As a classically trained pianist and violinist, I stepped into Golden Gate Theatre on Sunday evening with something a little more than skepticism: curiosity and intrigue. I had never encountered a true mash-up of electronic music with string orchestra, though the idea was brought up countless times throughout my pre-college school orchestra program. Boy, was I glad my first exposure to the nexus of classical and scratch DJ was in the good company of Miles Morales and his spidey crew, orchestrated by Daniel Pemberton in “Spider-Man: Across The Spider-Verse Live in Concert.”

Since its world premiere at the Royal Festival Hall in London, the show has shared — through sold-out performances — the innovative soundtrack of the film. Swinging into San Francisco, conductor Shelbie Rassler introduced the 14-member orchestra while inviting audience members to cheer when their favorite Spiderverse character appeared on the screen. This encouragement of interaction and expression from the audience provided an interesting contrast to classical concerts which value silence instead. I feel it also aligned nicely with the tone of the film: a nice sprinkle of fun. 

I was initially a little worried the percussion would outdo the strings — an experience that made full orchestra rehearsals a pain back in high school, given my role as a string instrumentalist. I’d also previously associated electronic music as overpowering classical music in volume. But the balance in the ensemble quickly played these worries away. The DJ mixed tracks seamlessly, making me almost question whether I was hearing the soundtrack recording directly from the movie. 

The orchestral sound enveloped me and I was reminded why I enjoy live concerts so much: they embody unique moments to be present and share with loved ones. The father sitting in front of me put his arm around his daughter when Miles and his mother had their heart-to-heart conversation. I wondered if he was envisioning the moment when he too would have to let his little girl venture out into the world. 

I’ve always felt the magic of movies, and the reason I get attached to movie characters comes from the music. The musical backdrop on conversations between characters elevates the volume of emotion delivered in heart-to-hearts. Tears welled in my eyes when I watched Miles’ mother let him spread his wings — just like the first time I saw the scene. The strings swelled, violins maintaining tension while crescendoing through their tremolos. I felt the deep tympani in my chest as it beat my heart.

Later songs that flowed into end credits continued to spotlight the strings as they harmonized to the voice recording and rap. I particularly appreciated how the orchestra saw the performance through, playing every track of the movie, from the top of the introduction for SONY to all of the end credits. I was delighted by the perfect timing of drums as superhero-cartoon expressions like “BAM!” jumped on screen. I sat in a trance as the orchestra concluded the night with a reprise spotlighting the DJ, clean scratches overlain on a grand orchestral finale. 

The flashiness of the movie animation was an aspect that stood out to me upon first watch. This feature was further brought to life with thoughtful stage lighting in the concert hall. As the screen flashed neon lights when Miles glitched, so did the stage lights. Yellows, reds and greens temporarily filled the stage before settling down to a rich purple, returning the audience’s attention to the musicians and storyline. 

Although the initial invitation for audience members to interact with the movie display felt novel and exciting, I must say that old preferences die hard. At times, I just wanted to relish in the musical transitions as new Spider-verse characters were introduced. But the crowd’s excitement and screams drowned out some of the music, especially when Hobi Brown and Pavitr Prabhakar swung into view. 

The massive screen lit up the musicians throughout the concert and brought me back to the first time I watched the film — 40,000 feet above Earth, traveling to Taiwan. I couldn’t (and still can’t) say whether Miles and his crew wouldn’t have made it faster or farther than I did on that trip. What I can say for sure is this: just as Gwen learned from Miles, I learned from this concert that in regard to the mash-up of classical strings with an electronic DJ — “it’s all possible.”

Editor’s Note: This article is a review and includes subjective thoughts, opinions and critiques.