Look, I’ve always thought cinema peaked when a T-Rex ate a man off a toilet. But throw in a live orchestra? It’s over. Shut it down. Nothing’s topping that.
Last night (Saturday, 22 March 2025), I took my daughter to Jurassic Park in Concert with the West Australian Symphony Orchestra (WASO) at Perth’s Riverside Theatre, and honestly? Next-level. Literal goosebumps. Dinosaurs + live orchestra = brain scrambled. I don’t want to watch movies the “normal” way ever again. Stunning. Glorious. Straight-up transcendent.
The theatre was packed with families. Plenty of dino tees in sight (ours included, obviously). It hit me how brilliant this setup is: a perfect, no-barrier intro to orchestral music for kids wrapped up in one of the greatest films ever made. Pure chaos theory magic.
And the music? That’s the heartbeat of Jurassic Park. I never caught it on the big screen the first time around (on account of being a baby), but honestly, this version might have ruined regular screenings for me. Every note, from the soaring theme to the nerve-shredding suspense, is alive in front of you.
WASO absolutely blew me away. The precision, the power, the way they made every moment land. It was technically flawless, yes, but it was more than that. It had teeth. Big ol’ chompers. You could feel the brass smashing through every T-Rex stomp, the percussion rattling during those chase scenes, the strings tightening the tension until your shoulders were up by your ears.
But they also nailed the softer stuff. The tenderness, the terror, the little pauses where you’re holding your breath because something’s lurking in the long grass. They knew exactly when to roar and when to whisper.
You don’t fully grasp how much John Williams’ score carries the film until you hear it played live. It’s like the orchestra becomes part of the story. Another character is woven into the chaos alongside the dinosaurs.
Shout out to Riverside Theatre, too. Great sound, comfy seats, and zero velociraptor attacks. Can’t ask for more.
By the time the credits rolled, my daughter and I had already decided—this is our thing now. WASO’s doing Star Wars: The Last Jedi in Concert in July (tickets here), and you better believe we’ll be there, ready to nerd out over John Williams all over again.
Stay unruly, folks.
