Written by Fraser Overington and Rhys Cox
We were extremely lucky enough to attend the latest Zelda concert “Symphony of the Goddesses – Master Quest”, courtesy of Jason Michael Paul Productions. Here’s some of our thoughts on the event.
We weren’t too sure what to expect when hopping on the train to Wembley Arena. However, when we arrived at the event it was a pleasant surprise to see a familiar crowd of gamers and Zelda fans, which instantly got us hyped for the evening ahead. Being huge fans of the Zelda series, we were excited to experience a live rendition of the music we heard so often in our childhood.
The doors were open early giving us a chance to check out the initial set of merchandise on offer. There were two main pieces on display, which was unfortunate as we were hoping to see the full range. All we were able to see was the white Tri-Force t-shirt and the Skyward Sword poster, however both were extremely awesome. The concert merchandise is definitely worth picking up if you’re a collector of Zelda merch.
There were a few cosplayers dotted around, some great, some not-so-great, and some with working ocarinas, which isn’t usually such a pleasant experience. The attendees were really mixed – young, old, families and couples. It seems like the Zelda franchise truly unites people from all walks of life. Unfortunately we both forgot our 3DS, meaning we missed out on all the StreetPass action. Make sure to bring one with you if you’re thinking of going!
We were given seats in Row C, literally at the front and center of the concert, so we got a spectacular view of the stage and the event. The stage was very atmospheric, the excitement was clear from the murmurings of the audience, growing more and more as the musicians began setting up their instruments. As a newcomer to concerts it was all a bit of a novelty – they even had harps, which I’d personally never seen in person before!
In the first set every composition they played sampled from each of the series in order, starting from the very first, through to A Link to the Past, Ocarina of Time and Windwaker. It seemed like they were perfectly arranged to give that hearty blend of nostalgia and joy that we all know and love from the Zelda franchise. We especially loved the segment featuring songs from Ocarina of Time, which is one of our favourite entries in the series. That Hyrule Field music had us on the verge of tears. (Joyful ones, we promise!)
The performances were absolutely astounding. The energy of the conductor was really infectious, which lended itself perfectly to some of the more frenetic pieces. The rest of the musicians on stage were clearly having a lot of fun playing each composition. Each set ended with a few words from the key people involved in the creation of the Zelda franchise, talking about their experience working on the games, and what the games mean to them, which was a nice touch.
As the concert wound up, the finale started with what we were all waiting for – songs from Majora’s Mask. As soon as they started playing the crowd went wild, cheering well into the main part of the song. It was a great send-off for what was an incredibly heartwarming and nostalgic event, and it finished with a standing ovation from the crowd, which was well deserved considering the amazing talent on display.
If you have the chance, we highly recommend going to see one of the remaining performances in Glasgow, Manchester, or Birmingham. It’ll be a night to remember!
9th October 2016 – Symphony Hall, Birmingham – Buy Tickets Now
13th October 2016 – Bridgewater Hall, Manchester – Buy Tickets Now
20th October 2016 – Clyde Auditorium, Glasgow – Buy Tickets Now