Forged in Sound: Heavy Metal Orchestrated review – hard-rocking mashup rides the lightning
Royal Festival Hall, London Suzi Quatro, Mr Lordi and Alison Mosshart joined the Philharmonia in a setlist spanning Wagner and Metallica – with conductor Santtu-Matias Rouvali flexing his rock-drummer skills‘You’re...
By Flora Willson · The Guardian Culture
Royal Festival Hall, London Suzi Quatro, Mr Lordi and Alison Mosshart joined the Philharmonia in a setlist spanning Wagner and Metallica – with conductor Santtu-Matias Rouvali flexing his rock-drummer skills ‘You’re in for a very loud evening,” warned Mark Ball, the Southbank Centre’s artistic director, to whoops of audience approval. True by classical music standards, but I doubt these were decibel levels to write home about for the rock and heavy metal regulars. And yes, this latest programme in Multitudes – the centre’s annual “orchestra-powered” multi-arts extravaganza – attracted a crowd in which band T-shirts, black lipstick and leather mingled with office wear, fleeces and everything in between. The Philharmonia had swapped white tie and tails for further smatterings of leather jackets and band merch. Conductor Santtu-Matias Rouvali reappeared after the interval wearing industrial quantities of eyeliner. Among other things, this concert was a reminder of just how spectacular a big orchestra can be. As I heard someone marvel after the first half: “You think, ‘where’s that sound coming from, then?’” Continue reading...