MORE INFORMATION ON PIRATE CD SELLERS AND MAKERS

First of all, please don't get me wrong, you have every right to buy and enjoy any CD you want, but since I believe in supporting the original CD composers and creators, this information is intended to help and not to hinder. Also, as many others know, most of these discs originate out of Taiwan, and not Japan.

Click

Did you notice anything? That Dragon Quest V CD set is from SM, and is a surefire pirate CD. I can't knock gamemusic.com. Really, I love them. They put a major effort into stopping the sale of these things on their site, and they make it so much easier to get imports from Japan without having to pay a hefty sum to import it yourself. No doubt that Dragon Quest V soundtrack is from the old stock. Still helps to know though, doesn't it?

Five major Pirate CD makers are SM or sonmay (See Ys II Sample below), Alion, Ever Anime, Miya Records and something with a wierd symbol I am unable to make out. These are the big ones I run into more than anything. One comic shop in my area literally has dozens of game music CDs for sale all the time, but every one of them is a pirate bootleg CD. It's a shame, too, because otherwise it's a great place.
Here is what the Ever Anime logo looks like:

If you see this symbol on any CD, beware, it is a pirate:

Ys II OFFICIAL AND UNOFFICIAL DISCS PROFILED

Here is a profile of an official and an unofficial Ys II soundtrack CD, with the official King Records release above the fake SM "Sonmay" one. This is a good example of a very decpetive fake for many reasons. For one, the ACTUAL Falcom logo appears on the bottom. I can't believe they got away with this. On later fake CDs you will not find the official company logo anywhere. Look also at the black spine. Many fake CDs have a different colored spine from the real ones. In this example, since both spines are black, you'll need to look further to distinguish the real from the pirate, but you won't need to look too much further. Look at the fake again and you'll see "SM-040" in the upper left corner. This is just one of many fake catalog numbers that pirate CD companies use.

So, Why an Ys CD? Well, it's one of the few bootlegs I own. And, as the series garners more fame, there will be demand for soundtracks of the earlier Ys titles. Hopefully this will help you steer from making a purchase you won't be proud of.

The following picture shows the back cover of both CDs with the official one above the fake one. Taking a look at the bottom lower right corner of both covers reveals something more sinister. The pirate CD maker SM actually uses the correct catalog number (K32X 7704) here! If you didn't know that SM was a maker of pirate CDs, you could be deceived into thinking it was official! However, it's nothing to worry over, there are still plenty other ways to detect it's a fake.


You'll want to be careful on ebay, just because a correct catalog number is given, doesn't mean you're getting an official CD. If the seller can not provide a picture, request the record label be given. Ebay is rampant with fake game CDs, as well as fake soundtrack sets for such series as Catlevania and Final Fantasy.

The picture below shows the spine of both Ys II discs, with the official one on top. (click to enlarge)

Now the fake catalog number of SM-040 finally appears. Look closely how the pirate CD makers made an effort to create a spine that looks almost exactly like the official CD release. Take note, Falcom no longer uses King Records to produce it's soundtracks, so on any new Falcom discs you will see a catalog numer beginning with "NW". The King Records catalog number here on Ys II (K32X 7704) is also an early version of it's numbering system. On later releases King Records began using KICA-"Number" on most or all of their CDs.

Here is an image of both discs. Once again, the official disc is on top, the fake on the bottom.
Check out how similar they are, and yet at the same time they are very different. You can clearly tell which one is fake by the absence of the King Records logo on the bottom one. When I bought this CD the first time, I had no idea whatsoever that it was a fake. Even though this CD is quite old, it is evident that even back then SM or Sonmay was making fake CDs that look almost exactly like the originals.

Personally, I can not tell a difference in sound quality, but after years of going to conventions and seeing tons of these fake being sold, they get annoying, and they get you angry. I've seen too many of these now and it just ticks me off when I see them still being sold. Now, for this Ys II, all the tracks are the same on both discs, but I've seen a pirate release of Final Fantasy VIII that comes in a real nice case, but if you look at disc three it is actually missing "Eyes on Me," one of the most important songs in the game!
Until other countries get serious about importing game music into retail stores, these fakes are going to continue to have a market, for they sell for at least half the price of official ones. It is happening, but at a snail's pace. Common prices for fake CDs are anywhere from $6.95 to $14.95 USD.
Gamemusic.com deserves a big thank you for not only putting a stop to selling fake CDs on their own site, but for also making it possible to get many of the latest game music releases without having to pay so much to import.

SO, IS THIS FINAL FANTASY IV CD A PIRATE CD?

No, this is a fine example of what you may hear commonly referred to as a Douin CD. It's pretty much like someone doing fan art in Japan, or, thanks to many fans all over the world, they are becoming much more common in other areas. As game music continues to grow in popularity, you can expect the number of fan made remixes to increase as well.
The artwork may look somewhat unofficial on the above CD, but don't let that take you. The makers of Pirate game and anime CDs from what I've seen always strive to create something that looks similar if not exactly like it's official counterpart. Doujin CDs are one of my favorite things to collect. Many times you'll get some refreshing all new versions of your favorite game tracks. Doujin CDs are fan made remixes, most of which are of professional quality. Project Majestic Mix and The One Ups are examples of fantastic artits who are turning their passion for game music into incredible CDs. In the case of the Final Fantasy IV above, JM Midi not only re-created the complete FF IV soundtrack, but they also included the unused tracks, previously only available on the FF Mix CD and Final Fantasy IV Minimum album. This truly is a work of art.
So, while it may not look like this:

The JM Midi FF IV and other Doujin CDs definitely are not bootlegs.

While I'm at it, here is the site of my personal favorite Doujin arranger and one of my favorite game composers Atsushi Fukai:

Mushi.net

Here you'll find examples of more Doujin soundtracks inspired by Ys, Dragon Quest, and even Dragon Spirit. One of Mr. Fukai's trademarks is creating imaginary game soundtracks, featuring all new music based on the style of a certain game or series.

Another important note:
While it is true that some Doujin CDs may be sold at a similar price as some bootlegs, they will be instantly distinguishable by their content. There are sellers on ebay though, who sell copies of douin Mangas on CD. So even Doujins have bootleggers. *Sigh*

I truly hope this has been helpful so far, and it's by no means the end of my coverage of pirate CDs.

