Danny Elfman: From Boingo to Batman at the Bowl

For over the last 40+ years Danny Elfman has become one of the most iconic film/TV composers and was the voice of New Wave Rock band Oingo Boingo from 1979-1995. For many years Elfman has reprised his role of the singing voice of Jack Skellington from Nightmare Before Christmas Halloween weekend with a live orchestra as well as being joined by the voices to other lead characters from the film which has taken place at Peacock Theater (formerly Microsoft and Nokia), BMO Stadium (formerly Banc of CA), and mostly at the Hollywood Bowl.

At Coachella 2022, Efman presented a new show over both weekends featuring music to many films he scored as well as Oingo Boingo classics. As expected it was a major sensation and Elfman has done several of these shows again since. Last year, Elfman not only did his new show at the Five Point Amphitheater in Irvine but also performed three nights at the Hollywood Bowl for Halloween weekend. This time around Elfman performed his newer show at the Hollywood Bowl November 2nd on Dia De Los Muertos and at the Shoreline Amphitheater in Mountain View, CA the following evening. On Halloween this year, Elfman performed in Mexico.  

Elfman and his band with a small orchestra and choir performed 32 songs spanning his entire career in two hours. Elfman’s Allstar band consisted of guitarists Robin Finck (Nine Inch Nails) Nili Brosh (Tony MacAlpine/ Cirque du Soleil), bassist Stu Brooks (Perry Farrell/Matisyahu) and drummer Ilan Rubin  (Nine Inch Nails/Angels & Airwaves drummer). Conducting the orchestra was none other than Oingo Boingo guitarist Steve Bartek. 

Elfman performed many of his fans most beloved compositions like “Breakfast Machine” from Pee Wee's Big Adventure, “The Simpsons Theme”, “Jack's Lament”, “This is Halloween and What's This?” from Nightmare Before Christmas sporting a Jack Skellington outfit and all the characters' voices were live. In addition to vocals, Elfman played guitar on percussion on several songs. 

Elfman also performed one of his latest compositions, the theme from Wednesday. The show also included the debut of Elfmants new single “In My Head,” released just two days earlier and the first time Elfman has performed Oingo Boingo's “On the Outside” in 25 years. 

Of the 32 songs, 12 were from Elfman's career with Oingo Boingo including "Just Another Day," "Only a Lad," and "Dead Man's Party." Bartek joined in on guitar for “Dead Man’s Party” which was the last song before the encore of “Who Do You Want to Be, “No One Lives Forever,” and Wild Sex (In the Working Class). 

1. Sorry
2. Insects (Oingo Boingo song)
3. Spider-Man Main Title
4. Native Intelligence
5. Nothing to Fear (But Fear Itself) (Oingo Boingo song)
6. Breakfast Machine
7. Just Another Day (Oingo Boingo song)
8. Grey Matter (Oingo Boingo song)
9. Jack's Lament/ This Is Halloween /What's This?
10. Mars Attacks
11. Insanity-(Oingo Boingo song)
12. Devil Take Away
13. Batman 
14. True
15. Dance With the Lemurs
16. Kick Me
17. Beetlejuice Theme
18. The Simpsons Theme
19. Only a Lad (Oingo Boingo song)
20. In My Head
21. Wednesday Main Titles
22. Edward Scissorhands 
23. In Time
24. Monkey's On the Loose
25. On the Outside (Oingo Boingo)
26. Alice's Theme
27. Ain't This the Life (Oingo Boingo)
28. Happy
29. Dead Man's Party (Oingo Boingo song) (with Steve Bartek)

Encore:

30. Who Do You Want to Be (Oingo Boingo song)
31. No One Lives Forever (Oingo Boingo song)
32. Wild Sex (In the Working Class) (Oingo Boingo Song)