LOS ANGELES, CA- “Sorry, we’re all out of red wine,” explained an exasperated bartender at the Forum in Inglewood, California. “This is the first time we’ve completely sold out of cabernet. It’s crazy, I have no idea why.”
I’ll tell you why, Adrian. It’s because red wine is the obvious drink of choice of the unshakeable Game of Thrones fandom.
The epic, bloodthirst-triggering HBO series is a resonating success for many different reasons. An undeniable reason that the series makes such a strong impression on even the most cynical spectator is its iconic musical score. Birthed by Ramin Djawadi, the Emmy-winning score is made rich with battle-provoking percussions, heart-shattering violin, and an ethereal chorus.
The music of Game of Thrones is so enthralling, its creators decided to take it on the road for a full North American tour. With sold out shows from Seattle all the way to Canada, the event serves to satiate the anticipation of Jon Snow enthusiasts during the almost two-year hiatus between seasons.
I wasn’t too sure what to expect from a live Game of Thrones experience. Although I did watch the show and found myself absorbed by the indisputably mesmerizing world of Westeros, I can’t claim to be a diehard fan who knows every obscure reference about chicken. However, I still found myself excited to witness the sensory-overloading spectacle amongst a sea of fellow (for lack of a better term) nerds.
The evening was off to a rocky start. After being stalled at the box office waiting for the unfortunate employees to sooth the scorching rage of two different parties who couldn’t seem to find their ticket confirmation numbers (at two separate windows, nonetheless), I waited in another vexingly slow line for what would possibly be one of the last meager servings of red wine the Forum had to offer for the evening. Regardless, I felt the pressing urge to find my seat and not miss a single moment of what was sure to be a monumental display of talent and showmanship.
The crowd was already held in rapt suspense by the time we inched our way to our seats — and the show hadn’t even started yet. The palpable tension served as telling evidence of the loyalty the Game of Thrones fan base has held in a death grip for the past seven years, despite gnawing lulls in seasons that ended in ball-busting cliffhangers.
As a self-proclaimed GoT novice, I initially figured that the only song I would recognize/be enraptured by was the show’s distinctive theme. I am willing to put money on the assumption that a horde of nerds heard the beginnings of that captivating motif from the lobby as they were trying to get their last-minute drinks, dropped everything they were doing, and nearly trampled each other while trying to wade their way to their seats.
Although the theme was undoubtedly a grade-A banger, the rest of the concert proceeded to singe some serious neckbeards.
Each section was highlighted masterfully, while every song showcased their individual — and unified — abilities.
One of the obvious show-stealers was the mildly crazed violinist (I cannot find her name anywhere for the life of me, someone please reach out if they know it). As someone deeply afraid of heights and being the center of attention, I couldn’t wrap my head around how this woman could possibly be so poised and authoritative as she was raised at least 20 feet above the entire crowd in a modest, tented gown. When I wasn’t on the edge of my seat because her music was so beautiful, I was definitely digging my fingernails into my thighs while hoping the cables held.
(side note: I’ve seen Final Destination way too many times for it to be considered healthy).
As the show progressed, some of the most celebrated (or deliciously hated) characters from the series had their own euphonic highlights. Arya and Sansa Stark, Daenerys Targaryen, Cersei and Tyrion Lannister, and of course bastard babe Jon Snow were all assigned motifs and color schemes to match their personas perfectly.
Although I’m sure most of us would like to try and put the traumatizing Red Wedding in the past, Djawadi threw it right back in our faces at full force by bringing the tense score back to life. The blow of watching arguably the only likeable family in Westeros get systematically executed is even harder to cope with while an entire orchestra is really driving the point home.
As we all know, the North remembers.
Additionally, the panic attack-inducing Battle of the Bastards was infinitely more nerve-wracking in concert. Most people already knew Rickon Stark was doomed from the start, and that the “opportunity” to run to his brother was nothing but Ramsay Bolton’s sadistic game of cat and mouse.
And yet somehow, seeing it play out again in that context resuscitated the blind hope that maybe something deeply unfortunate wouldn’t happen to a member of the Stark family — for once. Can George R. R. Martin just cut them a fucking break, already? Jesus.
At the top of the show, Ramin Djawadi alluded to the fact that he hasn’t even started to write the score for Game of Thrones’s eighth season. This sheepish revelation was met with a wall of groans by an army of antsy fans.
Hey, Ramin — we know you’re busy on this kickass tour, but can you please bust out that score when you get home? We’re dying over here.
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