Hans Zimmer Live – Europe Tour 2022 – Hamburg – Concert Summary

If you have been on previous official ‘Hans Zimmer’ tours… forget them and leave all your preconceived ideas at home. With ‘Hans Zimmer Live – Europe Tour 2022’ you will see something new and very different. Not only musically, but also artistically and visually.

 

This is not the typical concert where the themes are happening one after another without further ado. In fact, there is no official program published, nor is there a list of pieces to follow. And that’s because ‘Hans Zimmer Live – Europe Tour 2022’ is not just a concert, it’s not just a show, it has been conceived as an experience. So, let’s talk about moments in a ‘more or less’ chronological order…

 

 

Let the hypnotic ‘Dune’ greet you with the warmth of Arrakis’ voice, and then drag you into the frenetic and percussive rhythms of Mombasa in ‘Inception’.

 

Discover how through the music of the ‘Wonder Woman’ films, a heartfelt tribute is made to the courage and integrity of all women who suffer conflicts, but who also fight for a better world. In the final part, the electrifying Tina Guo gives a good example of this with her musical intensity and body language, in a powerful electric cello solo.

 

Fly with the music of ‘Man of Steel’, which slowly lifts you up with a crescendo of piano and percussion, to be crowned with the epic sound of Guthrie Govan‘s guitar.

 

Get ready for Pedro Eustache‘s mastery taking you into ‘Gladiator’, and in the middle of the performance, you briefly jump into the world of Pirates of the Caribbean, only to return in the same block back to Rome with Lisa Gerrard‘s wonderfully organic performance.

 

Sail the seas of ‘Pirates of the Caribbean‘ guided by the teasing cello of Tina Guo and the intense string section of Rusanda Panfili, Molly Rogers, and Leah Zeger.

 

Be fascinated by the particular music of ‘Sherlock Holmes’, where the banjo of Guthrie Govan and the accordion of Nick Glennie-Smith, envelop the string section and work their magic.

 

Throw yourself into a ‘The Dark Knight‘ more intense and scarier than ever, with a Hans Zimmer at the top center of the stage wearing a red suit, which seems to evoke the Joker at the keyboards, plunging us into a musical madness. A very powerful electronic predominance and spectacular visual effects, bordering the epilepsy, which give us the coldest and most intense side of the batman.

 

Discover the importance of sand and spice in the world of ‘Dune’, through sounds that don’t seem to be from this galaxy, and with the powerful otherworldly voice of Loire Cotler.

 

Enjoy a slow-building ‘Interstellar’, which transforms the venue into the vastness of space, with the help of the reflections of a disco ball that fills the place with stars – and the occasional black holes with some very cleverly used spotlights -.

 

Experience the tension of ‘James Bond’, which grabs you from the start with the serious rhythmic intensity of Juan Garcia-Herreros – Snow Owl‘s bass and Nile Marr‘s guitar.

 

Feel the need to get up from your seat when the powerful voice of Lebo M awakens the African savannah, starting the section of ‘The Lion King’ where we can also hear the beautiful voice of his daughter Refi. A block that represents not only a delight for the ears but also for the eyes, making us believe that behind the stage, on the giant screen, is Africa. A trick that works perfectly thanks to the three-dimensionality provided by the band’s music, located in the front row of the stage, projecting their energy through a world of musical colors and textures.

 

And in all these moments, we always have the presence and the participation of the master of ceremonies, Hans Zimmer himself, who either with piano, keyboard or guitar, generates a musical gravitation on all artists.

 

But let’s get back to reality, since almost three hours have passed while we live all these moments, and although we had lost track of time, no one better than Time from ‘Inception’ to wake us up, guided by a Hans Zimmer who slowly caresses the piano, while the melody evolves and is driven by the purest sound of the guitar.

 

I’m sure I’ve left out many other highlights, as well as many artists yet to be mentioned, but let this brief account of yesterday’s debut at the Barclaycard Arena in Hamburg give you an idea of what you can expect from ‘Hans Zimmer Live – Europe Tour 2022’.

 

If you like Hans Zimmer‘s music, you will enjoy this tour, exploring its nuances and discovering its surprises… and if you don’t… this could be your chance to like it! Go for it! Step into the mind of Hans Zimmer and get caught up by his band. Don’t just listen to his music… live it and experience it… with Hans Zimmer Live!

 

Article and pictures by Gorka Oteiza