For my birthday this year, Mom bought me two tickets to go see Star Wars: In Concert. The show is a roughly two-hour concert featuring music from all six Star Wars films, performed live by an orchestra.

Mason and I arrived half an hour early to check out what else the travelling tour had brought, and we were not disappointed. The hallways of the Ford Center were filled with authentic props and costumes from all six movies. Mason really got a kick out of seeing all that stuff.

C-3P0 Costume

This was the largest collection of Star Wars props I’ve seen assembled since Justin and I saw the Star Wars: Where Science Meets Imagination exhibit in Fort Worth. Also scattered around the Ford Center were large colorful backdrops, set up for people to have their pictures taken in front of.

Look out, Mason!

Our timing was perfect. As soon as we were done looking at everything, it was time to find our seats, which turned out to be fantastic. We were on the second row, maybe twenty to thirty feet from the stage. We could feel the percussion in our chest and the heat from the plumes of fire on our faces.

Taken from the stairs. We sat much closer than this.

Soon the lights dimmed and out walked Anthony Daniels, the voice of C-3P0.

Anthony Daniels, as himself.

Behind the orchestra stood a 100′ screen (three stories tall) that displayed movie montages in breathtaking digital clarity. For the first time, I saw both the benefits and the drawbacks of such a clear picture. In several clips you could literally see the pores on the actors’ faces.

As a life long Star Wars fan, I am not ashamed to admit I got choked up when the band broke in to the Star Wars theme. As Mason clapped and cheered throughout the show, I couldn’t help but think of all my old Star Wars memories … going with Dad to see every movie together, getting home made Star Wars birthday cakes from Mom, dumping out Christmas stockings to find every available Star Wars figure in 1978, having a Star Wars groom’s cake at my wedding … the list goes on and on.

My Star Wars Collection, 1982

The show is a definite must see for any Star Wars fan. Period. I know I’ll never forget it, and I doubt Mason will either.

Click Here to see all our photos from last night’s performance.