Merrick was going to go to the Austin performance of this. It was canceled, and he was sad.
Pippin wrote in with a look at PLAY!
In case you haven’t heard of it, PLAY! is a series of symphonic concerts dedicated exclusively to videogame music.
I find this extremely compelling because, as far as I’m concerned, some of the best scores in recent years have either come from composers whose careers began in video games, or from video games themselves. The MEDAL OF HONOR scores by Michael Giacchino (or Chris Lennertz) are roundly fantastic – you can check them out at iTunes if you’re interested. Other film composers dabbling in video game scoring include Graeme Revell and Harry Gregson-Williams.
You can find out more about PLAY!, and possible performances in your area, through a link below.
Here’s Pippin…
Hey there, I just attended this really cool videogame concert in Chicago and was hoping if I could share my report to you guys at AICN in this new games section you guys just set up.
Play! A Videogame Symphony is this new concert tour by the same guys who did the the Final Fantasy concerts in the past few years in both US and Japan. Fortunately the premiere of this event was held here in Chicago and thanks to my.. um, hard earned cash, I was able to attend this remarkable event.
Listening to recording and live versions of songs are obviously 2 different flavors. And with videogame music? Same rules apply and I must say that it is totally an amazing experience- no BS. The way everything flows is just... wow. Of course only videogame music fans will truly have a blast (like yours truly no doubt) and knowing all these familiar tunes will really help you appreciate this mega-event even more.
Yea all- sadly I only know like 80% of these tunes (based on my 'expensive' program that is)- but still, a better ratio than say those annoying bastards on my left. Anyway lights went off and conductor Arnie Roth comes in for that start. Here we go:
The Play! Fanfare composed by Nobuo Uematsu (of Final Fantasy fame) - Nice... has that Uematsu 90's feel. It's actually the one that is playing at the website. Short but sweet.
Final Fantasy VIII, Liberi Fatali - VIII may not be my favorite FF title but the intro music is high class stuff, I gotta admit. Hearing it live = wow, goosebumps galore. I guess it's been a while since I heard this track but dang, cool. Such a nice way for kicking things off.
Koji Kondo (Super Mario, Zelda composer) comes in and goes to the piano playing that New Super Mario Bros. theme - Ok I ain't familiar with this one but it was ok. Just like any Mario tunes, y'know- catchy. Arnie Roth comes back and the show continues.
Mario Bros. Suite - Nostalgia man, super. It's my first time to hear these tunes done in orchestra form and it's really really good.
Shenmue, Sedge Tree - Ok again goosebumps. It's been years since I saw/played Shenmue in action with its >epic score so yes- nostalgic feeling as usual.
Battlefield 1942 and 2 Suite - The only tune I'm familiar with Battlefield is the one that is playing in the main menu screen- and fortunately that's the one of the things they played. Pretty good. The suite sounds a bit like Hans Zimmer's previous works.
Final Fantasy VII, Aerith's Theme - I may have been listening to this tune for the nth time already as of this era (with different variations too)- so does hearing it live make me go puke already? Hell no, it's still a wonderful piece that it even gave me an LSS while I left the show. Again, nostalgic fun.
Sonic The Hedgehog Suite - Similar to the Mario one, it's another surprise move in my part for hearing it live again for the first time in this kind of setup. Nice.
Metal Gear Solid, Main Theme - Ok things just got really interesting at this point. Me, my friends and cousins love this classic tune so no questions asked, it rocks hearing it live... and in orchestra as well. We are all familiar with the Harry Gregson Williams redux so this also another surprise indeed. It sounded better too in my opinion. Super thumbs up with this one.
Kingdom Hearts 1 and 2 Suite - It just keeps getting better and better. Starting off with Simple and Clean orchestra version's harp-ish intro- then cuts off to some fanfare of part 1- then finally heads in with part 2's Sanctuary orchestra version from start... to finish. Bravo! Wow! Could've been better though if they just ditched that fanfare and just completed Simple and Clean then cut to Sanctuary. Can't complain yet still all good.
Intermission... just remained in my seat.
2nd half begins- Arnie Roth introduces half Japanese, half American singer Angela Aki to the crowd since it's her turn to sing not 1, but 2 Final Fantasy songs. Kinda shocked though to see her wear casual clothes but still cool. Hehe, she even apologized for that while taking the mic.
Final Fantasy XII Theme Song, Kiss Me Goodbye- It's a really nice song that grows on you the more you hear it. In fact it's the only English song for a Final Fantasy title that is really 'acceptable' due to Angela's talent for singing both Jap and Eng so fluidly. Good stuff no doubt.