STORY REGARDING BOOTLEGS

Even back in my early days of collecting game music, the first Ys soundtrack I ever bought was a crap SM bootleg. Since that time, I bought two real Music from Ys CDs to make up for it. There were a few others too, that I bought as bootlegs out of ignorance and since then managed to get real copies of. But back then, the convention circuit was filled with bootleg soundtracks. I remember seeing tons of Dragon Quest CDs and just being in awe. I even remember seeing bootleg Falcom Special Boxes back then too. Everyone just assumed they were the real thing. In those early days I never met anyone who told me they weren't genuine. Thanks to the internet you can find lots of helpful information on them now, and with this article and more to come I'd like to contribute as well. The point I want to make is that the composers know about the piracy of their work, and I have a real story that proves it.

This was the second time I met Mr. Koji Kondo in May 2006. First of all, he remembered me from Mr. Uematsu's Tower Records signing event the previous day, which was remarkable considering all the fans he met over a two day period. I think I was one of the lucky few who managed to meet him at Tower records that day. I know a lot of people didn't recognize him.

It happened at the Chicago premiere of Play! at the composer meeting event. I had tons of CDs with me, and it was so hard to decide which ones to bring, and even harder to carry them all around. Anyway, when I approached Mr. Koji Kondo, I presented my Zelda Windwaker and Ocarina of Time soundtracks to him for signing. Here's where something great happened. Before signing, he looked over both CDs carefully and said softly: "Japanese". I knew immediately that he was confirming the authenticity of the discs, and I thought that was so cool! I wonder if anyone out there has had a similar experience...

More to come, including pictures of bootleg Ys soundtracks and real ones to compare them to.

DRAWING MEGA MAN MUSIC VERSION!!

Here's an updated version of my Drawing Mega Man video. This time I added music from Megalomania, I think it is much more enjoyable now.

THANKS FOR 2,000 HITS!!

To all those who visit my page, you have my thanks! Here is Milon, drawn especially for the occasion.

MEGALOMANIA!!

Finally got the Mega Man "Megalomania" CD the other day. It's a great Mega Man guitar arranged Doujin CD by Dangerous Mezashi Cat. I have to admit, the cover art is fantastic, but I wondered whether or not the CD would live up to that quality.

No worries, it delivers completely! It's pure Mega Man rock, with plenty of room in each track used to cover the main melodies, and at the same time provide additional music to compliment the wonderful arrangements. Now, this isn't hard core Metal by any means, but that doesn't mean it's not hardcore rock! Great synth and fast, heavy drums accompany many of the tracks, and all of them are instantly recognizeable. The musicicans produced a great balance of staying true to the original music, as well as creating a refreshing take on old classics.

Right now, this disc might be hard to get, as doujin CDs aren't sold by everybody, and their circulation is almost nonexistent outside of Japan. The price will be around $19.99. I recommend ebay seller champ_des_pins, who supports the doujin CD creators like no one else on ebay.


Tracklist

1. MegaMan 2 Opening
2. MegaMan 2 Title
3. CutMan
4. IceMan
5. FireMan
6. MetalMan
7. BubbleMan
8. WoodMan
9. CrashMan
10. FlashMan
11. QuickMan
12. Dr. Wily Stage (MegaMan 2)
13. MegaMan 3 Title
14. SparkMan
15. Get Weapon (MegaMan 3)
16. SnakeMan
17. PharoahMan (Bonus)

NEW MEGA MAN SKETCH VIDEO ON YOUTUBE!

I hope you will enjoy this little sketch video I made of Mega Man. I had a lot of fun doing it and I've wanted to do something like this for a long time.

I have begun adding pictures of my autographed Game Soundtracks on the collection page. So I guess my update wasn't complete after all... All of the new pictures will be ready soon.
You'll find a link to it in the links section on the right!

Waiting for a number of awesome Game Music CDs to arrive. I'll have full coverage on them when they all get here.

Catch you later!

More details of Play! Stockholm revealed!

As June 2nd draws closer, the excitement keeps building around the upcoming Play! a Video Game Symphony in Stockhom Sweden. One of the coolest announcements so far is that Machinae Supremacy will be performing Dancing Mad from Final Fantasy VI! Previously it had only been announced that a rock band will perform it, but now with this new news the two concerts in Stockholm have gotten a major upgrade! I can't wait for this! You can bet I'll be there and when I get back I'll have plenty of pics to share! Of course if any other news comes out about this event, I'll be sure to report it.

Don't forget to visit the official Play! site as well:

Play! A Video Game Symphony

Be sure to check the bottom of this page for the new artwork of the week! See you again soon.

ARTWORK OF THE WEEK IS BACK!!

I had slacked off for a bit, but no more! Look at least once a week for a new artwork to appear on this page. This week it's X. I've been listening to the Mega Man X series music again and got so inspired. More soon!

COLLECTION UPDATE COMPLETE

Finally I finished updating the collection page, you can view it here:

My Soundtrack Collection

Eventually, I may try to get pictures of everything up, but I'm comfortable with the way things are now. See you later!

Back from vacation!!

Just back from a short rest in Branson, MO and I am fully revived for the coming months. A lot's going on! Right after the Hartford Play! concert was cancelled, another one was announced for May 26, in San Jose California. Details as always are on the official site for Play! A link is available in the links section.

The countdown for the concert of the decade is now less than two months away. I'm talking about when Play! A Video Game Symphony returns to Stockholm, Sweden on June 2nd! I will be there, and will report everything. It's going to be super exciting, and it will be my first trip overseas.

Falcom finally released the Ys Origin soundtrack, and announced the third Chapter of the Legend of Heroes VI: Sora No Kiseki.

If you've checked out my links section before, you know who moAbi (OPUS XERO) is. He has now released an amazing Final Fantasy Battle Medley #2. It's a whopping 25 minutes long and is really an incedible work. Thanks moAbi, you ROCK!
check it out at the link below, it's song 2 under Final Fantasy:

Opus XERO Music

THANKS AGAIN MOABI! Your music is amazing!!

I just got the Tales of the Tempest soundtrack, thanks to Cocoebiz, and it's intense! There aren't a lot of soft tracks on it, and even though it's only one disc, Motoi Sakuraba jammed a ton of raging speed into it. The first four tracks give you the impression that this game could be really dark. Mr. Sakuraba's signature style is there: the melodic orchestrations, the heavy drums, and dark organ tunes. It almost seems as if Mr. Sakuraba composed the whole thing himself. He is listed as "person in charge" in the credits, and arrangement/composition credit goes to Namco Tales Studio, but I just have a feeling that he had a much bigger role in this one. I highly recommend it.

