We’ve been so fortunate to attend so many brilliant events during our HeyUGuys career but Saturday night will forever hold a special place in our hearts as we sent David Sztypuljak off to Back to the Future Live at the world famous Royal Albert Hall to celebrate 30 years since the movie was made.
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We’ve said it before but when we first started HeyUGuys, there was another name in the mix…. 88mph.com. It came close to becoming that Back to the Future tribute but in the end The Goonies won through. That said, Back to the Future will always remain one of mine and Jon’s favourite movies of all time. We love everything about the movie including the brilliant story in which Michael J. Fox ended up getting the part as Marty McFly and permanently stamping him into movie legend status.
The Royal Albert Hall host 5 or 6 live orchestra events every year, each and every one of them is a treat to behold but it’s going to be tough to ever beat the performance of Back to the Future for me. Walking up to the Albert Hall with my wife Laraine, I got goosebumps as I imagined what it would be like to hear the 21 Century Orchestra playing the first few bars of the iconic Alan Silvestri score.
The venue had organised a DeLorean to sit outside the event with people queuing up for selfies with the car (raising money for the Showmasters Up to 88 campaign raising money for the Michael J. Fox Foundation).
We took our seats which turned out to be pretty much the best seats in the house, seated smack behind the conductor Ludwig Wicki and his 80 strong orchestra in the stalls. The orchestra started their warm-up, Wicki took to the stage and there it was, the first bars of the Back to the Future score. It’s hard to describe just how amazing the sound was. We all know the Royal Albert Hall is an amazing venue for watching or listening to anything but the resonance and sound of one of my favourite soundtracks coupled with my favourite movie of all time was just magical.
The audience (filled to the brim with Back to the Future fans) was loving everything about it. Clapping profusely as George knocked our Biff in spectacular fashion in the second half of the show. I thought the main theme would be the highlight of the show for me but actually it was the Enchantment Under The Sea Dance while Harry Waters Jr. sings Earth Angel which send shiver down my spine. The huge string section in the orchestra went to town on the piece and it sounded so beautiful. If only there was a way to bottle that sound.
After four encores, it was time for lights up and to hit the train home. Thanks so much to the Royal Albert Hall for hosting the event, to the 21 Century Orchestra for playing so beautifully and to Universal for allowing the event celebrating 30 years of Back to the Future to take place. I just hope they do it again for the 40th as I’ll be first in line!
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Don’t forget they are doing Indiana Jones: Raiders of the Lost Ark in March…. you can expect another gushing article following that one too!
