Moguta Posted June 19, 2008 Share Posted June 19, 2008 I just found out about that the PLAY! video game concert will be stopping in Maryland just next month (July 18th). While I've attended a number of Video Games Live performances, I've never been to this sister series of game symphonies and am gonna try to make it, being so close. Is anyone else in the area planning on attending? And I know we already have several meetups planned, but would there be any interest in a OCR gathering focused around this concert? Peace Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
big giant circles Posted June 19, 2008 Share Posted June 19, 2008 Ha, dang. I'll be in VGL in Louisville that night Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bahamut Posted June 19, 2008 Share Posted June 19, 2008 Ha, dang. I'll be in VGL in Louisville that night Haha wow - what a coincidence. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geoffrey Taucer Posted June 19, 2008 Share Posted June 19, 2008 I'd definitely like to go, but I don't think I'll be able to afford to take another trip and miss another day of work in july. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DrumUltimA Posted June 19, 2008 Share Posted June 19, 2008 there is a GOOD CHANCE i'll be there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Pezman Posted June 19, 2008 Share Posted June 19, 2008 I went to see Play! back in '06 in Philly. It was pretty good, though I enjoyed VGL more. As Jack Wall's wife said, Play! is a concert, while VGL is more of a show. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
binary1230 Posted June 19, 2008 Share Posted June 19, 2008 I (Dom) will definitely be there, I already have my tickets and no excuse not to attend something this cool in my hometown. I'll keep an eye out for the gaggle of people wearing OCR shirts. -Dom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ifirit Posted June 19, 2008 Share Posted June 19, 2008 PLAY! is very much about presenting game music as a serious form of art. While the behavior of the majority of people who attend these concerts (i.e. gamernerds) tend to bump this down a notch, it's still a great concert with an emphasis on playing truly outstanding and memorable selections and presenting them with lots of colorful arrangement, well for orchestral music anyway. Of course, since PLAY! only uses local symphonies, the quality of the concert depends on the quality of your area's symphony. VGL on the other hand, seems to be more focused on the overall sensory presentation, as its name implies. While I won't go so far as to say that it panders to its target audience (again gamernerds), they do know how to give people what they want. It's still no less a great experience with lots of style and energy that you might not see at a PLAY! concert. Personally, I like PLAY! because there's a great emphasis on substance and on the music itself that tends to remind me of the way OCR artists approach VG arrangements. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moguta Posted June 21, 2008 Author Share Posted June 21, 2008 That's much of what I've heard, ifirit. I definitely want to experience how PLAY! compares to Video Games Live... besides the obvious factor that it's a game music concert & I'd go just because of that. I love the showy flashy energy of VGL, but I also would be curious to see how the performance is with a greater emphasis on the craft & beauty of the music itself. Cool, Doug! Hope to see you there. Good idea, binary1230. You'll have to come up and say hi, and I'll look out for anyone with the signature headphoned-gamepad. And don't tell me that no one else is thinking of attending? There may be the VGL show down south, but I know for a fact that there are a large group of OCR-ers here in the DC/Baltimore/Philly area! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bahamut Posted June 21, 2008 Share Posted June 21, 2008 I dunno, as nice as something like this is, I don't like the idea of going on a bus dressed up. I think I'm gonna pass. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xerol Oplan Posted June 21, 2008 Share Posted June 21, 2008 We should try to set up a seat block so we can all sit near each other. I'm still not 100% sure if I can go or not. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moguta Posted June 22, 2008 Author Share Posted June 22, 2008 We should try to set up a seat block so we can all sit near each other.I'm still not 100% sure if I can go or not. On that note, we should make certain we have enough people before reserving a block of seats. Hope you can be there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheSnowStorm Posted June 22, 2008 Share Posted June 22, 2008 PLAY! really needs to come to St. Louis. VGL came here back in Jan. 26, but I went to a church retreat that day. I heard nothing but good things about PLAY! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moguta Posted July 18, 2008 Author Share Posted July 18, 2008 So are D-Lux and I gonna see any more fellow OCR-ers tomorrow night? Seems Doug is out, and I have no idea if Xerol's making it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xerol Oplan Posted July 18, 2008 Share Posted July 18, 2008 Working Last day Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liontamer Posted July 19, 2008 Share Posted July 19, 2008 Would have gone to this had I still been in the DC-Metro area; lemme know how it was! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moguta Posted July 21, 2008 Author Share Posted July 21, 2008 Gotta say, I loved it! Folks are right when they say Video Games Live is focused more on being a show, whereas PLAY! is focused more on the music being performed. The playlist was very similar to the previous performance in Prague, which they recorded for a CD/DVD set. I'm definitely looking forward to that release, as I know the Princess Mononoke Symphonic Suite is also a performance by Prague's Czech Philharmonic & sounds absolutely spectacular. The song I'm most eager to hear again is the 9 minute Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion medley of Reign of the Septims (intro version), Bloodlust (battle_02), Glory of Cyrodil (atmosphere_01), and Watchman's Ease (town_04). While Jeremy Soule uses an impressive array of orchestral sample libraries, his meant-for-real-orchestra compositions take on a beautiful breath of new life when performed by live musicians. There were at least three different solos (cello, violin, and flute) during the lengthy medley, and the soloists graced their parts with soulfully expressive performances. My disappointment was that Shenmue was not on the set list for this concert. They base their performance off of the first track of the Shenmue Orchestra Version album, which is an impressively beautiful piece. And it's an obscure enough soundtrack that I doubt I'd hear it elsewhere. Here's to hoping they put it back in rotation for future concerts! I noticed that PLAY! seemed to be much more about creating their own new arrangements, and often fits more songs into their medleys. Video Games Live, on the other hand, seems to rely on as many pre-existing orchestral arrangements as it can. So while both concerts may play several of the same games, the music is still a different experience. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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