Review: Q The Music’s James Bond Concert Spectacular, O2 Indigo

Is there a film franchise with the same cultural impact as the Bond movies? Uniquely I think, everyone’s favourite secret agent has had an enormous impact on pop music as well as cinema. Since the 1962 release of Dr. No, the 007 films have been famous for inventive scores and hit theme songs, immortalising composers, songwriters and performers in the process.

This didn’t go unnoticed by band leader Warren Bingham, who formed Q The Music in 2004 to celebrate the hits that worked their way off the screen and into our record collections. On the evidence of this packed night at O2 Indigo, this has proved to be a spectacularly good idea. Especially as, now, 20 years on, Bond is on hiatus while the Broccoli’s figure out how best to reboot MI5 for the 21st Century. The music is perhaps all we’ll have for a while.

The James Bond Concert Spectacular is clearly a show for and by Bond enthusiasts. That much is made clear by genial compere and self-proclaimed superfan David Zaritsky, whose welcoming, inclusive banter entertains the home crowd warmly. It’s rather like watching an old-school Las Vegas comedian run through old-school gags, but all the better for it.  His brief on-stage interviews with guest Bond Girls Maud Adams and Britt Eckland, both still suitably glamorous, are featherweight but delightful. I am, however, getting distracted because the night’s proceedings are entirely about the music, and the great news is Q The Music is a big, brassy, punchy, rhythmically tight 13-piece show band. Everyone is hugely talented and having a great time. As a result, the energy doesn’t relent for a second. 

Vocal duties are split between Matt Walker and Kerry Shultz. Ms Shultz makes a bold statement by starting with Goldfinger, yet still manages to build to a thrilling climax over the evening, ending with a knock-out version of Gladys Knight’s Licence To Kill. Highlights in between include turning Carly Simon’s Nobody Does it Better into a belter, a memorable take on Adelle’s Skyfall, and a true rock-star performance of McCartney’s epic Live & Let Die.  Mr Walker is no slouch either. I particularly enjoyed witnessing him shift from the falsetto of Sam Smith’s Writing on The Wall to the growl of Louis Armstrong’s classic We Have All The Time In The World without skipping a beat. Versatile? I should say so. 

We also get extracts from John Barry and David Arnold scores. There are, of course, various versions of the familiar jangling theme, but also other more obscure pieces that underscored action in The Man With The Golden Gun, The World Is Not Enough, Tomorrow Never Dies, and more. All of them come with funky surprises and even the odd joke. A surprise swanny whistle proved an audience favourite, adding to the entertainment. 

In short, Q The Music provide a thrilling, energetic tribute to the iconic music that has defined the Bond franchise for over six decades. It is a wholly engaging, light-hearted and accessible show that blends big brass, powerful vocals, and funky rhythms with plenty of surprises. Yes, more formal orchestral evenings are probably available for film buffs and cineastes, but I guarantee they’re less likely to have you joyfully whistling your favourite tracks on the journey home.

Q The Music’s James Bond Concert Spectacular was performed for one night at the O2 Indigo but tours throughout 2024/25. Further information, including venues and date can be found here.