When my husband told me he had bought tickets to see The Rock Orchestra, I was highly intrigued. I spent my teen years adoring bands like Apocalyptica, Nightwish, Within Temptation, and Lacuna Coil, so I was already well-versed in melodic rock and metal.
Since my teenage years are now way behind me, I wasn’t at all upset to see a fully seated gig—our knees were genuinely thankful for that!
They opened the night with breathtaking renditions of “Klara Stjärnor” and “Miserere mei”, while rhythmic gymnasts and fire dancers filled the stage with larger-than-life performances that were easily enjoyed even from further back. There wasn’t a guitar in sight; instead, the double bass spoke deeply to my soul, and the brass section brilliantly re-orchestrated the lead guitar lines.
The first half delivered absolute gems, including an incredible operatic female vocal lead on Rammstein’s “Sonne”. The orchestra and choir masterfully lulled us into a relaxed state, only to wake us with a jolt as they launched into Papa Roach’s “Last Resort”. Other highlights included captivating renditions of Led Zeppelin’s “Stairway to Heaven”, Linkin Park’s “Numb”, and a haunting version of Aerosmith’s “Dream On”. They wrapped up the first act with a show-stopping cover of System of a Down’s “Toxicity”, leading into a well-deserved interval for a cast that had given the show absolute non-stop energy.
The second half opened with Metallica’s “One”, blending seamlessly into “Nothing Else Matters”, pulling the audience back into a trance as the vocals soothed us. The pace kicked back up with Korn’s “Freak on a Leash” and AC/DC’s “Thunderstruck”, pumping the energy right back into the arena until the floors were physically shaking from the audience stomping in time to the music.
The classic hits kept rolling with Nirvana’s “Smells Like Teen Spirit” and The Cranberries’ “Zombie” (which even featured a lovely little Irish lilt!).
The grand finale brought pyrotechnics that would have made a firefighter sweat, accompanying System of a Down’s “Chop Suey!”. Naturally, most of the audience attempted to sing along, though virtually no one actually knows the middle lyrics, which was brilliant entertainment in itself.
After a brief game of hide-and-seek with the band—and a pantomime-style round of “Will they come back out?”—they returned to the stage to close with Rage Against the Machine’s “Killing in the Name”. By that point, the entire audience was on their feet, screaming the chorus along with the band.
All in all, I was completely blown away. This wasn’t a gig I originally intended to review—I had just gone as a regular audience member—but I was so moved that I knew I had to write about it. From the costumes and choreography to the classical-meets-metal arrangements—and a set design that I am personally taking inspiration from for decorating the studio next Halloween—it was a beautiful mash-up of theater and music that melted down into a delicious evening. I would absolutely recommend checking them out next time they come to town. That was one HELL of a show!
-Lady Haha