That's all for now. In closing, I am planning to do a comic continuing the adventures of Milon from "Milon's Secret Castle". He is one of my favorite game characters, and I think I could do a really fun story with him. Only time will tell, but I'll keep you posted about it. Here's a sketch I did to see how I would like Milon to appear in the series.

Later!

Art Gallery on youtube!

I made some of my art into a slide show and added some cool game music,(what other music would I use?) hope you like it! NOTE: Image #4 (Adol vs. Dark Fact) features color and effects by MP83!

Play! Hartford Cancelled?!!

Well, it appears the Play! A Video Game Symphony Concert scheduled for March 29th in Hartford, CT has been cancelled. I noticed all information regarding the show had been pulled from the official Play! site when I was ready to purchase tickets, so I called the Bushnell Center for details. They stated that the show was indeed cancelled, and according to them, the show could still happen next year. Don't worry, if I know JMP productions, this was done for a good purpose. Who knows, maybe something even more exciting will come from this!
Did any of you out there purchase tickets? I recommend calling or contacting the Bushnell at (860)987-6000. The Bushnell site has no information regarding this matter, and if anything changes I'll surely post it.

Ys illustration contest entry!

Here it is, it is also now permanently in the art gallery! I love how it turned out, and it will be awesome if it wins or makes it onto Falcom's page.

COLLECTION UPDATE IN PROGRESS!!

Finally, I had some time to begin updating my collection list. First there was a lot of organizing to be done. Now that that's finished, I just need to list all the new stuff. Over at the collection page I have a new picture up of my game music shelves. Check it out!

View My Collection List

GREAT UPCOMING SOUNDTRACKS!!

Some real gems are coming out in March, here's just a few of them:

Monster World Complete Collection Soundtrack 3/8

Sonic and the Secret Rings 3/15

Luminous Arc Original Soundtrack 3/21

Castlevania Portrait of Ruin 3/23

Falcom Live 2007 Sounds 3/29

Ys Origin Original Soundtrack 3/29

Phoenix Wright:Ace Attorney ~Gyakuten Saiban 1+2 Original Soundtrack 3/30

All of these upcoming releases can be purchased from Cocoebiz/VGM World!

Click

Update

I did this picture of Parin from Gurumin when I got the PSP game. I highly recommend you check it out, as I waited a long time to play it in English, and it's a lot of fun!
As for the Ys soundtrack collecting guide, I lost my drive to finish it when I realized a couple others had already achieved what I wanted to with it. It will be something a little different now, but it's not dead!

Thanks for 1,000 hits!!

Thanks to all those who have visited this page! 1,000 page views means a lot. Here is a special sketch of Batman & Mega Man for the occasion! See you again real soon!

2-7-07

About to finish the inks on an illustration for Falcom's Ys art contest, colors will be done by MP83, of course the results will be posted! In the meantime, a new artwork of the week has been added below. Be sure to look for the completed version next week!

Ys Origin Gameplay Video Added today!

Today I added a small gameplay video from Ys Origin to youtube! It's footage I made of the Water Prison territory in the game. As you can hear form the video, Falcom once again did an amazing job on the music. Perhaps in some small way this will entice you to play this great game. Click on the link below, hope you like it! By the way, a new sketch has also been added below for the new artwork of the week!

Ys Origin: Water Prison Gameplay.

New Arrivals!!

Lots of new arrivals today, when I update my collection list, these will be included.

Blue Dragon Soundtrack!
The latest from legend Nobuo Uematsu for the XBox 360 Console:


Being a big fan of Atsushi Fukai, I decided to obtain as many of his works as possible.

Romancing Saga Battle Themes:
This one has arrangements featuring battle themes from Romancing Saga 1-3


Project G:
An imaginary sequel to the Gradius series, and contains arranged music from Gradius IV.


Princess Maker 1,2, and 3 Battle Themes:
After hearing Princess Maker 2. I had to hear more. This CD contains arrangements of themes from the Princess Maker series.


Metamorphosis:
The latest from Mr. Fukai, it features live instrumentation, and he has wonderfully re-arranged some of his greatest pieces for it.


Project Fantasy Zone:
A Soundtrack Inspired by Fantasy Zone.


Midi-Mushi Collaborations:
Here, Mr. Fukai has teamed up with a few others to create arrangements from Air and Snow among others.


Project Dragon Spirits:
At Last! An imaginary soundtrack to continue the Dragon Spirit Series, one of my favorites. Mr. Fukai didn't disappoint one bit with this, he nailed the inspirational sound and style that are trademarks of the legendary shooter.


Project Twinbee Deluxe Pack:
Two full-length Discs! Music inspired by the Twinbee series!


Dirty Pair, Complete Art Works:
A Brand new art book featuring illustrations from my all-time favorite anime, The Dirty Pair!


Thanks go to Mr. Atsushi Fukai, for keeping the doujin scene alive for game music, and Otaku.com for graciously supporting the sale of Mr. Fukai's works!

Update 1-14-07

Today I made a few changes I thought would be worthwhile. Now there's a little gallery spotlighting my favorite moments in my journey of collecting game music, and I'll have a different piece of art posted every week. Now to get the rest of those Atsushi Fukai CDs before they sell out :)
I have numerous things in the works, but I get so ambitious at times I don't get them done when I would like. Here is a list of things to come:
A Guide to Collecting Ys Soundtracks
A Guide to completing The Legend of Xanadu
A Tribute to Dragon Spirit
Mega Man vs. Bass: To the Death (Perhaps it's too soon to list this here, but it's gonna knock your socks off! I figured by listing it, I'll stay motivated to see it through to the end.) Just wait and see!
Now, keep listening to game music and make sure it is loud!

Happy New Year!!

Happy new year 2007 to all of you out there! Looking ahead a little bit, I have plans to attend more upcoming Play! concerts, and there's LOTS more art on the way too. It has been a while since I updated my art gallery. It's going to be a great year. I hope you all have fun collecting and listening to game music this year. For the first time ever, there's a new release schedule of some great upcoming soundtrack releases. Hope it is useful to you. Bye for now!!

