“Star Trek” concert could have used more Vulcan logic, writes Matt Palm.
Paging Mr. Spock. “Star Trek: The Ultimate Voyage” concert needs help with its logic, and as the most notable Vulcan — a species devoted to logical thinking — he seems just the guy for the job.
The enjoyable concert, touring in honor of the 50th anniversary of the original TV series’ debut, played to a packed house at Orlando’s Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts on Friday. Clips from the five television series and assorted feature films were projected on a movie screen while an orchestra provided accompaniment.
The musicians sounded great — almost too perfect. Their amplification, not used in traditional orchestral concerts, made the music sound as though it was emanating from the giant screen, which demanded the audience’s attention. That’s a testament to the enduring power of “Trek” imagery, from the iconic Vulcan salute to Captain Kirk’s trouble with Tribbles.
The “Star Trek” music lends itself to inventive percussion and dramatic brass, what with all the tense encounters with alien races and whooshing around space and all. But the strings certainly had plenty of moments to shine, with shimmery, other- worldly sounds.
The musicians were all put to good use, under the direction of Justin Freer, on a striking stage strewn with pieces of starship silhouetted against a star-filled sky.
Curiously for a show devoted to music, the projections never identified the composers of the different works. Then again, there was plenty that was curious about the video clips. As Spock would say: “Highly illogical.”
Sometimes the groupings of clips seemed to have a theme: Family members, say, or Klingons. But then random clips would appear that wrecked that theory. Sometimes the editing just seemed sloppy: With a half century of footage available, was there really a need to repeat some scenes? Even when playing the theme to a specific show, confusingly scenes from other series would appear.
Speaking of the theme songs, Jerry Goldsmith’s composition for “Voyager” and Dennis McCarthy’s for “Deep Space Nine” both sounded more vibrant and stirring than they did through tinny television speakers. Shame that the video clips during those two numbers featured characters speaking in competition with the music.
Dialogue worked better in extended scenes when the orchestra underscored the action. These scenes also offered more emotional heft, such as a poignant “Enterprise” scene in which Scott Bakula’s Captain Archer comforted a crew member or a stirring “Voyager” sequence in which Kate Mulgrew’s Captain Janeway rallied her crew as all seemed lost.
After the show, a group of twentysomethings was debating the merits of Q, a villain from the “Next Generation” series and decrying, in their words, the “definite lack of Seven of Nine,” a breakout character from “Voyager” who mysteriously was only granted a sliver of screen time during the concert.
Those young fans demonstrate why we’ll likely be celebrating the 100th anniversary of “Star Trek.” Let’s hope for musicians this fine in 2066 — and that by then someone will have gotten those clips in order.