If there’s one thing that every Sonic fan can agree on—and there aren’t many things—it’s that the music in the series is and always has been incredible, from the 16-bit classics to modern-day rock and metal.
As someone whose childhood was filled with great memories from Sonic Mega Collection,Sonic Adventure 2, andSonic Colors, I’ve come to appreciate and adore every era of this speedy blue rat.
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I think I and many other Sonic fans can particularly appreciate the music behind every game. Even if it’s in a gameplay style you don’t like, you probably still enjoy listening to Flying Battery Zone, Radical Highway, Windmill Isle, and Undefeatable.
That’s probably why the idea of a Sonic Symphony seemed so appealing to me and many others: a full celebration of the entire series with incredible symphonic tributes. But what we got was way more than that.
The Original Sonic Symphony
On June 23rd, 2021, Sonic’s 30th Anniversary,SEGA premiered a pre-recorded show. Half of it was symphonic arrangements of primarily Classic Sonic music, and the second half was a rock concert.
It felt like a full-on celebration of everything the series had become, with songs from the most beloved and beloathed games getting equal celebration, and bringing in Crush 40 and NateWantsToBattle on vocals tied everything together.
It even went out of its way to celebrate all corners of Sonic’s history, from his few titles on the Sega Saturn toKnight of the Wind from Sonic and the Black Knight. It felt like a real no stone left unturned approach.
That did bring into question: Why wasn’t this a live show? Going the pre-recorded route for such a massive franchise felt like wasted potential, and SEGA agreed, putting the Sonic Symphony on a world tour soon after.
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Seeing Sonic In Dallas
Now, full disclosure, I went to the Sonic Symphony showing in Dallas on December 28th, 2024, which is a while after they started this world tour, and quite a bit has changed from their first showing.
Namely, no appearances from any massive names that worked on Sonic before, just the main crew, which didn’t include vocals until the second half, instead starting with the symphonic pieces:
Then, after a short intermission, we were told to get our butts out of our chairs and have fun, because it was a rock concert now, with Adrienne Cowan and Ty Christian on vocals, and giving an absolutely killer performance on this setlist:
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Overall, I was more than satisfied with the songs on display, though if you’re a die-hard fan of the classic games and nothing else, the second half probably looks a whole lot less appealing, aside from Sonic R.
That said, the energy in the room was palpable, with everyone cheering for just about every song, as well as the audienceerupting with cheers when Maria got shot, twice, and another bout of cheers for Shadow kicking Silver in the back of the head.
The visuals in general were a very underrated part of the show, with excellent editing to showcase the frustration of Labyrinth zone, an excellent montage of Sonic’s best moments in the Adventure games, and Super Sonic Racing turning the whole room into a rave.
It was an electric experience, with everyone in the room elated, and it’s hard to put words on all the excitement I felt seeing them do all the boss themes from Sonic Frontiers, especially since I’m Here (Revisited) is one of my favorites from the series.
On top of that, the compositions themselves were so well-made, that I almost cried hearing the orchestrated version of It Doesn’t Matter, and singing along with everyone to Live and Learn is an awesome highlight.
Ending it off with a cover of One Way Dream I had never heard before felt incredibly fitting and lovely, as that song was Sonic Team telling their fans thatthe future of the series is bright, and damn, were they right.
Is It Worth It?
Now, while I might be a really dedicated Sonic Fan, it’s hard to justify 70 USD a ticket on the cheaper end of things, but if you have the financial means, I’d say it’s absolutely worth giving a go.
The only complaints I had were mainly related to the venue, namely lack of parking, incredibly limited concessions that were primarily just alcohol, and a very confusing layout to the entire building.
The merch was also 40 USD for a single shirt or 20 USD for an LED glowstick, and while it was fun trying to color co-ordinate my glowstick to turn yellow with the crowd whenever Sonic went super, it’s hard to say it’s a good financial decision.
Overall, it’s an incredibly costly event, and if you want better seats, they’d probably cost you a pretty penny, but if you’re a big Sonic fan, this is a once-in-a-lifetime experience, and to me, it was absolutely worth it.
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