The Wonderful Weekend Part 1: I don't play Video games, but...
...their music is truly impressive!
On Saturday I went to see 'Symphonic Odysseys' in Cologne, where the WDR Orchestra performed several pieces by Nobuo Uematsu, who wrote the music for Final Fantasy and several other games I have never played.
Warum heissen die "WDR Rundfunk Orchester"? Steht das "R" in "WDR" nicht schon fuer "Rundfunk"? Wie das "N" in "PIN Nummer"? "M" in "WM Meisterschaft" (hab' ich schonmal gehoert)? Wirsch!!
I decided to go after an Animexx message announced that there were still tickets left for the afternoon performance. X Japan performed in Berlin last week and although I had contacts to acquire a ticket for them, I didn't want to go there by myself and the hospital wouldn't let me jump in for my aunt (also in the laundry department, it's a very~~~~ long and complicated story), so I didn't have the money I had hoped to have for the trip.
One of my friends likes game music, so I told her about it. It was so cheap for students and she said is was great the last time she went to a concert like this, so I bought myself a ticket and we went there together! Plus, I already had an account on the ticket website from a Miyavi concert long ago, so it was easy to order the tickets for the both of us and we would meet up with two other friends of hers.
We decided to wear something a little more sophisticated, since this was going to be an orchestra in a proper classical concert hall, but most people showed up in jeans and a witty gamer T-shirt. It was a little embarrassing for me, since I have never ever played Final Fantasy, King's Knight, Chrono Trigger, The Last Story or Blue Dragon...
The only games I know quite well are Pokemon and Devil May Cry, though I don't play the latter myself. I just sat back and watched Dante hacking away demons through someone else's hand. I just don't have the knack for video games, I can sit down and sew for ages, but I have to be in a certain state of mind to even dedicate time to watch a film. It's different in the cinema, I already made time to come a see a film (Harry Potter next Saturday!), but at home I sometimes get bored halfway through or I just let it run in the background while I'm sewing... even when I need subtitles! Sorry, Wallander~
I just couldn't finish Avatar (the one with the blue people). I'm sorry. I went online and watched Sayonare Zetsubou Sensei instead. And WTF Devil May Cry 5.
Us four were extremely lucky, Cologne's Philharmonic hall is very close to the train station, so we didn't have to walk far. It's also right next to the famous cathedral, so there were plenty of idiots around. Because we arrived two hours earlier for autographs, we were among the first to have our tickets signed by Nobuo Uematsu! I had my old friend Medama Oyaji with me, which he found quite amusing. Sadly, we never found out the name of his "bishie-assistant".
The other two had VIP tickets they had won, but they convinced us to join them in front after the break, because the seats next to them were all empty. Naughty, naughty~~ Although my conscience had clear objections, I tried to reason with myself that I had paid more than the others already, so...
It was fantastic. I don't think you need to play the games to appreciate great music like that, but I'm certain it helps to imagine things along to it if you're familiar with the scenes. When the clumsy MC asked all of of those who play FF to clap, I think I was one of the very, very few not to. Luckily, he asked the lady in front of me, who I assume was a mother accompanying her son, what she imagined to the music if she didn't know the game scenes and not me. I think "figure skating" would have been the least embarrassing thing for me to say.
It seems to be an insider joke never to play One Winged Angel, a piece even I am familiar with. SEPHIROTH!!EPICELEVENTY!!!!
Only the first few beats and then they switch to something else, which is why the drummer doesn't seem too popular with the fans, but he knows that and grinned when he started Chocobo's theme instead. (Something I only saw because I was in front!)
After the concert we tried to dodge the tourists and hid in Starbucks. Not having the choice of a Matcha Frappe *weep*, I picked something with lots of chocolate, but soy milk. I think I might start drinking more of the stuff, but I miss the "bean milk" I had in China. I call it "bean milk", because they don't only use soy beans to make it. There are after all tons of other beans out there.
We were so tired on our way back we almost fell asleep on the train. My friend got off in Essen, so I was by myself when I arrived in Hamm. But not for long:
I happen to meet two Hetalia cosplayers again, they probably now think I'm stalking them or something. They just came back from Dortmund, were the Amiru had taken place for the first time that weekend. They could reassure me that I'm not the only one who hasn't played Final Fantasy, but piecing together the little things we did know was fun.
I bet I'll have lots of people urging me to play Final Fantasy now, even if I have the time, it's just I like using my spare time for other things like making pointless music videos I am no longer allowed to upload onto Youtube. And I don't want to buy a PSP or another console, but I'll gladly come over to your house and watch you play anything!
... as long as I'm fed XD~
I am just not a gamer, sorry~ ^^x*
I'm afraid we were only allowed to tkae pictures from afar, as taking pictures together with every fan would have taken far too long. But I understand that, the cue was so long, we were extremely lucky to get autographs before the concert started.
Obligatory Cologne pic =P
Medama Oyaji & Chocobo Gilbird! Yay~
...OMKami did I just...?? Nah, impossible...
