Laufey’s A Night at the Symphony: Hollywood Bowl is an enchanting blend of orchestral arrangements, breathtaking performances, and intimate shots of the crowd screaming her name.
There’s a new sense of wonder whenever the old feels new again. That’s especially true for an artist like Laufey, who, at the young age of 25, uses contemporary musings on classical and jazz standards as a sonic means to bridge the generational gap. That comes alive in the artist’s first concert movie, “Laufey’s A Night At The Symphony: Hollywood Bowl.” For some, the film is a chance to relive those unforgettable moments of pop music working in concert with the LA Philharmonic Orchestra. In contrast, it is a chance for others to see that enchanting night for the first time.
I will not lie; missing the Hollywood Bowl concert after seeing her with friends and family in Phoenix, Arizona, earlier this year was one of the biggest heartbreaks. Of course, it was heartbreaking for those who missed it as well. So, having Trafalgar and Veep turn “Laufey’s A Night At The Symphony: Hollywood Bowl” into a movie and get Wrench to put all the sweeping camera shots and drone footage together can only be described as bewitching.
Aside from what’s happening as we exit 2024, a concert film like “Laufey’s A Night At The Symphony: Hollywood Bowl” is the kind of escape we could use.
“Laufey’s A Night At The Symphony: Hollywood Bowl,” starring Laufey, her sister Junia, her touring string quartet, Thomas Wilkins, and the LA Philharmonic after the short intermission is so much more than a documentation of the musician’s one-night-only performance, it is also a brief retrospective of the musician’s journey from Iceland to LA. While the concert’s setlist isn’t in chronological order, it was designed to tell a story of love, heartbreak, hopes and dreams, and just what it feels like to be bored by someone so vain.
It’s incredible to see how much the Icelandic singer-songwriter, record producer, and multi-instrumentalist, whose voice deep and mesmerizing voice is a crooning cross between Chet Baker, Norah Jones, Adele, and Taylor Swift, has achieved in such a short amount of time. While she may be relatively new to the music scene, her fanbase quickly grows. The way that she is changing the music scene through symphonic performances at music festivals like Lollapalooza shows the world is receptive to the new sound. The new concert movie captures the magnitude of Laufey’s mission to bring that classic sound with a contemporary twist to the world.
“Laufey’s A Night At The Symphony: Hollywood Bowl” opens with a small introduction from the musician who walks through the nosebleed section of the iconic venue, talking to her sister about her dreams of playing at the venue. A few years prior, Laufey watched Mozart Under the Stars and immediately knew her dream would be playing at the Hollywood Bowl one day. That day came sooner than expected. So, watching footage of her walking the stage during rehearsals with delight reveals her excitement and slight anxiety. Of course, she overcomes that when the concert begins and is welcomed by a cheering, sold-out crowd.
Starting with “Above the Chinese Restaurant,” Laufey and her touring string quartet casts a sonic spell over audiences. Wrench takes a different approach to make the concert cinematic by letting some of those melancholic and joyful moments linger on the artist and the LA Philharmonic instead of dancers and illuminating graphics.
The “Best Friend” number is a celebration of sisterhood and a showcase of how playful Laufey’s concerts can be. Together with her twin sister Junia, who is also a violinist, Laufey’s content producer, and self-proclaimed clone, they play in concert while also teasing each other on stage for all to see. One moment, Junia would poke a performing Laufey with her bow. Then Laufey would treat Junia like a marionette.
Laufey then closes out the set with “Like the Movies,” which feels like a love letter to the golden age of movies and a lyrical description of her dreams of having a relationship just like the ones she sees in the movies. “Letter to My 13-Year-Old Self,” the set’s final song, is a musical letter to her teenage self (and others) about never giving up on their dreams. The number also spotlights the interactive portions of some of the numbers outside of singing along, as audiences are encouraged to join fans screaming Laufey’s name when the musician sings, “One day you’ll be up on stage, little girls will scream your name.
As the film enters its intermission for a costume change and the LA Philharmonic to set up for the second half, Laufey “escapes” for a moment to cruise on the streets of Hollywood in a vintage Cadillac just like she talked about doing with her father. During the intermission, a short film sees Laufey opening up about her recording process and how she would listen to her songs as she drove through the streets and neighborhoods of LA. It was in this very city where she recorded her first two albums, “Everything I Know About Love” and “Betwiched.” She describes her journey as a fever dream and how odd and beautiful it is to know that all her exes would have to drive past her name on the Hollywood Bowl marquee.
Laufey then describes how the venue has been a cradle for classical, jazz, and pop music for so many years, and how her music is a blend of all those things, and she doesn’t need to choose between any of the different musical sides of herself. The closing remarks make for an excellent segue into “Dreamer,” a song that muses about her decision to float away on a cloud in the Milky Way without having to deal with the pressures of romance.
The film, directed by Sam Wrench, who helmed Brandi Carlile: In the Canyon Haze Live and Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour, brings far more depth to the concert. Of course, being there in person is an entirely different experience, but the selection of shots and the behind-the-scenes documentary add more to the performances. The heart swells with joy as the camera focuses on fans sing-along to a few lyrics or how a drone shot captures the moment the venue lights up when the crowd sings the interactive and inviting “Blah Blah Blah” portion of “from the start.”
“Laufey’s A Night At The Symphony: Hollywood Bowl” concert movie is a stunning showcase of the young artist’s immense talent and the magical fusion of her classical and contemporary styles.
With an enchanting blend of orchestral arrangements, breathtaking performances, and intimate shots of the crowd screaming her name all set against the grandeur of the Hollywood Bowl, Laufey’s first concert movie captures the elegance of her music while highlighting her exceptional vocal range and musicality, making it a must-watch for fans and new listeners alike.
Rating: 10 out of 10
About Laufey’s A Night at the Symphony: Hollywood Bowl
This Laufey’s concert captures her recent performance with the LA Philharmonic at the Hollywood Bowl.
Laufey’s A Night at the Symphony: Hollywood Bowl was filmed in Laufey’s adopted hometown of Los Angeles. Directed by Sam Wrench (Taylor Swift | The Eras Tour), Laufey takes the audience on a spell-binding sonic journey under the stars, performing alongside the legendary Los Angeles Philharmonic.
Playing the iconic venue that Ella Fitzgerald and so many of Laufey’s heroes played before her, the film gives a behind-the-scenes look at the monumental show. As Variety sums up “Laufey feels like she was born to play the Hollywood Bowl”.
Laufey’s A Night at the Symphony: Hollywood Bowl comes to theaters December 6.
A must-watch for fans and new listeners alike thanks to an enchanting blend of orchestral arrangements, breathtaking performances, and intimate shots of the crowd screaming her name.
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Michael Lee is a fan of movies and TV and has been writing about them since 2012. He’s contributed to various sites during his career and resides in Orange County, where he can travel to Disneyland and Hollywood in an instant. (Well, the latter, not so much; traffic is such a bummer.)