Hans Zimmer, Manchester Arena. 16th June 2023

Hans Zimmer seems like a wonderfully cheerful chap. Happily chatting away to a sold out arena as if he’s in the corner of a pub. I get in a bit late, so miss the start, but as I walk in, they’re going hell for leather. They’d put some metal bands to shame. Guitars, Keyboards (and a Keytar), a brass section and strings, three drummers, percussion, it’s a full on army. Deployed with magnificent effect, by a group of multinational performers. Wonder Woman builds and builds, the film left me cold but this really is epic. There’s not a lot of subtlety in Zimmers stuff, there is some of course, but it’s the ferocious bombast that dominates this set. The man loves an earth shattering beat and a riff and there’s a lad on one of the cellos head banging! It’s a big set up and pretty much everyone gets introduced. Zimmer is full of praise for those helping him bring these scores to life live and like I say he’s chatty all the way through. Gladiator isn’t really my favourite, it’s a bit twee isn’t it, but it does build and sweep nicely and I have to admit it’s one of the more recognisable scores with those vocals. Did I mention there was a choir and solo vocalists too? Each score is sort of truncated into a mini movement, picking pieces that marry together. This can’t be easy to do, but they somehow manage to get everything in without it ever feeling rushed. They all seem like friends, collaborators, genuinely leaning on each other. Either that or it’s just everybody loves Hans. It’s a very muso environment up there, with mutual admiration for the parts they’re all playing. Banjos and accordions come out for Pirates of the Caribbean, which I’m not sure I’ve heard before. It’s very nautical with waves washing over the superwide video screen that hangs over the width of the stage. The sea shanty vibes are a bit on the nose, but as it strips back to a delicate melody played out on xylophone, the hush in the place is breathtaking. It’s hot as hell in here and as we get a strict 20 minute interval, I bob outside for a breather and skip the longest queue for the toilets I’ve ever seen at any gig anywhere. Part two kicks off with a big bell being walloped as Top Gun gets an outing. That cheesy 80s riff getting torn out of an electrified cello and it goes down well my mint Aero bubbles. I could listen to Hans ramble on for hours. He’s very likeable, teasing stories of Harold Faltermeyer, cursing a fly buzzing around him and apologising for asking “one of the best orchestral percussionists in the world”to hit a bell. The Aero is all gone as we slide into the peaceful calm of The Last Samurai with what Hans highlights as some sublime violin. Which really is spine tingling. “It might get a bit noisy now” says Hans as he introduces The Dark Night and fuck me he’s not wrong. He’s a wannabe rock star isn’t he. Grabbing a guitar, walking out onto the arena floor and shedding between the seats as some low end bass rumble tests even my well honed ears. Hans admits that some of his work ends up in bad films and gives Dark Phoenix a subtle slagging, but makes no apologies for liking the score and wanting to play it, which is fair enough. It sounds good, gets very NIN in places and I’ve never seen the film so I’m oblivious anyway, but it might well be my favourite of the night. It rolls straight into Dunkirk which I have seen, but to be honest none of this matters. You just sit back and let it all hit you. Dune and Inception both get revisited throughout the night and both hit fucking hard. Inception is especially majestic and may well be the perfect summary piece. It has everything you’d expect from Zimmer and more. The mirrorball in the centre of the arena used to great effect as we’re transported through time. An aerial artist contorting above the stage in a flurry of silk. It’s pure theatre. I can’t hear that opening to The Lion King without thinking he’s declaring adulation for Arsene Wenger, but I get past it. It’s a fun respite from the bombast… although they do dial it up. Was there guitar solos in The Lion King? There were certainly horns in the the Bond Theme and as they stab the arena, the crowd claps the rhythm and the guitars are back for that iconic riff. I know it’s a bit cheesy, but it’s the cool side of it and sounds brilliant played at this volume as the strings roll underneath. It all gets a bit manic as the Latin rhythms of 'Cuba Chase' from No Time to Die take over, but hey we’re in the encore. It’s time to go large… or larger, if that’s possible. Poor lad Nile on guitar has been introduced as the second best guitarist in Manchester all night, which has been playful but started to air on the side of cruelty… until his dad Johnny Fuckin Marr comes out for a bit more Inception. They close with ‘Time’ a beautiful piece that draws audible gasps from those around me as the opening bars are played. Johnny plays but takes a back seat to his boy centre stage. It’s pure class, like it’s been all night. It’s 3 hours of absolute magic and as they take a bow, there’s nothing but beaming smiles from everyone I see. The arena isn’t really my favourite venue, but when an artist like this can make it feel small and intimate whilst blasting you with grandeur, well that’s special.