This sounds like a great show.
Stellar film, television, and video game music composer Bear McCreary follows his successful Themes & Variations concert tour of Europe with six dates in North America, starting this week at New York’s Gramercy Theatre on Thursday, May 22, Boston’s Somerville Theatre on Friday, May 23, and the 9:30 Club in Washington, DC on Sunday, May 25. Tickets and exclusive VIP Packages are currently available at https://bearmccreary.com/events/.
The Themes & Variations shows feature a mesmerizing mix of McCreary’s popular compositions ranging from several of his epic film and TV scores to metal/rock selections from his landmark album/graphic novel/experience The Singularity. McCreary and the band will continue the North American leg of the tour next week with stops at Montreal’s Théâtre Beanfield on May 27, Toronto’s Danforth Music Hall on May 28, and Chicago’s Vic Theatre on May 31.
For McCreary, best known for his beloved compositions for The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, Outlander, Battlestar Galactica, and The Walking Dead, Themes & Variations represents his maiden voyage on the concert touring circuit. Thus far the band has been hailed by adoring fans for their unforgettable performances in the UK, Poland, the Czech Republic, Germany, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Belgium, and France, and will follow the North American leg with a multi-city tour through Australia. While admittedly growing personally and professionally during this on-the-road learning experience, McCreary has also been overwhelmed by the wildly positive reaction from audiences.
“My most vivid memory onstage is picking up the hurdy-gurdy mid-set and moving to the front of the stage, when, night after night, the crowds have gone crazy,” McCreary recalls. “I am not even certain they knew what the hell the instrument was; they just knew it was time for something crazy to go down.
So far, I feel like fans of my music are having a great time no matter what particular side of my musical personality we’ve brought to the show. I hear people singing along with rock songs from The Singularity. Battlestar Galactica fans have started chanting “So Say We All!” at the top of their lungs. People have come dressed as pirates to erupt into vocals during my music from Black Sails. It seems there’s something for everybody!”
Given the immense popularity of so many of his film, TV, and video game scores, McCreary has been particularly pleased with each night’s audience feedback for one of his most recent compositions.
“The biggest surprise of the tour so far has been the reaction to ‘The End of Tomorrow,’ the climactic 10-minute song from The Singularity,” McCreary says. “From its somber cinematic opening to its epic sing-along finale, I feel engagement from the audience. As an artist, it’s truly a wonderful feeling to experience.”
While music is at the forefront of his focus, McCreary admits there are some more subtle, everyday lessons he’s come to understand as essential for life on the road.
“I have been asking all my friends who have spent their lives touring with bands for tips, and everyone has offered real, tangible advice,” McCreary says. “However, it was my friend Duff McKagan, bassist for Guns N’ Roses, who perhaps offered the most useful advice. He walked me through all his tips for dealing with dirty laundry while out on the road and, sure enough, his advice proved essential. I remember one surreal moment texting Duff a picture of my laundry and getting a wildly enthusiastic response. So, that was a surprising discovery. These are the parts of rock star life you don’t think about!”
ABOUT BEAR McCREARY
Award-winning composer and recording artist Bear McCreary began his career as a protégé of legendary film composer Elmer Bernstein, before bursting onto the scene scoring the revered series Battlestar Galactica in 2004. Since then, McCreary has won three Emmy Awards, including two for Disney’s Percy Jackson and the Olympians, and has won twelve International Film Music Critics Association Awards, including the award for Score of the Year in 2024, his second. Projects highlights include The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power (Amazon); Foundation (Apple TV+); the beloved series Outlander (STARZ); and Netflix’s Academy Award–nominated documentary Crip Camp (produced by Barack and Michelle Obama). McCreary’s celebrated scores for Sony PlayStation’s blockbusters God of War and God of War Ragnarök have earned him two BAFTA Awards and two Grammy nominations.
In 2024, McCreary released The Singularity, a hard-rock concept album featuring legendary rock talent including Slash, Serj Tankian (System of a Down), Corey Taylor (Slipknot), Rufus Wainwright, and more.
McCreary has collaborated with artists from across the musical spectrum, including Hozier, Fiona Apple, and the late Sinéad O’Connor. In 2014, Maestro Gustavo Dudamel conducted a suite of McCreary’s music with the L.A. Philharmonic at the Hollywood Bowl.
McCreary’s musical acclaim has established his place in the zeitgeist as evidenced by being named the 23rd Most Definitive Bear in Popular Culture by The Ringer, and his spotlight as the subject of a clue on Jeopardy!
CONNECT WITH BEAR McCREARY
BEARMcCREARY.COM | FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM | TIKTOK | TWITTER | YOUTUBE
Be First to Comment