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| Danny Elfman @ the Shoreline Amphitheater (Photo: Kevin Keating) |
In a masterful display of artistic versatility, Danny Elfman delivered a concert that seamlessly wove together the many threads of his extraordinary career at the Shoreline Amphitheater this past Sunday night. The stage design reflected the ambitious scope of the performance - a massive video wall as the backdrop, a 30-piece orchestra and 12-person choir elevated on risers across the back half, and Elfman's all-star rock band consisting of two Nine Inch Nails alums, Robin Finck on guitar and Ilan Rubin on drums, along with Stu Brooks on bass and Nili Brosh on guitar, who were all configured along the front of the stage, creating a physical manifestation of his musical worlds colliding. For those interested, we had a chance to speak with Robin Finck in the lead-up to this show and you can find our interview with him here.
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| Danny Elfman @ the Shoreline Amphitheater (Photo: Kevin Keating) |
The evening opened with the industrial-tinged intensity of "Sorry" from Danny's 2021 Big Mess album, before immediately diving into Oingo Boingo's "Insects," demonstrating how Elfman's punk roots and contemporary work share more DNA than one might expect. This pattern of masterful musical whiplash continued throughout the night, with film scores, Oingo Boingo classics, and new material arranged in a way that highlighted unexpected connections across his catalogue.
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| Robin Finck @ the Shoreline Amphitheater (Photo: Kevin Keating) |
During the orchestral theme pieces, the staging transformed dramatically. The front lights would dim, leaving Elfman and his band in silhouette as they turned to face the illuminated orchestra and choir behind them. The massive video wall came alive with iconic scenes from "Spider-Man," "Beetlejuice," and other celebrated scores, while the orchestra brought these beloved themes to life with overwhelming power. The "Nightmare Before Christmas" medley provided an early highlight of the night, with Elfman's distinctive vocals bringing Jack Skellington's songs to vivid life.
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| Ilan Rubin @ the Shoreline Amphitheater (Photo: Kevin Keating) |
Although Danny remained a mainstay for each of the rock-centric songs, each member of the band was given ample room for the spotlight. "Insanity" and "Kick Me" showcased the thunderous precision of Nine Inch Nails drummer Ilan Rubin working in perfect sync with two additional percussionists. "Devil Take Away" and "True" allowed Robin Finck, positioned stage right, to step into the spotlight with searing guitar solos. Even "Grey Matter" featured Elfman on a wooden xylophone -- something unexpected but also reinforcing his wide musical capabilities.
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| Robin Finck @ the Shoreline Amphitheater (Photo: Kevin Keating) |
"The Simpsons Theme" took an unexpected turn during its famous Lisa Simpson saxophone solo, and transformed into an electrifying center-stage jam between Elfman, Finck, Brooks, and Brosh before seamlessly returning to the orchestral arrangement. The "Wednesday Main Titles" theme song provided one of the evening's most spine-tingling moments, as the choir unleashed the theme's haunting vocals with breathtaking power filling the entirety of Shoreline.
During "Only A Lad," Elfman strapped on a Stratocaster, bringing additional raw energy to the punk classic as he traded riffs with Finck and Brosh. A particularly poignant moment came during "In Time," which began with Elfman and Brosh seated center stage with acoustic guitars, their delicate interplay backed by the choir's gorgeous vocals, before transforming as Finck stepped in with electric guitar and Brosh switched to her electric, while Elfman maintained the acoustic foundation.
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| Danny Elfman @ the Shoreline Amphitheater (Photo: Kevin Keating) |
The main set concluded with "Dead Man's Party," but not before Elfman introduced Steve Bartek, his original Oingo Boingo bandmate who had been conducting the orchestra throughout the evening. Bartek stepped down from his conductor's podium, picked up an electric guitar, and joined the band at the front of the stage for a rousing rendition that brought the house down.
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| Stu Brooks @ the Shoreline Amphitheater (Photo: Kevin Keating) |
When the band returned for their three-song encore of Oingo Boingo classics ("Who Do You Want to Be," "No One Lives Forever," and "Wild Sex"), Elfman saved one final surprise. Having already demonstrated his seemingly boundless energy throughout the night, he shed his shirt to reveal his incredibly chiseled and tattoo-covered torso - a theatrical flourish for the 71-year old that perfectly matched the mischievous spirit of his decades-spanning career.
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| Robin Finck @ the Shoreline Amphitheater (Photo: Kevin Keating) |
The sophisticated lighting design worked in concert with the enormous video screen, creating distinct atmospheres for each piece while ensuring every band member remained visible throughout the complex production. For the film scores, the front lights would drop, allowing the orchestra and video elements to take center stage. During the rock numbers, the full stage would come alive with frenetic energy.
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| Danny Elfman & Ilan Rubin @ the Shoreline Amphitheater (Photo: Kevin Keating) |
What made the evening extraordinary wasn't just the breadth of material covered, but how naturally it all flowed together. Whether conducting complex orchestral pieces, screaming over industrial beats, or leading the crowd in new wave anthems, Elfman and his remarkable ensemble - from the rock band to the orchestra and choir - demonstrated why his music continues to evolve and remain relevant across generations. The concert wasn't just a career retrospective; it was proof that in Elfman's musical universe, the distance between film scoring, punk rock, and avant-garde classical has always been shorter than anyone imagined.
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