Written by Michael Martin
Mountain View the USA
For Americans, the 4th of July signifies independence and a day to celebrate freedom. It’s a holiday known to be loud, colourful, and full of festivities, including barbecues, family friends, and lots and lots of fireworks. So, when I got the invitation to celebrate this fantastic holiday with the SF Symphony, and at the massive Shoreline Amphitheatre in Mountain View on Monday, July 4th, I jumped at the chance for this one-off event. We started our journey on the 101 South freeway during an unusually humid day in San Francisco. The drive to Mountain View was relaxing and pleasant, given it was Monday and the end of a long holiday weekend, until we got off the exit for the Shoreline Amphitheatre. It seemed thousands had the same idea of attending this annual San Francisco Symphony and spectacular 4th of July fireworks show. The traffic was backed up, bumper to bumper, and not moving an inch. Luckily our Tesla showed that a charging port was very close by, so we took that as our opportunity to make our escape and avoid the traffic jam madness. My roommate suggested we park at the charging port and take the 20-minute walk to the concert. That was the best idea since the weather was absolutely perfect, around 74 degrees, and it gave us a chance to take our time. If you’re a Tesla owner, I hope you take this parking tip for next year’s show, as it will save you a lot of pre-show stress. As we made our way to the Amphitheater, we saw many lovely families walking with their children and loved ones. It was a relaxed atmosphere, unlike a regular Rock concert, and it was clear that this was a celebration for all. After we grabbed our tickets from will call, the staff was very friendly and helped us with directions as we entered the grounds. Once inside, the first thing you notice at the Shoreline is there are lots of tempting food and drink vending stations to indulge in as you make your way to the concert area. Our seats were excellent and upfront, right in the middle section, where you can feel the amplified orchestra beats.
The music started just as the beautiful moonlit night sky fell upon us, with conductor Edwin Outwater kicking off the night with festive pieces accentuating the summer feeling. You really feel the power of the music when you’re seated front and centre. We also wanted to see what the atmosphere was like in the general admission grassy hill area. But first, we stayed seated, enjoying the great music of Duke Ellington and Mambo from West Side Story that rang out from the stage. Once several guest vocalists joined the SF Symphony, we took that as our cue to head towards the back grass hill area where it seemed most people were gathered, sharing the good vibes. Several Disney classic songs rang out loud just as we laid our blanket out on the grass to chill. The music accompanied the actual animated movies playing on giant screens spread throughout the hill. We were delighted to hear Beauty and the Beast’s “Overture,” “Let it Go” from Frozen, and Disney’s newest song “Suite” from Encanto, which were among the fun highlights and all fun musical pieces that surprisingly I knew, haha. The blend of the summer night air, thrilling music, and a family-friendly crowd raised our spirits to a higher level.
When everything seemed perfect, time just flies by, and before we knew it, it was time for the grand finale, the exciting and epic fireworks show! Adrenalin was high for the headlining event, and I had no idea how special and intense this was going to be, but I had a feeling it would be pure magic! To our excitement, we were planted directly under the heart of this impressive explosion of colour that lit up the skies. Without missing a beat, the SF Symphony gracefully played the infamous July 4th celebration anthem, “The Star-Spangled Banner.” It was like a backdrop of music layers to the thunderous firework spectacle that rattled the audience as everyone turned their attention away from the stage, and all eyes were gazed up. Dazzling, beautiful, inspiring, breathtaking, and glorious are just a few words that best describe this incredible light show. I don’t say this lightly as I’ve seen many fantastic fireworks shows, but this was different, and hand down, the best fireworks display I’ve ever seen in my lifetime. It seemed to go on forever, yet not long enough. This event was the perfect way to celebrate the Fourth of July, with our superb San Francisco Orchestra guiding every note and a grand finale of incredible fireworks that were beyond breathtaking. So good that I already made plans with my entire family to attend next year’s event, and I would recommend others do the same as 2023 will be here in no time, friends!
Notable Artist performances:
Edwin Outwater (Conductor)
Rosena Hill Jackson (Vocalist)
Kelly Brandeburg (Vocalist)
Ruby Day (Vocalist)
Gary Stanford (Vocalist)
San Francisco Symphony
For more info on the SF Symphony, go to: www.sfsymphony.org