UPCOMING GAME SOUNDTRACK RELEASES

Just finished Ys Origin playing as Yunica Tovah, working on the game as Hugo Fact now. I LOVE THIS GAME! Falcom pulled off a wonderful Ys prequel that didn't even have Adol in it! My guide to collecting Ys Soundtracks is still on the way. I'm finally recovering from the busy Holidays!
Anyway, there are some great soundtracks coming out soon, currently on CD Japan's release schedule is:

January

Sonic The Hedgehog Vocal Trax Several Wills
Release: 2007/01/10

Happiness! Deluxe Character Ending Collection Vol.3
Koyuki Takamine (Yuura Hyuga)
Release: 2007/01/10

Happiness! Deluxe Character Ending Collection Vol.4
Sumomo Kohinata (Mai Goto)
Release: 2007/01/10

THE COMPLETE SOUND TRACK Rune Factory Shin Bokujo Monogatari
Release: 2007/01/17

Janne Da Arc Original Soundtrack
Release: 2007/01/24

Battle Gear 4 + Battle Gear 4 Tuned Original Soundtrack
Release: 2007/01/24

Wild Arms The 5th Vanguard Original Score Vol.1
Release: 2007/01/24

UNTITLED UNTITLED
Yuria, Miyuki Hashimoto
Release: 2007/01/24

Sengoku Basara 2 Sokyu! Anegawa no Tatakai Drama CD
Drama CD (Kazuya Nakai, Toshiyuki Morikawa, Kouji Tsujitani, et al.)
Release: 2007/01/24

Seiken Densetsu 4: Dawn of Mana Original Soundtrack -Sanctuary-
Release: 2007/01/24

.hack//G.U. Game Music O.S.T.2 [Limited Release]
Release: 2007/01/24

Happiness! Deluxe Character Ending Collection Vol.5
Ibuki Shikimori (Oma Ichimura)
Release: 2007/01/24

Happiness! Deluxe Character Ending Collection Vol.6
Saya Kamijyo (Shizuka Ito)
Release: 2007/01/24

Drama CD Idol Master New Stage.02
(Eriko Nakamura, Asami Imai, Chiaki Takahashi, et al.)
Release: 2007/01/25

Mizu no Senritsu 2 - Hi no Kioku Character Song Flame series II
Suguru Shitara (Mitsuki Saiga), Ryo Akizuki (Takashi Kondo)
Release: 2007/01/25

Game Soft Routes Intro Theme: Remote Viewing
Masam Okui
Release: 2007/01/26

The Idol Master Masterwork 01
Release: 2007/01/31

PS2 Ban Happiness Deluxe Original Soundtrack
Release: 2007/01/31

Febuary

Kiniro No Corda 2 BGM & Monologue Shu (Title subject to change)
Release: 2007/02/07

Wild Arms The 5th Vanguard Original Score Vol.2
Release: 2007/02/07

PC Game "Edelweiss" Drama CD
Release: 2007/02/07

Riviera - Yakusoku no Chi Riviera - Perfect Audio Collection Plus
Release: 2007/02/09

Tales of the Tempest Original Soundtrack
Release: 2007/02/21

Playstation 2 Game "Lupin III Lupin ni wa Shi wo, Zenigata ni wa Koi wo" Original Soundtrack (Music by Yuji Ohno)
Release: 2007/02/21

Drama CD Idol Master New Stage.03 (Eriko Nakamura, Asami Imai, Chiaki Takahashi, et al.)
Release: 2007/02/23

Tensho Gakuen Gekkoroku Original Characters Vol.1
Takashi Kyoragi (Kosuke Toriumi)
Release: 2007/02/23

Tensho Gakuen Gekkoroku Original Characters Vol.2
Ryo Yuzaki (Kenichi Suzumura)
Release: 2007/02/23

Tensho Gakuen Gekkoroku Original Characters Vol.3
Kousei Kenmochi (Soichiro Hoshi)
Release: 2007/02/23

Akabe Sofutotsu Vocal Collection (Title subject to change) [w/ DVD, Limited Edition]
Release: 2007/02/23

Akabe Sofutotsu Vocal Collection (Title subject to change) [Regular Edition]
Release: 2007/02/23

Spica-Kokoro ga Tsumugu Okurimono-Ar tonelico hymmnos musical
Release: 2007/02/28

REIJO TANTEI -OFFICE LOVE JIKENBO- ORIGINAL SOUNDTRACK
Release: 2007/02/28

Neo Angelique - Romantic Gift -
Release: 2007/02/28

Before Crisis -Final Fantasy VII + Last Order -Final Fantasy VII- Original Soundtrack Release: 2007/02/28


MARCH

Aki no Ulala no Original Soundtrack
Release: 2007/03/09

Luminous Arc Original Soundtracks
Release: 2007/03/21

Final Fantasy XI Original Soundtrack Premium Box [Limited Release]
Release: 2007/03/28

Just Got Ys Origin!!!

So thrilled to finally have it in my hands!! And on Christmas Eve!! I'll post my thoughts on the game as I play it!

MUSHI.NET UPDATED!!

Mr. Atsushi Fukai, a freelance game music composer and Doujin CD Artist I GREATLY admire, has updated the English portion of his website Mushi.net. More good news is that otaku.com has restocked his CDs, and is also now selling three more of his latest works! Mr. Fukai has kept the Ys Doujin CD scene alive almost singlehandedly over the years, and his musical compositions and various arranged albums are among my personal favorites. Below are some links that will help you get to know Mr. Atsushi Fukai.

Mr. Fukai's website:

Mushi.net in English

Otaku.com:

The works of Atsushi Fukai at otaku.com

More updates soon!

New Arrivals 12/15/05

Dragon Spirit: Lead into Genesis (Top), and Romancing Saga: Last Testament (bottom).
Produced by the Magical Trick Society Doujin Circle. These CDs are excellent and feature outstanding arrangements from these games. I have been after them for some time, and they are very hard to get. My heartfelt thanks goes to cocoebiz for helping me obtain these. YOU ARE THE BEST, THERE IS NO ONE ELSE OUT THERE LIKE YOU!!

Coming soon, a guide to collecting Ys soundtracks!

It's a little project I'll have ready soon. Hopefully it will prove useful to those of you out there who are hunting for every last Ys soundtrack like me.

ACTRAISER AT PLAY! IN HARTFORD!!

Music from the classic Actraiser by Yuzo Koshiro will be performed at Play! in Hartford Connecticut. This is exciting news, the concert is scheduled for Thursday, March 29, 2007 at the Bushnell Center. More info as always at the Play! site:

Click!

DANCING MAD TO BE PERFORMED AT PLAY!