파이날판타시를 잘 모르는 콜레
On Saturday I went to see 'Symphonic Odysseys' in Cologne, where the WDR Orchestra performed several pieces by Nobuo Uematsu, who wrote the music for Final Fantasy and several other games I have never played.
Warum heissen die "WDR Rundfunk Orchester"? Steht das "R" in "WDR" nicht schon fuer "Rundfunk"? Wie das "N" in "PIN Nummer"? "M" in "WM Meisterschaft" (hab' ich schonmal gehoert)? Wirsch!!
I decided to go after an Animexx message announced that there were still tickets left for the afternoon performance. X Japan performed in Berlin last week and although I had contacts to acquire a ticket for them, I didn't want to go there by myself and the hospital wouldn't let me jump in for my aunt (also in the laundry department, it's a very~~~~ long and complicated story), so I didn't have the money I had hoped to have for the trip.
One of my friends likes game music, so I told her about it. It was so cheap for students and she said is was great the last time she went to a concert like this, so I bought myself a ticket and we went there together! Plus, I already had an account on the ticket website from a Miyavi concert long ago, so it was easy to order the tickets for the both of us and we would meet up with two other friends of hers.
We decided to wear something a little more sophisticated, since this was going to be an orchestra in a proper classical concert hall, but most people showed up in jeans and a witty gamer T-shirt. It was a little embarrassing for me, since I have never ever played Final Fantasy, King's Knight, Chrono Trigger, The Last Story or Blue Dragon...
The only games I know quite well are Pokemon and Devil May Cry, though I don't play the latter myself. I just sat back and watched Dante hacking away demons through someone else's hand. I just don't have the knack for video games, I can sit down and sew for ages, but I have to be in a certain state of mind to even dedicate time to watch a film. It's different in the cinema, I already made time to come a see a film (Harry Potter next Saturday!), but at home I sometimes get bored halfway through or I just let it run in the background while I'm sewing... even when I need subtitles! Sorry, Wallander~
I just couldn't finish Avatar (the one with the blue people). I'm sorry. I went online and watched Sayonare Zetsubou Sensei instead. And WTF Devil May Cry 5.
Us four were extremely lucky, Cologne's Philharmonic hall is very close to the train station, so we didn't have to walk far. It's also right next to the famous cathedral, so there were plenty of idiots around. Because we arrived two hours earlier for autographs, we were among the first to have our tickets signed by Nobuo Uematsu! I had my old friend Medama Oyaji with me, which he found quite amusing. Sadly, we never found out the name of his "bishie-assistant".
The other two had VIP tickets they had won, but they convinced us to join them in front after the break, because the seats next to them were all empty. Naughty, naughty~~ Although my conscience had clear objections, I tried to reason with myself that I had paid more than the others already, so...
It was fantastic. I don't think you need to play the games to appreciate great music like that, but I'm certain it helps to imagine things along to it if you're familiar with the scenes. When the clumsy MC asked all of of those who play FF to clap, I think I was one of the very, very few not to. Luckily, he asked the lady in front of me, who I assume was a mother accompanying her son, what she imagined to the music if she didn't know the game scenes and not me. I think "figure skating" would have been the least embarrassing thing for me to say.
It seems to be an insider joke never to play One Winged Angel, a piece even I am familiar with. SEPHIROTH!!EPICELEVENTY!!!!
Only the first few beats and then they switch to something else, which is why the drummer doesn't seem too popular with the fans, but he knows that and grinned when he started Chocobo's theme instead. (Something I only saw because I was in front!)
After the concert we tried to dodge the tourists and hid in Starbucks. Not having the choice of a Matcha Frappe *weep*, I picked something with lots of chocolate, but soy milk. I think I might start drinking more of the stuff, but I miss the "bean milk" I had in China. I call it "bean milk", because they don't only use soy beans to make it. There are after all tons of other beans out there.
We were so tired on our way back we almost fell asleep on the train. My friend got off in Essen, so I was by myself when I arrived in Hamm. But not for long:
I happen to meet two Hetalia cosplayers again, they probably now think I'm stalking them or something. They just came back from Dortmund, were the Amiru had taken place for the first time that weekend. They could reassure me that I'm not the only one who hasn't played Final Fantasy, but piecing together the little things we did know was fun.
I bet I'll have lots of people urging me to play Final Fantasy now, even if I have the time, it's just I like using my spare time for other things like making pointless music videos I am no longer allowed to upload onto Youtube. And I don't want to buy a PSP or another console, but I'll gladly come over to your house and watch you play anything!
... as long as I'm fed XD~
I am just not a gamer, sorry~ ^^x*
I'm afraid we were only allowed to tkae pictures from afar, as taking pictures together with every fan would have taken far too long. But I understand that, the cue was so long, we were extremely lucky to get autographs before the concert started.
Obligatory Cologne pic =P
Medama Oyaji & Chocobo Gilbird! Yay~
...OMKami did I just...?? Nah, impossible...
파이날판타시를 잘 모르는 콜레