• By Mabel Pais

The next chapter of the Oscar-winning Spider-Verse saga and the highly anticipated sequel ‘Spider-Man™: Across the Spider-Verse Live in Concert’  makes its landing at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC) on Sunday, September 22 at 3 pm.

The films have become a sensation for their incredible and ground-breaking soundtracks which have been heralded for their unique mix of orchestral and electronic music, and scratch DJ’ing.

In ‘Spider-Man™: Across the Spider-Verse’ Live in Concert audiences will see the film presented on a huge HD screen, accompanied by a range of musicians and instrumentalists performing music from the film’s score and soundtrack live to picture. This will include an orchestra, a scratch DJ on turntables, percussion and electronic instruments.

The score for the film was created by Emmy-winning and Academy Award® and Golden Globe®-nominated composer, Daniel Pemberton, known for his work on movies such as ‘Ferrari’, ‘The Man From U.N.C.L.E.,’ ‘Oceans 8’, ‘Enola Holmes’, ‘The Bad Guys’ and ‘Steve Jobs’.

Pemberton took influence for both Spider-Verse film scores from growing up amid the London rave scene in the 90s, where he regularly immersed himself in ambient and techno nights. Daniel also drew inspiration from the scratch DJ’s at ‘The Blue Note Club’ in East London, where he first witnessed scratching vinyl being used in an artistic form. This, coupled with heavy-drumming and punk guitars, gives the soundtrack its unique sound, fusing genres to make something bold and unparalleled which will be brought to life in an exhilarating style in these live concerts.

“Across The Spider-Verse is probably the most exciting, groundbreaking and impactful score I’ve written,” says Pemberton. “I’ve always believed that there should be no barriers to music, but it’s rare to get the opportunity that you get within the Spider-Verse – where else could you have powerful orchestral themes side by side with punk drum solos, virtuoso record scratching next to twisted electronics, off-kilter whistling next to hip-hop beats?”

The film’s soundtrack was curated by Metro Boomin, and features the likes of Future, Nas, Swae Lee, James Blake, Lil Wayne, Lil Uzi Vert, and more.

Pemberton says, “Watching the film with the live band performing in a huge room of people is one of the most thrilling ways to experience it and it’s a huge honor to know that audiences are going to get a show that delivers a unique emotional hit they will hopefully remember for a long, long time after.”

Miles Morales (Spider-Man) returns for the next chapter of the Oscar®-winning Spider-Verse saga, ‘Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse’. After reuniting with Gwen Stacy (Spider-Gwen), Brooklyn’s full-time, friendly neighborhood Spider-Man is catapulted across the Multiverse, where he encounters the Spider Society, a team of Spider-People charged with protecting the Multiverse’s very existence. But when the heroes clash on how to handle a new threat, Miles finds himself pitted against the other Spiders and must set out on his own to save those he loves most. Anyone can wear the mask – it’s how you wear it that makes you a hero. 

TICKETS

To get immersed into ‘Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse’! reserve tickets by visiting NJPAC.org or the NJPAC Box Office or calling 888.GO.NJPAC (888.466.5722).

Sony Pictures Animation/Columbia Pictures (Key Credits)

Sony Pictures Animation/Columbia Pictures’ ‘Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse’ was directed by Joaquim Dos Santos, Kemp Powers and Justin K. Thompson. It was written by Phil Lord & Chris Miller & David Callaham, based on the MARVEL COMICS. Phil Lord, Christopher Miller, Amy Pascal, Avi Arad and Christina Steinberg served as producers with Bob Persichetti, Peter Ramsey, Rodney Rothman, Aditya Sood and Brian Michael Bendis serving as executive producers. The film features the voices of Shameik Moore, Hailee Steinfeld, Brian Tyree Henry, Luna Lauren Velez, Jake Johnson, Jason Schwartzman, Issa Rae, Karan Soni, with Daniel Kaluuya and Oscar Isaac.         

Awards

‘Spider-Man™: Across the Spider-Verse’ is a critically acclaimed and box office smash hit, grossing $690.9 million worldwide, making it Sony Pictures Animation’s highest-grossing film of all-time. The film was named among AFI Awards 2023 top 10 best films of the year, winner of the Critics Choice Award, Hollywood Critics Association Astra Award and National Board of Review Honor for Best Animated Film, winner of seven Annie Awards including Best Feature, winner of the Producers Guild Awards and was nominated for multiple others including the Academy Awards® and the Golden Globe Awards®. 

Senbla

Senbla is part of Sony Music Entertainment and operates both nationally and internationally across music, performing arts and entertainment concert touring, festivals family entertainment, theater and experiential. Senbla operates in some of the most prestigious venues in the world and works with some of the world’s leading artists in their fields as well as some of the biggest entertainment companies and Movie Studios. In recent years Senbla has brought leading artists such as Michael Buble, My Chemical Romance, Duran Duran, Lionel Riche, Diana Ross, and more to unique outdoor venues across the UK as well as bringing IP such as ‘Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse’ and ‘Avatar: The last Airbender’ to over 200 venues throughout the world. Senbla promotes and produces over 500 concerts a year throughout the world. Learn more at sonymusicmasterworks.com. ‘Spider-Man™: Across the Spider-Verse’ is available to buy & watch at home from your favorite digital platform. 

Daniel Pemberton

Learn more at daniel-pemberton.com.

The New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC)

Learn more at NJPAC.org.

(Mabel Pais writes on The Arts and Entertainment, Social Issues, Spirituality, Cuisine, Health & Wellness, Business, and Education)