'Lost' Live: The Final Celebration Recap

I've done some cool things for my job, but last night's 'Lost' Live event in Los Angeles will be a tough evening to beat.

Honoring Academy Award-winning 'Lost' composer Michael Giacchino -- who is responsible for the chilling main theme and every note of every episode that makes the scenes of the show that much stronger -- fans gathered at UCLA's Royce Hall to enjoy Giacchino leading a full live orchestra playing some of the show's most memorable tunes in time with a comprehensive slideshow of key moments. Proceeds from the event's ticket sales benefited The Colburn School for the performing arts in Los Angeles.

As if that weren't enough, we were then treated to an early screening of the penultimate episode of 'Lost,' which won't air for another five days. All that in the company of some of the show's biggest stars ... just amazing.

Here are some of the highlights ...

* The red carpet was loaded with 'Lost'-ies past and present, including several Candidates: Josh Holloway, Jorge Garcia, Daniel Dae Kim, Michael Emerson, Nestor Carbonell, L. Scott Caldwell, Henry Ian Cusick, Sonya Walger, Rebecca Mader, Jeremy Davies, Harold Perrineau, Malcolm David Kelley, Ian Somerhalder, Titus Welliver, François Chau and Lance Reddick, just to name a few. (Look for my video interviews with them very soon.)

* I also had the chance to talk to Damon Lindelof and Carlton Cuse, who both seemed pleasantly surprised to hear that I loved this week's episode, 'Across the Sea.' Haters, take note: You'll eat your words with this next episode.
* Once inside, Damon and Carlton introduced all of the stars above -- as well as Sterling Beaumon (young Ben!), William Mapother (Ethan!) and Daniel Roebuck (Arzt!) -- all greeted with rousing applause.

* There were seven orchestral arrangements: 'Lost' Main Theme, Hollywood and Vines, Oceanic 6, The Temple of Boom, Life and Death, The Tangled Web and Parting Words.

* Each song was followed by a cast member reading random letters from the 'Lost' bottle of messages. Call them background players, expendables or socks, but the tear-jerkingly heartfelt letters were all "written by" characters we knew very little about (ahem, Neil Frogurt!), proving that these writers can make us emotional about even the nameless few on this show.

* For his final swan song, the Converse-clad Giachinno threw on a Dharma jumpsuit -- emblazoned with "Conductor" across the back, naturally -- and the orchestra played the 'Up' theme song, one of the songs from the Pixar film that won him the Oscar.

* While the orchestra exited the stage, Damon and Carlton brought out the people who've made 'Lost' possible, episode after episode, year after year. Executive producers Bryan Burk and Jean Higgins; EPs and writers Liz Sarnoff, Eddie Kitsis and Adam Horowitz; and go-to director Jack Bender all received huge rounds of applause.

* Then, settling in for the "What They Died For" episode screening, you could feel the anticipation in the ballroom. In my opinion, the episode did not disappoint, and truly succeeded at getting the pace moving forward again, toward the big finale event.

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