A Very Swingin' Basie Christmas San Diego Concert reviews
One Great Concert - Zero Sour Notes!
I can't decide if the sounds or the sights were more impressive at A Very Swingin' Basie Christmas In Concert. I only wish I could have found a parking spot sooner that evening to take in all those truly neat costumes and props. The sights began with the display of Star Wars costumes and props in the lobby of the Verizon Wireless Arena in Manchester, New Hampshire. As I walked around, I felt like a kid in a candy store, escaping into that magical movie world and watching scenes from a movie with the live orchestra below the screen. The music during the actual concert melted away any stress I might have been feeling from the day and was right-on perfect, like a recorded movie soundtrack, each note crisp and professional. I kept forgetting the orchestra was live as I was engrossed in the huge, extremely sharp screen showing us scenes from all six Star Wars movies. I don't know why I was expecting anything but perfection, so why be surprised by a professional orchestra? It was truly enjoyable to watch scenes from a movie and there, below the screen, is the live orchestra, making the whole experience uniquely charming at A Very Swingin' Basie Christmas In Concert.
The narration by Anthony Daniels was delivered as high drama, no dry introduction to segments, and he memorized all of his lines, not "phoning it in" by reading from a script, which kept the transitions between segments flowing nicely.
I recommend sitting in the audience where we were seated, at the other end of the arena opposite the stage, to take in everything much better than those seated up close in front. From our vantage point, the sound was well-balanced, and the screens, lazers, and orchestra could all be seen simultaneously, with no heads blocking the view. Our seats were cheaper than those in the front rows, which would probably mean cranking your neck up for the entire show and having your view blocked by the conductor and the back portion of the orchestra.
In conclusion, I highly recommend A Very Swingin' Basie Christmas In Concert. You only have to be a fan of good music to enjoy the event, but being a fan of the Star Wars movies just adds to the overall enjoyment.