The Sonic Symphony Runs Its Way Back to Chicago
Article and photos by Madison Luongo
As the lights of the Auditorium Theater go down, there is an audible wave of excitement from the crowd of loyal fans. Everyone is waiting in anticipation for the show they’re about to see, clad in merchandise of their favorite artist. There is one major difference about this concert than most others, however, and that is that these fans’ favorite artist is not a person, but a blue hedgehog. Now on its second leg, the Sonic Symphony has been traveling the world performing live orchestral and rock performances of the classic songs and scores from the Sonic the Hedgehog saga.
Within seconds of entering the theater, it is clear how the Sonic Symphony has had the momentum to move onto its second leg so quickly– the passion and love of the series from the fans. People young and old were in attendance, some by themselves and some consisting of full families, almost all dressed in merchandise– or even full, incredibly-made costumes– of their favorite characters. Many attendees were equipped with a lightstick that was available at the venue and could change into several different colors, each representing a different one of the main characters from the Sonic series. When the show finally began, the 30-person orchestra raised their instruments and began playing a medley from the first ever Sonic game, Sonic the Hedgehog; the performance was accompanied by a compilation of different moments from the game on a large screen behind the orchestra. The excitement from the fans was indescribable, people young and old cheering for a series that they loved so much and meant so much to them. In that moment, and every moment to come during this performance, there was a sense of unity within the crowd, with everyone there sharing such an intense passion for the series. The orchestra followed with medleys from several of the older Sonic games, including Sonic the Hedgehog 2, Sonic the Hedgehog 3 & Knuckles, Sonic Mania, Sonic Heroes, and the latest game in the series, Sonic Frontiers. Themes for specific recurring characters were also played, such as “Dreams of an Absolution,” Silver the Hedgehog’s theme, “Believe in Myself,” Tails’ theme, and a medley of the iconic Chao characters.
A brief intermission followed, and then the orchestra returned, accompanied by a five-person rock band. In addition to the iconic scores, the Sonic the Hedgehog series is known for its lyric-heavy rock songs, which the band was determined to bring to life for Sonic fans. The band’s set began with an homage to a fan-favorite of the series, Shadow the Hedgehog, emphasized by the band’s lead singer wearing a black and red suit jacket, Shadow’s iconic colors. “I Am… All of Me,” “All Hail Shadow,” and “Never Turn Back,” were played, eliciting fans' intense reaction as they all turned their lightsticks to red to honor the character. “Knight of the Wind,” “His World,” “Reach for the Stars,” “Endless Possibility,” and “A Ghost’s Pumpkin Soup… for Pumpkin Hill” followed, all from different eras of the series’ life. The band finished their set with “Unknown from M.E.” and followed with “Break Through it All” and “Find Your Flame,” both songs written by Sleeping With Sirens’ frontman Kellin Quinn. The final song was “I’m Here.’ Soon after leaving the stage, the band returned and performed a short encore of “Escape from the City” and “Live and Learn,” two iconic fan favorites. The performers then said their final goodbyes and exited the stage. As fans dispersed, excited discussions recapping their favorite parts of the performance erupted in the theater. It was clear that this show was an unforgettable experience for any Sonic fan, not only because of the performers, but because of the strong community surrounding the beloved series.