Candlelight: 100 Years of Warner Bros review – A moving London concert
The RadioTimes.com team were lucky enough to celebrate 100 years of Warner Bros with a candlelight concert in London. Here’s what we thought.
When the RadioTimes.com team stepped into Southwark Cathedral, we were blown away by its size and stained glass windows. We made our way to our seats and in our way was a chunky black cat – a resident of the cathedral? Or even its vicar? – which would soon be shooed out (he wasn’t a paying visitor, we assumed). We sat in our seats and eagerly awaited the 100 Years of Warner Bros candlelight concert.
A string quartet, the Artisti Con Brio, performed an hour-long set of movies and TV shows produced by the entertainment company Warner Bros. After two or three songs, the musicians would share some fun facts about the impressive century Warner Bros has had – did you know the American studio owns over 12,500 feature films and 2,400 TV shows, made up of tens of thousands of individual episodes?
Some of the songs included the Hogwarts Anthem from the fourth Harry Potter film, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, and Over the Rainbow from the 1939 movie The Wizard of Oz. This RadioTimes.com writer’s favourite moments, however, were the spooky rendition of Tubular Bells from the 1973 horror The Exorcist, and Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory’s 1971 track Pure Imagination. Their friend who they took to the candlelight performance has wanted to hear the Lord of the Rings symphonic suite for as long as they can remember, so this performance was a particular standout for them.
The songs were played in chronological order, starting from 1939’s Over the Rainbow and ending with Shallow from the 2018 movie A Star Is Born. There was an encore of I’ll Be There for You from the TV show Friends, which was a fun number to end on as the whole crowd participated with clapping at the right moments (you know the ones).
Take a look at candlelight concerts in London at Fever
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What happens at a candlelight concert?
Candlelight concerts have been performed in 100 cities around the world, with a whopping three million people attending the shows. The premise of these hour-long concerts is to offer a unique and intimate musical experience in your chosen city, surrounded by the glow of candles.
The 100 Years of Warner Bros candlelight concert is just one of the many genres on offer. Fever – the event creators – boast tribute candlelight concerts of your favourite artists, such as Taylor Swift, Queen, Coldplay, Adele, and more, as well as composers like Hans Zimmer and Joe Hisaishi. Plus, if movies or gaming are more your bag, there’s also Candlelight: The Best of Zelda and Candlelight: Magical Movie Soundtracks at the Royal Pavilion.
Take a look at candlelight concerts in London at Fever
For a complete guide to the Fever original events, take a look at the best UK candlelight concerts to see this month.
How long is a candlelight concert?
A candlelight concert lasts for one hour. We went to the 9pm showing of 100 Years of Warner Bros, and 60 minutes was the perfect amount of time for it, as we would’ve been worried about having a late night if it went on much later than 10pm (we like our sleep, you know!). However, the Artisti Con Brio performed the movie scores so brilliantly that we would have listened to them for hours.
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What should I wear to a candlelight Fever concert?
The all-important question: what should you wear to a candlelight concert? The Fever website says that all outfits are welcome, from casual to formal to festive, and having attended the candlelight concert, that definitely is the case.
The RadioTimes.com team were dressed in an assortment of denim skirts and trousers, with jumpers, hoodies, and long-sleeved tops. We saw one girl wearing a beautiful white suit, and there were plenty of couples dressed quite formally, for which we can only assume it was their date night. If your candlelight concert is in a cathedral, it’s worth bearing in mind that it can get a little chilly, particularly if the performance is after the sun has set.
Take a look at candlelight concerts in London at Fever
How to book a Fever candlelight concert
Fancy booking your own candlelight concert trip? The best way to book a candlelight concert is via the Fever website. Although 100 Years of Warner Bros has unfortunately ended in London, you can see the celebratory performance later on in 2023 at the following cities.
Candlelight: 100 Years of Warner Bros. full list of UK dates and venues:
- 12 Aug 2023 — Birmingham, Birmingham Cathedral
- 9 Sept 2023 — Nottingham, Nottingham Contemporary
- 29 Sept 2023 — Belfast, St Anne’s Cathedral
If you’re based in London, there are plenty of candlelight concerts happening throughout the rest of 2023, simply head to candlelight concerts in London at Fever.
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