Final Fantasy VIII Theme Song, Eyes on Me - Another good stuff. No, I actually hated this song before coz I wasn't a fan of Faye Wong. I guess it's something to do with that 'engrish' accent of hers. Since Angela can sing this naturally in her other native tongue- then obviously it sounds so much better... way better. Thumbs up.
Elder Scrolls Morrowind and Oblivion Suite- Part 1out of 2 of the tunes I have no clue whatsover. I guess Kenneth would've liked this one since he's the only person I know of who is a fan of these games. Anyway it's sounded pretty cool actually... epic-y.
Final Fantasy, Swing de Chocobo- Everybody's favorite yellow-big-bird theme song... in an all new Jazz/Blues rendition. Catchy as always.
Chrono Trigger and Chrono Cross Suite- OMG!!!! SHIT!!!! *ahem* For those of you who don't know, I love both of these games' soundtracks so-much-deeply that I have the CDs. The Chrono Theme is perhaps my all time favorite videogame theme ever. Among all the pieces listed in the program, this is the one that I really anticipated the most. So hearing it live is = me being the happiest guy in the crowd. No shit, I cried a bit... think about it.
Beginning with that lovely piano track near the end of Chrono Cross, hairs stood up to the max. Then Arnie hits it with the Chrono Theme and I was about to have a heart attack... they actually completed the theme from start to finish then bang! Chrono Cross' Time Scar (the intro track from the game) begins and I was like in total awe where my heart's pounding like hell. They also managed to complete the track and I thought that ends the suite, but no- Frog's Theme plays out! Holy shit... can't stand it anymore! After Frog was a nice wrap up to the suite, To Far Away Times- you know the ending theme and as usual, I was still at awe.
Bravo... absolutely spectacular. IMHO, this one stole the show. Max thumbs up to the sky.
World of Warcraft Suite- The other part of tunes I got no clue. This one had some similarities to Howard Shore's LOTR warbeat scores and I guess that fits in this so-called-addicting game. Like the Elder Scrolls Suite, epic-y.
Silent Hill 2, Theme of Laura- This one's another surprise, no it's not just because its orchestral or whatsover but it's actually a rock-ish tune. Yea that dude who composed it, Akira Yamaoka, comes in feeling like he's in a rock concert with his electric guitar and plays while the orchestra is doing their thing. Awesome and somewhat a breath of fresh air with all these epic and nostalgic scores hitting left and right.
Halo Suite- Wow... a brilliant score that I was also anticipating to hear live and a classic tune too if I may add in this age of modern gaming. It starts with that awesome Halo's theme then wraps up with some the scores in and end-game.
Legend of Zelda Suite- Classic stuff and another OMG event in my part too. Not just me actually but some geeks in the crowd as well for they are shouting/demanding this piece to show up already after the amazing Chrono Suite. Yea- I'd pick this as my second favorite next to the Chrono Suite because it is almost on the same level- beautiful. Starting with Ocarina of Time's goosebump-ish track... then shifting to the classic Zelda fanfare in all its glory and ending it with other familiar tunes, whoa.
On top of that, they also managed to include the Link to the Past's Dark World theme (my favorite track btw in the game) near the final parts- so goosebumps for me as usual and also people cheered even though it ain't finished yet. Amazing. Just amazing.
*World Premiere*- Blue Dragon Suite composed by Nobuo Uematsu- Yea, the music/theme for that new RPG for the 360 by the creator of Final Fantasy debuts in this event. My reaction? It was fantastic... in fact just like the Play! Fanfare, it feels similar to Uematsu's previous works for Square back in the SNES days.
In short, it was light-hearted catchy that fits with the game's visuals led by Dragon Ball father Akira Toriyama. You can say I'm sold with the music and will look forward to it in the future.
Finale.... Final Fantasy VII, One Winged Angel- Just like Aerith's theme, I've listened to this piece many times already with the variations too. So what's new besides hearing it live? Not much. We all know already how memorable this tune is so yes- it still rocks hearing it again in live form.
Arnie Roth exits the scene... and as usual, encore. So yea he goes back and plays One Winged Angel again. Kinda disappointing though coz I was expecting something new like Final Fantasy's fanfare or anything that fits to end the show.
There you have it... again, this has been such a wonderful experience and the 40 bucks ticket I've spent was really worth it. It was better than I expected since this is my first time to attend a true videogame concert.
Hopefully the producers will try to make a CD out of it with all those lovely music put together. Yes I must hear that Chrono Suite... again :P
