera could escape the tree which had been infiltrated by White Walkers (aka The Others) and Wights (the army of the dead raised by the Others).
The Light of the Seven score was a perfect lead up to the Winds of Winter finale. The execution of Cersei's scheme to blow up the Great Sept of Baelor with wildfire while all of her enemies are inside of it, left me on the edge of my seat despite the fact I knew it was coming. Ramin Djawadi himself was on piano for this song. I loved how, as the music began to build, Queen Margaery realizes something is gravely wrong. She notes Cersei's (and King Tommen's) absence from her own trial despite the consequences and pleads with the High Septon to evacuate the Sept. The chaos unfolds over an ominous organ and when the Sept goes up in green flames, so does the stage around the piano. Just. Wow.
The show closes with Winds of Winter and reminds us that war and political power are distractions to the real threat unfolding north of the Wall...the war between the living and the dead (White Walkers and their dead army). The music here feels victorious and foreboding at the same time. Like the show, the concert ties in scenes to remind us where all of the characters leave off in Season 6.
Ramin Djawadi comes out to center stage to thank the audience for coming, shows a GOT Season 7 teaser, and concludes the concert with a Memorandum to the characters we lost on the show to the upbeat Westeros tune, The Bear and the Maiden Fair. I was grateful that I had rightly figured the concert experience would be PG since we had already decided it would be suitable for my 7 year old to attend. It was a totally kid-friendly intro to Game of Thrones! I was excited about his enthusiasm during the show and loved answering his questions about the series (he favors the Starks/Direwolves) that the concert inspired. It was a great time for all of us and I was glad I could experience the story in a whole new way through the music with the people I love most. My one complaint, 2+ hours went by entirely too fast.
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| Some cool facts about the production of Game of Thrones Live Concert Experience |
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