- KINGDOM HEARTS Orchestra – World Tour – Review
- Sunday June 11th, 2017
- Dolby Theater, Los Angeles, California
Intro: About Kingdom Hearts Orchestra World Tour
Disney Concerts, Square Enix, and La Feé Sauvage are just a few of the big names involved in the creation and success of this magical world tour, and boy did they deliver!
The Kingdom Hearts franchise brings together dozens of beloved Disney characters and legendary Final Fantasy heroes -and villains- in magical and touching stories which have given life to two main games, several spinoffs and a massive worldwide fan base. Celebrating 15 years since the very first game, the Kingdom Hearts Orchestra World Tour brings together the game’s director, Tetsuya Nomura, who has supervised the entire concert series; and the very talented Yoko Shimomura, who is the composer of all the pieces performed by the orchestra and choir. On top of this star-studded roster, there are exclusive scenes, stories and dialogs specifically created and recorded for the concert series.
June 10th 2017 marked the beginning the American Kingdom Hearts Orchestra World Tour. The rest of the tour will touch down in Los Angeles and New York, and then head to Osaka. The American leg of the tour is appropriately being held in Hollywood at the Dolby Theater in Los Angeles, California. Just a couple of days before the beginning of E3 2017, on June 11th, we had the opportunity to witness the spectacle ourselves!
After the orchestra opened the concert with a couple of pieces, special guest Yoko Shimomura came out to welcome the audience and introduce herself and the concert series. She is traveling with the tour, so if you make it to any of the performances, you will get to experience her yourself, along with a sweet surprise from her at the end! And if you have the extra cash, you can be one of the 150 VIPs per concert who get to attend a meet-and-greet with Ms Shimomura after the show, which includes an autograph and photo with the composer.
The Concert
The concert opened with a soft, melancholic piece and continued to take us through a rollercoaster of emotions. From happy, silly pieces to images of Donald and Goofy being, well, Donald and Goofy, to exclusive stories and scenes created specifically for the concert series. Without spoiling anything for you, we can tell you that your heart strings will be as touched as the ones in the musicians’ hands. We get to see the ups and downs we know so well from playing all the games in the franchise, and along with the new, exclusive stories, there’s excitement, adventure, romance and even a holiday piece!
Medleys inspired by and showcasing our favorite characters also took our breath away. From “Heroes and Heroines: Characters' Medley” and “Threats of the Land: KINGDOM HEARTS Battle Medley”, to “Let Darkness Assemble: Final Boss Battle Medley”, everybody got a chance to shine.
Watching the concert really makes fans wish for the prompt release of the third installment of the game. Luckily, at one point during the concert, the audience was pleasantly surprised with an exclusive screening of the trailer for the much anticipated Kingdom Hearts III, which had just been released that morning. Needless to say, the crowd went wild!
KINGDOM HEARTS III Orchestra Trailer
Exclusive Merchandise
A special event such as this can’t be complete without collectible items available for sale to the fans. One must-have item has to be the 48-page concert program which includes a cross-interview with Yoko Shimomura and Tetsuya Nomura. Of course, the book is also beautifully illustrated and it comes bundled with a T-shirt with an illustration of Sora’s Chief Conductor Keyblade, a stand, box and even a cardholder.
Concert goers can also purchase a beautiful gold-embossed CD with an arrangement of 12 pieces from the event. While we can’t bring Ms. Shimomura or Mr. Nomura home, we can certainly keep a piece of their creative talent with us.
Outro
Considering the international behemoths that are involved in this project, it’s no surprise that it is such a special experience. The music is fantastic, the immersive combination of sight and sound are breathtaking, and there are a few surprises during the show! If you wish to purchase tickets to one of these made-for-the-fans concerts, visit La Feé Sauvage’s website for tickets soon, before they sell out.
Have you attended one of the Kingdom Hearts Orchestra concerts? Do you plan to? Let us know in the comments below!
Buy tickets here: http://www.wildfaery.com/shop/en/41-kingdom-hearts-orchestra-world-tour-