Whether it’s “Another Day of Sun,” “Lovely Night,” or the Oscar-winning “City of Stars,” I have memorized every single song from the “La La Land” soundtrack. The songs have been playing on repeat on my Spotify account since the film was first released this past December.
Written and directed by Damien Chapelle and starring Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling, this film was one of my favorite movies from 2016. In fact, I loved the storyline so much that I wrote an entire paper about it for an English class earlier this year. Although I appreciate all aspects of this film– the music, dialogue, acting, set design, cinematography, and costume design– I particularly love how the entire movie is a love letter to dreamers and creativity.
Chazelle’s story reminds us that movies are not only important but essential to all of us– the writers, actors, directors, and audience alike. We all depend upon movies and the imaginative artists who create them and star in them to provide us with entertainment and enlightenment. Where would our world be without the dreamers like Mia (Stone) who dare to be different, follow their hearts, and seek their greatest ambitions? As the lyrics of “Audition (The Fools Who Dream)” suggest, we need those seemingly mad people, those “fools who dream,” because without them, our world would lack the color, brightness, and excitement that the movies bring to all of us.
As soon as I heard that “La La Land” composer Justin Hurwitz would be performing a live version of the movie’s soundtrack at the Hollywood Bowl, I immediately hopped online and bought tickets months in advance.
I still feel as if this event was a celebration of final exams being over, but I know, deep down, that it was truly held for all of the “La La Land” fans, of which I am one. The concert was absolutely incredible and featured a symphony orchestra, as well as jazz and choir ensembles, conducted by Hurwitz. Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling’s voices were included in the performance, although sadly, neither one of them appeared onstage. However, Emma Stone was sitting a few boxes away from me, and she looked as adorable as ever, donning a boxy coat with wide leg jeans. The event concluded with an amazing fireworks show, which made the concert even more enjoyable.
Although vintage Hollywood attire was encouraged for the event, I went the more bohemian route and wore a maxi skirt and a suede sleeveless top paired with fringed ankle boots. Experiencing this concert was the perfect way to kick off the beginning of a wonderful and exciting summer. I’ve attached some images of the event below, and hopefully, through my photographs and video clips, you, too, can catch a glimpse of this unforgettable evening. Click HERE to see a video I posted on Instagram of the opening scene, “Another Day of Sun.”
