Distant Worlds - Music from Final Fantasy

[Ito 2438]

Any one else been to one of these concerts?

I just attended one in Chicago this last Sunday at the Chicago Symphony Orchestra...it was just pure awesomeness.

Admittedly, it has been a fair amount of time since the last time I have seen a live symphony of any kind, but that probably only added to the experience. I was sitting very close to the center on the third floor (first floor was too expensive and second floor was boxes), I made sure when getting my ticket to pick somewhere that would be in the sweet spot.

For those of you who haven't gone to one before, an Orchestra plays the music of final fantasy and video is played on a projector screen over head of Final Fantasy footage. Frankly, while the video added to a few songs (like the Chocobo Medley), I could have done with out it and I found that I spent a good deal of the show just closing my eyes and listening, trying extra hard to take it all in.

While I am by no means a classical fan (though I do enjoy it), there is something very different about going to a live of an orchestra vs listening to it on headphones...Something far more than any more musical genre...This is something only enhanced by the fact that most of the pieces that they played have found there way close to my heart already by the hours I have spent playing final fantasy. And while you can argue that while this isn't pure classical, and maybe not as impressive Korsakov, Beethoven, or Chopin, some on Nobuo Uematsu's work has a way of working its way under your skin and really touching you.

The first half of the concert was alright in comparison to the second half. Susan Calloway screwed up pretty bad in the beginning Suteki da ne, but the rest was good (though I can't say I care for her voice). The piano version of Those Who Fight was awesome...and of course the Chocobo Medley. But the second half....fuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu. We started of with Dark World from VI, one I have never played, but damn if this song didn't haunt me...it was incredible. Maria and Draco was a pretty fun song, the opera was a bit different but just made it kind of playful...and I hate to sound stereotypical, but One Winged Angel was fucking awesome. They used the song for the encore and used the entire crowd (around 2,500 people is my guess) to sing the Latin in the song, it was Brilliant.

Any other experiences?

[Prism 8]

If they didn't do Dancing Mad or The Extreme I am disappointed. Dancing Mad and The Extreme > One Winged Angel.

[Ito 2438]

Unfortunately they did two shows that Sunday, we were at the second one and the first one got Dancing Mad...oh well...Weriously, Dark World more than made up with it, Nobuo played electronic organ for it and Anrey Roth played violin and conducted at the same time, it was awesome.

[Prophet 168]

Shit, attending an orchestra concert is one of my biggest dream. Did Black Mage show up there?

[SUBLIMINAL 52]

Did they perform Battle with the Four Fiends?!

That's my favourite Final Fantasy piece.

I've always wanted to go to one of those, but never had the opportunity. Lucky you!

[sai 868]

Did they also play the FFXIII Battle Theme? I love that one!

[Ito 2438]

I'm going again to their 25th anniversary concert in Chicago in December. Should be pretty cool. Might have another chance to see it again in February next year as well.

[x_dak_x 5]

THIS I need to see.... can't believe I missed it.

[Ito 2438]

I'm going to my third one in Milwaukee this february