That's right, the masterpiece of a final battle composition by Mr. Nobuo Uematsu from Final Fantasy VI will be a part of Play! A video game Symphony when it returns to Stockholm Sweden next Summer! Two concerts have been announced for Stockholm on June 2nd, Saturday 2007! One will take place at 3:00pm and another at 7:30pm. Tickets go on sale Monday, November 27th, 2006. So far no guests have been announced, but I'll post any news as soon as more announcements are made. Since it has been my dream to see Dancing Mad performed for a very long time, I will undoubtedly make the trip to Sweden, and report on my experiences just as I have done in the past. Please read more at the official site for the event!

Play! A Video Game Symphony

Keep the game music revolution going!

Wonderful Rinkya!

This is for those who are looking for a reliable way to bid on Yahoo Japan items. Rinkya is an excellent company located in Japan that allows you bid on Yahoo Japan auctions in real time, and in English! I highly recommend using Rinkya, as many sellers on Yahoo Japan will not ship to other countries. Rinkya handles all of that for you! Just click on the link below to find out more about this great company!

Rinkya: Yahoo Japan Auction Service

Thanks for reading!

Spotlight on The Skies Symphony

So you've heard game music arranged in a rock style, but I would like to introduce to you Kiesca!! Just check out the website The Skies Symphony at the link below. Click on Game Arrange. There are five incredible arrangements of some of the role playing realms most classic game songs, all in a very heavy speed rock style. If you like S.S.H. or Moabi (OPUS XERO), you will love The Skies Symphony!!

The Skies Symphony

As always, keep listening!

NEW PLAY! CONCERT ANNOUNCED & MORE!

They just announced it, another Play! concert is happening on Thursday, March 29, 2007 in Hartford Connecticut! More good news is that an onine shop has opened at the official Play! website. Lots of great stuff there! Tickets go on sale Monday, November 6th. All the details are right here:

Click

Will I be there? That's a secret!

Rie Sugimoto ON YOUTUBE!

I just finished a little project I'm hoping Falcom fans will enjoy. It's a picture/slide music video of Rie Sugimoto, who Falcom fans also know as "Miss Lilia". The song is Sorrowful Angel-Those Were the Days, from Rie Sugimoto's Falcom CD entitled "Krelia".I hope you like it, and I will do more if requested.

Click!

NEW LINK ADDED, COMPOSER NETWORK!

New to the links section is a link that will take you straight to cocoebiz's network of game music composer's official English web pages. I think you will find this to be very helpful to learn more about some of the best & brightest in the industry.

Click!

More Soon!

Ys Origin Official Site Up!

Check it out, all new info!

Click!

Play! In Toronto!!

Well, I actually made it up to Toronto this weekend for my fifth Play concert. It was quite amazing and rivaled the premiere show in Chicago in terms of quality. Arnie Roth conducted again and the show took place at the Hummingbird Center in Toronto.

Thanks as always to Jason Michael Paul Productions for making this tour happen. Following this tour all year has been a dream come true for me!

Here is the guest list:

Nobuo Uematsu
Takenobu Mitsuyoshi
Jeremy Soule
The creator of the game "Prey". His name escapes me at the moment.
Chris Tilton (from the game "Black").
Rony Barrak (percussionist)

Here is the set list (which may be slightly out of order)

1. Play theme
2. Liberi Fatali
3. Mario Medley
4. Shenmue
5. Aeris' Theme
6. Sonic Medley
7. A surprise performance of Sega's "Daytona USA" by Mr. Mitsuyoshi.
He played piano and sang English vocals. This was awesome and his performance stole the show. An unforgetable moment.

After that Mitsuyoshi threw a few stuffed Sonic plush dolls into the crowd.
8. Theme from "Black". I liked this a lot.

9. Metal Gear Solid Theme.
10. Castlevania Medley
This medley had two parts, the first part was basically the title track from the Dracula New Classic CD, the arrangement was exactly the same.
The second I believe was from Curse of Darkness, it was quite good, and featured a Keyboard for the organ and slamming drums. I felt it was a good mix old and new Castlevania.
11. Kingdom Hearts
Intermission
12. Elder Scrolls III Suite
13. Theme from Prey.
14. Swing de Chocobo
15. Chrono Trigger/Cross
16. World of Warcraft Suite
17. Silent Hill 2 Theme of Laura So far, I feel no one has matched Akira Yamaoka's performance of this in Chicago. The various guitarists for the orchestras have been outstanding, but seeing Mr. Yamaoka do it is more electrifying.
18. Halo Suite
19. Zelda
20. One Winged Angel
21. Encore: Blue Dragon Theme

There was a pre show discussion on game music hosted by the guild of Canadian film composers. Basically the topic was the growing worldwide popularity of game music and how newer games were similar to movies.

It was pretty cool. In attendance were:
1. Paul Hoffert (guild of Canadian Film Composers Chairperson)
2. David Logan (Composer for pitfall 3D, X-Men Mutant Academy).
3. Simon Pressey (audio director for Ubisoft Montreal)

Mr. Hoffert also stated he is writing a book on how to compose music for games.

After the show was the meet and greet event with the composers.
I felt lucky for having gotten a combined total of over forty items signed at previous Play concerts.

I had drawn a litlle SD style picture of Mr. Uematsu which I was very happy to get autographed by him. Here it is:


Pictures of the Hummingbird Centre soon!

New BGM Added!

Hope you like it, I'll always have something different playing on this page, so check back often!

BEHOLD... YS ORIGIN!!!

Subscribers to Falcom's News Express are getting a sneak peek at the latest Ys game, Ys Origin!! It's definitely a prequel. The female character with the axe is Yunika Tovah, and the male is Jugo Fact. They must be related to the six legendary priests of Ys, like Sara and Jevah Tovah and Dark Fact. I will miss Adol, but this game could really be interesting! Check it out, the release date is 12/21/2006.

MORE HERE!!

LEGEND OF XANADU II BOSS FIGHT VIDEO UP!!

I just put up a video of fighting the first boss in Legend of Xanadu II! Feel free to check it out, and you'll see why I love this game!

Click!

LEGEND OF XANADU II GAMEPLAY VIDEO

Hello everyone! I just put up a gameplay video of Legend of Xanadu II on Youtube! There is more to come!

Click!

Upcoming Manga Project!!

