Twilight In Concert at Edinburgh's Usher Hall
It's 2024, and everyone and their mother knows what Twilight is. How do I know this? https://boxd.it/gfx7X
The film has experienced a recent resurgence of popularity since its 2008 release. 2020 saw a notable boost in online fans, coined by some as the ‘Twilight Renaissance’. At the time of the film franchise’s release it did garner a devoted fan base who adored it, but did also find itself the subject of ridicule by many.
I remember the first time I ever watched it on a TV channel. I must've been around 8 or 9, but I don’t think I finished it on that first watch. The fight scene in the ballet studio was simply too tense for little old me to endure.
Twilight captivated me despite my failure to finish it. So, as my nerves grew, I endeavoured to reattempt Twilight. Now, as an adult who has seen all five Twilight movies in their entirety, I am a proud Twihard. I love those movies with all my heart. Sad? Watch Twilight. Happy? Watch Twilight? Moved to a new school, and the guy you sit beside in biology thinks you REEK? Watch Twilight. And as soon it's autumn, you best believe it is: Time. To. Watch. Twilight.
When one of my best friends Grace sent me a text asking if I wanted to go see TwilightIn Concert with her I couldn’t say yes fast enough. Twilight is unironically good. So, watching it with a live orchestra playing alongside the film elevated it to a level I did not imagine possible. We managed to get tickets to the show in Edinburgh at the Usher Hall.
As it is a concert, before the film started we were encouraged to sing, cheer, scream- basically to behave how you would at any other concert. This resulted in somewhat of a… surreal experience. Certainly not bad - you can feel the energy of all your fellow concertgoers. You are seated in a sold out room of fans who love this movie. But there’s no denying the comedy in the eruption that occurred when Charlie Swan, Carlisle Cullen, or Jacob Black would appear on the screen. The crowd indeed went wild.
Watching the opening sequence, hearing The Black Ghosts’ ‘Full Moon’ played directly in front of us sent shivers down my spine.
Twilight’s plot focuses on a teenage girl, Bella Swan, who moves from Phoenix, Arizona, to Forks, Washington, into her Dad's house. At Forks High School, she learns of the Cullen family, made up of adopted siblings Alice, Jasper, Rosalie, Emmett, and Edward. Both Alice and Jasper and Rosalie and Emmett are dating. (Which, for real, should get them imprisoned. Okay, they're vampires, not biologically related, and like 100 years old... but still, why did the Forks P.D. not send around an officer to ask some questions?) So, Edward is the only single sibling, and in comes Bella. At first, Edward has no interest in entertaining a friendship with Bella. But... after saving her from a fatal car crash with speed and strength that can only be superhuman, Bella is determined to discover the Cullen family’s secrets.
On each Twilight rewatch, I am struck by how good of a film it is. How unfair its initial dismissal as teen drivel was. Kristen Stewart, as Bella, does bite her lip more than the average person... but her performance is compelling. For me, she shines in her scenes with Billy Burke, who plays Charlie, Bella’s father. Bella has spent the majority of her life living with her mother in Phoenix, so the pair have understandably awkward interactions. It is clear that Charlie wants to get to know his daughter but just doesn’t know how.
By the time the iconic baseball scene arrived, I was practically shaking with excitement. The live orchestra killed their performance of 'Supermassive Black Hole', and the energy from the audience made the scene better than usual.
I implore all film and music fans to search for their favourite movies in concert; you will have an incredible night. I admit... I can be found roaming the streets crying usually. But! Seeing Twilight In Concert especially elicited many tears from me. Specifically during the end scene at Bella and Edward’s prom. The twinkling fairy lights of the gazebo under which Edward and Bella dance, accompanied by ‘Flightless Bird, American Mouth’, is such a stunning scene already. So, watching it with the song played live was absolutely mesmerising.
The band did play the credit songs, to my delight. It would have been slightly criminal if they neglected ‘15 Step’ and ‘Decode’ - and you best believe I was screaming along. All in all, this was such an amazing night, and I feel massively lucky to have been able to experience it.
Oh, and Team Edward all the way.
You should catch Twilight in Concert!
Ticket link: https://www.twilightinconcert.com/#dates
