Sonic Live in Concert

Sonic Live in Concert comes to Usher Hall on Thursday 18 February 2027, starting at 19:30. It's a night built around the music of Sonic the Hedgehog, marking 35 years of one of the most iconic video game franchises of all time. The whole thing is described as an immersive experience, and that's because it's not just a band on stage: a symphony orchestra, rock musicians, electronics and vocalists all play together, so the sound shifts from orchestral to rock to electronic throughout the set.

The programme covers the entire three-decade span of the Sonic universe. The orchestra takes on selections from the early Sega Genesis games and their 8-bit soundtracks, and the set moves through to the modern entries with their rock and electronic scores. You'll hear instrumental renditions of Genesis-era fan favourites alongside the franchise's more recent anthems, so it pulls from the very beginning right up to the present. A big screen plays back classic moments and levels as the music happens — Green Hill Zone and 'Undefeatable' are both mentioned — and the arrangements weave in musical Easter eggs for fans to spot.

Much of the evening is a look at the creative legacy of composers Jun Senoue and Tomoya Ohtani, whose work has defined the Sonic sound across generations. Their music is the common thread that ties the early 8-bit days to the modern rock and electronic scores, and the night puts their contributions front and centre. With the orchestra, the rock band, the electronics and the vocalists all on stage at once, the different eras of the franchise get to sit side by side.

It's at Usher Hall on Thursday 18 February 2027, starting at 19:30.