That's right, I'm going to put out this manga even if I have to do it myself, in my art gallery, or another blog. I have a good concept for it, and I'm comitted to getting it done. There will be lots of room for all my loves, like action, fantasy, and superhero. The following page is my first ever sketch of the star of the book, and her loyal pet.
Anybody reading this blog, I hope you will check it out when it's ready. I do have a name for the book, but I won't reveal it yet. She may go through a couple minor changes, but I like starting simple:

COUNTDOWN TO PLAY! IN TORONTO

I am so excited to be able to attend the next Play! concert in Toronto! It's only about 16 days away now. This will be my first journey outside the U.S., and it's going to be great! I can't wait to hear the Castlevania music, I hope it's a medley with some of my favorite tracks in it. Another milestone is that this will be my fourth time meeting Mr. Nobuo Uematsu!

NEW ADDITTION TO GUEST LIST FOR PLAY! TORONTO!

Good news, Mr. Jeremy Soule, now the award-winning composer for the Elder Scrolls IV, has been added to the guest list for Play! in Toronto on September 30th. Two additional guests have been announced thus far, Mr. Nobuo Uematsu and Mr. Takenobu Mitsyoshi. Any additional news regarding the next Play! show in Toronto will be reported here.

Play! Official Site

CONGRATULATIONS TO JEREMY SOULE!!

I am happy to see Jeremy Soule picked up the MTV award for best game music score with Oblivion. My only wish is that it had not come from MTV, which knows so little about game music it is staggering. I want to work on setting up an organization of people that not only loves and enjoys game music, but one that can give game music composers the respect they deserve.

FALCOM'S LATEST YS PROJECT

Well, Falcom is hard at work on what will probably be their most interesting Ys game yet! I am a certified Ys fanatic, so saying I was a little shocked at the screenshots that have been released is an understatement! Where is Adol? What does Falcom have in store for their beloved franchise? It is killing me not knowing what is up with this game! The good thing is we'll know soon enough won't we? Just don't kill Adol, Falcom, and I'll be happy. No doubt the music will be masterful in the Falcom tradition. Enjoy the puzzling, but beautiful screenshots:


I'll keep posting any additional information I get too!

ART GALLERY UPDATE!!

Lately the lead on my pencil is burning hard! Check out my new works in the gallery!

Here

MTV ADDS GAME MUSIC CATEGORY TO VIDEO MUSIC AWARDS

Yeah, apparently it is true. Why am I not excited? Because I don't want to see a bunch of "Hollywood Heads" who don't know a thing about game music suddenly acting like it's their pride & joy. Sure, everyone is familiar with the Nintendo classics, but MTV can't handle it. You want proof? This is the first time they're doing this, and I don't see any classic game music nominated for an award.

It's too late now to be jumping on the band wagon. The video game music world has already had some of it's biggest hits, and you were nowhere to be seen, MTV. Some of you may think of some of the older game soundtracks as "bloops and bleeps", but there were real, honestly composed, strong and vibrant masterpieces there.

Will Yuzo Koshiro ever win a MTV award for all his efforts, like Ys, Actraiser, and Shinobi? What about Nobuo Uematsu with his Final Fantasy work seemingly over, and those countless scores of his? Will they ever get the credit they deserve? I could go on and on. My point is, it seems only now that since many games have full orchestral scores, the music is "acceptable" for an awards show. Based on what was nominated, that is. It is thanks to projects like Play! A Video Game Symphony, Video Games Live, and the support of a loyal fan following that the classics are being kept alive. The fans are being allowed the opportunity to show their respect (in person, on many occaisions) to the founders of this wonderful art form. Not by MTV, which should just stay out of it. They know nothing about game music. It just really upsets me that a network that has shown zero support for game music in the past is suddenly a judge on it.

Now, two sites have opened up where you can vote in two categories: best soundtrack and best score. Jeremy Soule's work on the Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion soundtrack is among the nominees for best score, and he deserves it. As does Jesper Kyd for Hitman in the best soundtrack category. Just not from MTV. These guys deserve better. One day game music composers will get the proper respect they deserve, from a credible source. I have provided links at the end of this article for you.

Am I saying not to support this? No way! Support it, and hopefully a real video game music awards celebration will one day be spawned, by people who appreciate it for what it is. Not by a TV network with NO experience, and no prior support for it.
Where was MTV when Final Fantasy VI hit? Or what about Super Mario 64? Both have outstanding music! Most likely, whoever presents the awards in the video game music categories will be someone who doesn't care about game music. Want to surprise me, MTV? It will be hard. This is your test.

I encourage you all to vote for those who deserve it at the following sites:

Gametrailers

and

Xfire.com

Be well, and thanks for reading!

Keith

NEW SOUNDTRACKS

Been a while since I had anything come in. Traveling around the USA definitely put my collecting on hold. I did manage to get the following, which I am real excited about!
Motoi Sakuraba's Valkyrie Profile Silmeria Soundtrack:


The awesome soundtrack to the upcoming RPG Ar Tonelico!

PLAY ROCKED THE WOLF TRAP!!

The amazing Wolf Trap Filene Center in Vienna, Virginia:


Hello all! I recently returned from attending another amazing, and my fourth, Play! concert in Vienna, Virginia. The performance was on Friday August 4th, and like the great show in Philadelphia, the Wolf Trap is an outdoor venue. The weather was perfect for an evening concert!! The place was packed, and we had to give two standing ovations for the amazing performance. The addition of all new footage from the featured game scores was absolutely spectacular.

I am very happy for the opportunity to be there in Toronto for the next Play! concert.
If you plan to go, the tickets are going fast!! Don't be left out of an incredible event!!

Here is the set list:

1. Play Theme
2. Liberi Fatali
3. Mario Medley
4. Shenmue
6. Battlefield 1942
7. Sonic Medley
8. Aeris
9. Metal Gear Solid Theme
10. Kingdom Hearts

Intermission

11. Morowind Suite
12. Music from "Prey." Again, this was wicked.
13. Swing de Chocobo
14. World of Warcraft
15. Chrono Trigger / Chrono Cross
16. Theme of Laura (Silent Hill 2)
17. Halo
18. Zelda Medley
19. One Winged Angel

Encore
20. Blue Dragon

Arnie Roth Conducted again, there were two taped messages, one from Nobuo Uematsu and one from Koji Kondo, thanking the fans. The fans loved it!

SEE YOU AT PLAY! TOMORROW!!

I'm really looking forward to tomorrow evening's Play! concert in Vienna, Virginia. It's not everyday you get to attend two of your most favorite concerts two weeks in a row. Hope to see you there!! As always, expect a full report afterwards!!

