Live orchestra to accompany ‘Game of Thrones’ footage on tour

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An illustration shows the setup for the “Game of Thrones” concerts. | Live Nation

If you can’t get to Westeros, don’t fret: It’s coming to a town near you next year. Or, at least the music is.

“Game of Thrones” composer Ramin Djawadi said Monday he’s putting together a 28-city tour across North America, using a full orchestra and choir to illustrate some favorite scenes from the show that will be broadcast on LED screens for fans. Tickets go on sale at 10 a.m. Saturday (at www.livenation.com) for the Chicago stop, Feb. 19 at the United Center.

“I wanted something that takes you beyond just watching an orchestra play. I wanted to have an immersive experience,” he said from Los Angeles before a fan event. He hopes to create an event he called “epic” and “involved.”

Djawadi, who also wrote the Grammy-nominated score for “Iron Man,” has always championed little-known instruments and vowed to do the same on the “Game of Thrones” tour, highlighting things like the glass harmonica, duduk and dulcimer.

“I think it will be very exciting and very interesting for the audience to not only hear the music again and have the music experience but also to actually see actual players perform with these instruments that they may not even know what they look like,” he said.

Djawadi, not wanting to reveal too many features of the Live Nation-produced tour, said the stage’s design will employ state-of-the-art technology, and there will be “things happening onstage that will enhance the musical experience.”

The tour promises to introduce live classical music to fans who might not normally want to see an orchestra, something that tickles Djawadi. “It’ll be a great thing for people to experience this in a live setting with their favorite show attached to it,” he said.

Djawadi said he hopes to conduct most nights and perform on some instruments.

“Game of Thrones” won’t be back with its seventh season until next summer. HBO said the fantasy-thriller will be coming to an end after Season 8.

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