Concert - Themes & Variations Tour Brings Bear McCreary’s Epic Scores to North America

By Mulder, 20 may 2025

Bear McCreary’s Themes & Variations tour has landed in North America with the full force of a creative storm long in the making. Having already conquered Europe with a sold-out series of concerts that spanned the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Poland, and beyond, McCreary is now embarking on the next leg of his musical odyssey, hitting six cities across the U.S. and Canada. Beginning this Thursday, May 22, at New York’s Gramercy Theatre, followed by Boston, Washington D.C., Montreal, Toronto, and finally Chicago on May 31, this tour is not merely a showcase of a composer’s body of work — it’s a celebration of one of the most prolific and genre-defying artists working in entertainment today. Known for his unforgettable scores for The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, Battlestar Galactica, Outlander, The Walking Dead, and the God of War video game saga, McCreary has stepped out of the studio and onto the stage with a fervor and theatricality that’s turning heads far beyond traditional film score aficionados.

What makes Themes & Variations so unique isn’t just its setlist — a dazzling blend of cinematic grandeur and rock spectacle — but the way it completely transforms what a composer’s concert can be. This is not a polite orchestral evening in a concert hall. This is a musical multiverse brought to life with the swagger of a rock show, the emotion of a movie score, and the communal vibe of a fan convention. Audiences have responded in kind, with Battlestar Galactica fans shouting “So Say We All!” in unison, pirate-costumed attendees belting out the Black Sails theme, and metalheads headbanging to thunderous cuts from The Singularity, McCreary’s ambitious 2024 concept album that fuses heavy metal with narrative storytelling. The concerts are staged like cinematic journeys, where quiet, introspective strings can give way to electrifying guitar solos, and where obscure instruments like the hurdy-gurdy (McCreary’s personal favorite) send crowds into a frenzy. “I’m not even sure they know what it is,” McCreary laughs, “but they know that when I pick it up, something wild is about to happen.” And that’s part of the magic — the shows are not only musically rich but also filled with quirky, unforgettable moments that connect artist and audience on a deeply human level.

The European leg of the tour was described by McCreary as a “life-changing experience,” not just musically but personally. While playing to thousands of fans across cities steeped in classical music tradition, he also learned the less glamorous, often comical truths of life on the road. In one now-viral anecdote, McCreary revealed that legendary Guns N’ Roses bassist Duff McKagan had given him essential tour advice — not about stagecraft, but about managing laundry while constantly on the move. “I actually sent Duff a picture of my laundry,” McCreary said, “and he replied with the most enthusiastic tips you could imagine.” These behind-the-scenes stories, shared with such candid humor, only deepen the appreciation fans have for McCreary, who continues to wear his rockstar status with humility, warmth, and a self-deprecating charm that makes him feel less like a maestro and more like a fellow traveler in the wild world of fandom.

At the heart of the tour lies McCreary’s latest creative milestone: The Singularity. This isn’t just an album — it’s a sprawling science-fiction rock opera, a graphic novel, and a collaborative event that bridges the worlds of film scores and rock music. Featuring contributions from musical giants like Slash, Serj Tankian, Corey Taylor, Rufus Wainwright, and even actor-voiced interludes by Lee Pace, Danai Gurira, and Ryan Hurst, The Singularity is the kind of passion project that artists dream of. During live shows, one track in particular has taken on an unexpected life of its own: the 10-minute epic “The End of Tomorrow.” Starting with a somber, cinematic build and rising to a cathartic sing-along, it has become a centerpiece of the concert — not just musically, but emotionally. “It’s the biggest surprise of the tour,” McCreary admits. “There’s this sense of connection with the audience — it’s a moment we all share. It starts quiet, then suddenly, everyone’s singing with me. That kind of energy… you can’t predict it. It’s everything I hoped this tour would be.”

For longtime fans, the chance to see McCreary live is more than just an event — it’s a rare encounter with a man whose music has underscored some of the most powerful moments in modern entertainment. Whether it’s the tragic heroism of Godzilla: King of the Monsters, the time-traveling romance of Outlander, or the gritty, survivalist horror of The Walking Dead, McCreary’s work has shaped our emotional memory of stories across genres and platforms. And yet, in person, he’s approachable, deeply engaged with his fans, and constantly evolving. Trained under the legendary Elmer Bernstein and steeped in both classical tradition and experimental audacity, McCreary is the bridge between the old guard of Hollywood composers and the bold future of multimedia storytelling. He’s worked with everyone from Fiona Apple to Hozier, and even had his music conducted by Gustavo Dudamel at the Hollywood Bowl — and now, with Themes & Variations, he’s proving that he can command a concert hall or a rock club with equal mastery.

As Themes & Variations makes its way through North America, there’s a palpable sense that this is just the beginning. McCreary’s versatility — spanning film, television, video games, and now live performance — marks him as a rare kind of artist. He’s as comfortable scoring intimate drama as he is crafting intergalactic war themes, and his ability to make music that feels both epic and personal is what keeps audiences coming back. Each city on this tour is more than a tour stop — it’s a chapter in a living legacy, a meeting point between composer and community. Whether you're a hardcore fan of God of War, a lifelong devotee of Battlestar Galactica, or just someone who loves the thrill of a great concert, these shows offer something you won't find anywhere else: an open window into the imagination of one of the most vital musical voices of our time.

So as Bear McCreary picks up his baton — or his accordion, or his electric guitar — and steps into the spotlight night after night, he’s not just performing music. He’s telling stories. Stories we’ve lived through our screens, felt in our bones, and now get to experience live, with our voices rising up alongside his in communal, joyful resonance. The Themes & Variations tour isn’t just a retrospective — it’s a milestone, a revelation, and a promise that the future of cinematic music is louder, wilder, and more heartfelt than ever before.

(Source : press release)