Keith

SET LIST FOR PLAY! IN PHILADELPHIA

Last week's Play concert in Philadelphia was AWESOME! It was at the Mann Center for the Performing Arts, which is an outside venue, with a limited roof.

There was a storm, and it really added to the atmosphere. The sound of the thunder with lightning and rain, along with the music was very cool.

Here is the set list:

1. Play Theme
2. Liberi Fatali
3. Mario Medley
4. Shenmue
6. Battlefield 1942
7. Sonic Medley
8. Aeris
9. Metal Gear Solid Theme
10. Kingdom Hearts

Intermission

11. Morowind Suite
12. Premiere of music from "Prey." This was wicked, it really felt like a horror/science fiction score.
13. Swing de Chocobo
14. World of Warcraft
15. Chrono Trigger / Chrono Cross
16. Theme of Laura (Silent Hill 2)
17. Halo
18. Zelda Medley
19. One Winged Angel

Encore
20. Blue Dragon

Arnie Roth Conducted again, there were two taped messages, one from Nobuo Uematsu and one from Koji Kondo, thanking the fans.

The Mann Festival Orchestra and Mendelssohn Club of Philadelphia performed the music. Hard to believe they fit it all into two hours.

WELL...

So I'm addicted to attending the Play! A Video Game Symphony Concerts, and I can't wait to head out to Vienna Virgina for the next one on Friday, August 4th. The news that Castlevania music will be performed at the Toronto Play! Concert is keeping the excitement at fever pitrch for me. Soon I'll have some pics up of my journey to Philadelphia for the performance at the Mann Center for the Performing Arts.

I have to say it again, if anyone out there has a chance, you have to attend a Play! concert, there is nothing else like it out there. I believe it will be one of your most memorable experiences ever!

I also mangaed to add a couple more pics to the art gallery, take a look! The link is in the links section!!

Keith

SEE YOU AT PLAY! TOMORROW!!

Lately I can't stop listening to the Tales of the Abyss Soundtrack! Well done Namco!! Well, tomorrow I'm off to Philadelphia for my third Play! concert. I simply can't get enough. Though no special guests have been announced, it will be a pleasure still.
I Look forward to seeing all the fans there!

NEW Rob Liefeld Boards up!!

AWESOME, my favorite artist of all time, Rob Liefeld, has opened up all new forums on the web, check it out!!

Click here!

PHILLY BOUND!! I'm Attending Play! A VIdeo Game Symphony in Philadelphia!

I am happy and very thankful for the opportunity to attend the upcoming Play concert in Philadelphia!! It will be on Thursday July 27th at 8:30pm. If you have a chance to attend, don't let it pass, you won't regret it! I decided that I didn't want this journey to end. It's not over yet.....

More News Here

REVIEW OF PLAY! A VIDEO GAME SYMPHONY IN DETROIT!!

Well, more magic happened on Wednesday July 12th in Detroit! The Orchestra Hall was packed, and I met many great people from all over the U.S. Mr. Arnie Roth Conducted again with the Detroit Symphony Orchestra and the Stoney Creek High School Choir. Thanks again to Jason Michael Paul Productions for making it happen! Here is the set list for another beautiful Play Concert!

1. Play Fanfare - Nobuo Uematsu
The excellent theme for the concert series, written by legend Nobuo Uematsu. It has his signature all over it. They are opening every show with it.

2. Liberi Fatali - Nobuo Uematsu
The Final Fantasy VIII Opening. Everyone loves it, and so do I. A wonderful job by the choir!

3. Super Mario Bros. Suite - Koji Kondo
So great to hear this live again! Classics like the underwater theme and Super Mario World never get old. One of the great things about the Play Concerts is that there is something for everyone, and people of all ages are in attendance. It really brings people together. There was also great video of Mario throughout his adventures on the monitor screens.

4. Shenmue - Ryuji Iuchi
Awesome, I've heard many wondered how Shenmue could be a part of this concert series, being an older Sega Dreamcast game.
There is little doubt when you hear it, and then you realize the emotional power the game has.

5. Battlefield 1942 - Joel Eriksson
Never played the game, but this is incredibly written, very stirring, gripping. It fits the theme of war perfectly.

Aeris' Theme may have been next, but Mr. Roth explained that it would not be a part of this performance. The crowd let out a big sigh upon hearing the news. That's another piece that captures the imagination. The Suites from Chrono Trigger & Chrono Cross were also not performed this time. I am ok with it, I think there is a time and a place for everything. This just wasn't the right moment I guess.

6. Sonic The Hedgehog Suite - Masato Nakamura
Arranged by THE LEGEND Yuzo Koshiro, pieces included are Green Hill Zone, Marble Zone, and Star Light Zone. I REALLY LOVE THIS, I truly hope for a Play CD.

7. Shadow of the Colossus - Kow Otani
The opening "To the Ancient Land" was performed beautifully. This is why I flew from Atlanta to Detroit. I would love to see more from this game performed, like some of the battles.

8. Metal Gear Solid Theme - Tappy Iwase
This has become a real classic, it's great how clips of the upcoming Metal Gear Solid 4 were shown too.

9. Kingdom Hearts Medley - Yoko Shimomura & Hikaru Yutada
There were a lot of Kingdom Hearts fans there, This is great, and unlike the Chicago premiere this performance featured some awesome clips from Kingdom Hearts II.

Intermission

10. The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind - Jeremy Soule
The strong and memorable melodies here are reminding that even though game music has evolved over the years from the old style, the formula is still there: aggressive melodies that invoke emotion. Jeremy Soule is WAY underrated. I hope I get to meet him again someday.

11. Stella Deus - Hitoshi Sakimoto
The piece entitled "Alchemy-Man's Theme" was selected by Sakimoto himself for this event. THIS SONG ROCKS, I sad I hadn't played this game yet. Wonderful anime clips from the game were shown.

12. Swing de Chocobo - Nobuo Uematsu
From Final Fantasy X. No one can deny it's memorable and energetic, and they also can't deny the cuteness of the creatures it's written for. I have always loved the Chocobo Theme in general. For me it's a demonstration of Uematsu's versatility as a composer and it has become a staple of his trademark playful style.
Plus, it makes everyone laugh when they see the little critters running around on large monitors.

13. World of Warcraft Suite - Jason Hayes
More greatness from the choir here. It's amazing how popular this game has become. It's no accident Mr. Jason Hayes' work is a BIG part of that.

