Stand By For Action! Gerry Anderson in Concert

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Posted 2022-02-17 by Tony Collins ⇒ follow

Sat 16 Apr 2022

Thunderbirds are go! A special one-off concert is to be held at Birmingham's Symphony Hall to commemorate six decades of theme music from 'puppet-master' Gerry Anderson's television shows live in concert. Music from a collection of iconic puppet shows including Thunderbirds, Space: 1999, Captain Scarlet, and UFO will be celebrated at Symphony Hall, a B:Music venue, on Saturday 16 April. The show, entitled , is a world premiere production. It is presented by Anderson Entertainment, whose director Jamie Anderson, is the son of Gerry. To add to the show's appeal, it will be hosted by renowned impressionist and special guest Jon Culshaw, who provides the voices for characters including Parker and Jeff Tracy in Anderson Entertainment's Thunderbirds audio stories. Stand By For Action! is the first time that Gerry Anderson's complete, career-spanning collection of film and music has been performed live in concert. The timeless soundtracks, which include music by composers such as Barry Gray, Richard Harvey, and Crispin Merrell, will be brought to life by a full symphony orchestra and guest singers.

As well as music from classic Anderson shows, there will also be offerings from his earlier work including Torchy the Battery Boy and Four Feather Falls, through to Terrahawks and Space Precinct. The music will be presented alongside stunning visuals from the series and films including newly produced, specially restored, and previously unseen footage to help ensure a nostalgic evening for fans. Jamie Anderson said: "I cannot wait for fans to enjoy this exciting, nostalgia-packed and varied evening of iconic tunes with a full video backdrop. The concert will feature exclusive footage and newly restored colour and high-definition content. This truly is an epic journey not to be missed. The city of Birmingham has played such an important part in the creation of my father's work, which many people maybe aren't even aware of, so I can't think of a better venue than Birmingham's incredible Symphony Hall to host this special evening."

One of Birmingham's connections to Gerry Anderson's work is that many of the most-recognisable puppets were created in the city. Birmingham-born John Blundall was one of four puppet designers who worked to create characters for Thunderbirds. In addition, the original sound effects for many of Anderson's TV shows were created in the city's Grosvenor Road Studios. Jon Culshaw said: "I'm thrilled and very honoured to be hosting this fantastic occasion; an occasion which will fill the Symphony Hall auditorium with the magic of the great Gerry Anderson. I grew up with Gerry Anderson's shows, so having the opportunity to present his work to a live audience is a real delight. Stand by for Action!"