Concert shoots for stars

A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away, what is arguably the greatest science fiction story of all time took place. When George Lucas first dreamed up the concept for the story of "Star Wars," even he could not have predicted how popular and widespread his creation would become.

Now, six films and countless merchandising spinoffs later, the latest "Star Wars" event hit the North Charleston Coliseum on Friday night. To say that "Star Wars in Concert" is a huge production is an understatement.

The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and a 100-piece choir sat beneath a 100-foot-wide, three-story-tall video screen that projected scenes from all six "Star Wars" films in spectacular clarity. Add a huge surround-sound system, a light show worthy of one of today's top rock bands (including lasers, naturally), and even a few well-placed pyrotechnics, and you had what is easily one of the best events to hit town in years.

Top that off with narration by Anthony Daniels, the actor who played the droid C-3PO in all six films, and you didn't have to be a "Star Wars" geek to be impressed.

Throughout the two-hour concert, the orchestra played various pieces of the film scores written by John Williams. The segments didn't follow the linear story of Star Wars but focused on themes and characters from the films. Luke Skywalker, Darth Vader, Princess Leia, Yoda, Han Solo and even the lowly droids got their turn in the spotlight.

The crowd of about 5,000 applauded enthusiastically after each musical piece and at times broke into spontaneous cheers when a familiar scene or piece of music was played. "The Imperial March," Williams' dark and militant theme written to herald the entrance of the film's villains, seems to get the biggest reaction, so much that at the conclusion of the show the orchestra repeated the composition after Daniels asked the audience, "Do I sense a yearning to return to the Dark Side?"