14. Silent Hill 2: Theme of Laura - Akira Yamaoka
I need to get the name of the guitar player here, he did an incredible job on this piece. It rocks and it really moves you. After seeing Mr. Akira Yamaoka play it in person and rock out at the premiere, that is saying a lot.

15. Halo Medley - Marty O'Donnell & Michael Salvatori
This music will one day make me play Halo, I swear. Though I primarily play RPGs, hearing this again will change that.

16. Legend of Zelda Medley - Koji Kondo
Another one of the undisputed classics of video games and game music.
Who hasn't heard it and fallen in love with it instantly? Even the Overworld Theme from the Dark World in "A Link to the Past" is included here.

17. One Winged Angel: Final Fantasy VII - Nobuo Uematsu
This is almost always the final piece to be played now, and I don't mind one bit. It's a wonder Sephiroth hasn't gotten his own game with how many people love this song. It's usually an encore piece, but tonight the show ended here. After a lengthy standing ovation, those lucky enough to get a pass headed up the stairs in the lobby to meet the guests and get a free Kingdom Hearts Manga! I was lucky enough to be among those.

Thanks for reading, and if you get a chance attend a Play! Concert! You won't regret it. SEE YOU NEXT TIME!!


PICTURE TIME!!

Me with two Legendary Composers, Ms. Yoko Shimomura and Mr. Hitoshi Sakimoto.


I was able to add Mr. Hitoshi Sakimoto's and Ms. Yoko Shimomura's autographs to my Play! Program Book! I am especially fond of Ms. Shimomura's signature, because she wrote the word "love" under her name. It really meant something that she did that. It shows she was really happy to be a part of the event.


Final Fantasy XII & Breath of Fire V Soundtracks autographed by Composer Hitoshi Sakimoto.


Final Fantasy Tactics & Final Fantasy Tactics Advance Soundtracks autographed by Composer Hitoshi Sakimoto.


Kingdom Hearts I & II Soundtracks autographed by Composer Yoko Shimomura.

MORE PHOTOS FROM PLAY! A VIDEO GAME SYMPHONY IN DETROIT!

The Box Office of the Max M. Fisher Music Center.


A full shot of Orchestra Hall. Hard to believe a real marvel of a theatre lurks inside such an innocent looking structure.


A brief history of Orchestra Hall, part of the Max M. Fisher Music Center, where the concert was held.


The architecture inside the Orchestra Hall was beautiful, and the design of the building enabled incredible sound quality like I've never heard before. I noticed an "echoing" effect that was really cool!


Almost Showtime!


This is Kyle(left)and Keith(right) of Start Button News! It was great to meet and chat with them here! They even interviewed me, it was great. We'll meet again...


A Picture of me waiting for the doors to open. Thanks to Keith of Start Button News for taking the pic!


A few of the T-Shirts that were on sale for fans

ART GALLERY UPDATE

Two new pics added to the gallery today! Feel free to check them out!
Detroit Play Concert Review soon as well.

Click Here

DETAILS REGARDING THE PLAY GIVEAWAY LAST NIGHT!

There indeed was a Kingdom Hearts Manga giveaway at the Play show last night! What they didn't reveal in the official Play e-mail was how to get it, or that it was going to be somewhat limited. The fans who got to the concert hall early, when they started allowing the fans inside, received a pass to attend a meet & greet gathering with Yoko Shimomura, Hitoshi Sakimoto, Arnie Roth and Michael Salvatori. As part of this gathering, each person with a pass recieved the Manga just before they entered the room to meet the composers. Here is a picture: Full report soon!

The Kingdom Hearts Manga, a gift made available to early arrivals at Play! in Detroit last night, if they attended the Meet & Greet with the composers.

GIVEAWAY AT PLAY! IN DETROIT!

Hello everyone! Great news for those attending the Play concert in Detroit! Attendees will receive a free Kingdom Hearts manga! No doubt in honor of Kingdom Hearts composer Yoko Shimomura's appearance, it shows the respect JMP Productions and sponsor Tokyopop have for the fans. I'm leaving for Detroit tomorrow myself, it will be a joy meeting all the other fans again. SEE YOU THERE!!

SHADOW OF THE COLOSSUS ENGLISH TRANSLATED TRACKLIST!!

After searching around, I couldn't find an English Tracklist for the Shadow of the Colossus Soundtrack. Then I got lucky! Here it is for those in need:

1. Prologue ~ To The Ancient Land ~
2. Prohibited Art
3. Commandment
4. Black Blood
5. Reurrection
6. Sign of the Colossus
7. Monstrous Figures ~ Battle With the Colossus ~
8. The Opened Way ~ Battle With the Colossus ~
9. End of the Battle
10. Idol Collapse
11. Green Hills
12. A Violent Encounter ~ Battle With the Colossus ~
13. Resurrected Power ~ Battle With the Colossus ~
14. Lakeside
15. Silence ~ Battle WIth the Colossus ~
16. In Awe of the Power ~ Battle With the Colossus ~
17. Wander's Death
18. The Farthest Land
19. Creeping Shadow ~ Battle With the Colossus ~
20. A Messenger From Behind ~ Battle With the Colossus ~
21. Counterattack ~ Battle With the Colossus ~
22. Sky Burial
23. A Closed-off City
24. Released Guardian ~ Battle With the Colossus ~
25. A Despair-filled Farewell ~ Battle With the Colossus ~
26. Prayer
27. Swift Horse
28. Gate Watcher of the Castle ~ Battle With the Colossus ~
29. Sanctuary
30. Demise of the Ritual ~ Battle With the Colossus ~
31. A Pursuer
32. Premonition of Revival
33. Epilogue ~ Those Who Remain ~
34. Hope
35. The Sunlit Earth
36. Memories
37. Wilderness
38. Voice of the Earth
39. Marshlands
40. Anger
41. The Final Battle
42. The Farthest Land (Reprise)

NEW ART ADDED TODAY IN THE GALLERY

Hey everyone, I just added an Optimus Prime art piece in the art gallery section, please check it out!

Optimus

7-1-06

I have an update coming for the collection page, with all the latest soundtracks I have gotten. Lately time is short. I am getting ready for my fourth Peachtree Road Race on July 4th and I have the Detroit Play Concert the following week! Also, I have to say, now that I'm finally playing Tales of Rebirth, it is all I could have hoped for. More news coming soon.