LOS ANGELES.- Wes Anderson has brought together musicians and Hollywood stars to bring their cinematographic universe to life in a concert at the hollywood Bowl that covered some of the most iconic songs from his filmography.
Friday night had Bill Murray as master of ceremonies and singer-songwriter Beck as “the glue” of the show, in the words of actor Jason Schwartzman.
He concert It also featured the participation of the Los Angeles Philharmonic (LA Phil) and Anderson himself, whom Murray introduced on stage as “the wild mustang of Texas.”
The event opened with Obituary, by Oscar winner Alexandre Desplat for the film The French Dispatch, followed by Ping Island/Lightning Strikeby Mark Mothersbaugh for The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou (2004).
“The music you are going to hear is the music of the gypsies. Pain, joy, laughter, curiosity,” Murray said before introducing the first song.
“Wes Anderson’s family has gathered here tonight. A family of people who have worked with him, who have performed and composed his music. And we are happy to have them at this family reunion,” added the director’s long-time collaborator.
Assistants
Among the audience, those who came dressed as some of Anderson’s characters stood out.
The most recurring costume was that of Steve Zissou, with his characteristic red hat and sky blue suit inspired by the oceanographer Jacques Cousteau; although the boy scout Sam Shakusky, from ‘Moonrise Kingdom’, or Richie Tenenbaum, from ‘The Royal Tenenbaums’ could also be seen.
Schwartzman, who began his acting career with Anderson when he was just 17, recalled the peculiar way the director presented him with the soundtrack for Rushmore.
“Shortly after I got the part, he took me in his car and played a cassette that said Rushmore songs (…) We sat in the car and he guided me through the entire film, narrating it,” he recalled.
The interpreter highlighted that music in the filmmaker’s work is so important that “it is like another actor”: “This means that many times the music that you are going to hear tonight was played on the set,” he said.
Beck took the stage on multiple occasions, where he performed songs such as Needle in the Hayby Elliott Smith, which was played on The Royal Tenenbaums, either Alone Again Orfrom Love, which was part of Anderson’s debut film, Bottle Rocket (1996).
For his part, Jackson Browne performed the song live for the first time, as he detailed. The Fairest of the Seasonswhich, according to Anderson, inspired him to make The Royal Tenenbaums, as well as These Daysalso present in the tape.
Other personalities who took part in the concert, the first of the three planned presentations, were Karen O, who performed a version of Play With Fire (The Darjeeling Limited); Devo, who sang Gut Feeling; or Karen Elson, with The times of love (Moonrise Kingdom).
