Yes I am a geek… I am a full fledged geek. I LOVE the Final Fantasy series, but not for the gaming aspect of it, but for the graphics and the music. Oh. Em. Gee. the music… I am so in love with the music. In fact I am such a lover of music that I have been to almost every Final Fantasy Concert that have come through Chicago. Now that there is a 25th Anniversary Concert of the Final Fantasy Concert Series coming to Chicago in December…? Let’s just say I was so excited that I got my ticket already.
The first concert to come through Chicago was aptly named: Dear Friends – Music from Final Fantasy. In fact it was the second Final Fantasy related concert to grace North America, and it was a big deal… the biggest ticket in town for those of us who were major fans of the series. So in 2005 on February 19th, out in the Rosemont Theatre (now the Akoo Theatre) the Chicagoland Pops Orchestra perform the following pieces from the Final Fantasy repetoire:
| SET ORDER | SONG TITLE | FINAL FANTASY GAME |
| 1. | “Liberi Fatali” | Final Fantasy VIII |
| 2. | “At Zanarkand” | Final Fantasy X |
| 3. | “Terra” | Final Fantasy VI |
| 4. | “Theme of Love” | Final Fantasy IV |
| 5. | “Dear Friends” | Final Fantasy V |
| 6. | “Vamo’ Alla Flamenco” | Final Fantasy IX |
| 7. | “Love Grows” | Final Fantasy VIII |
| INTERMISSION | ||
| 8. | “Aerith’s Theme” | Final Fantasy VII |
| 9. | “You are not Alone” | Final Fantasy IX |
| 10. | “Ronfaure” | Final Fantasy XI |
| 11. | “Medley” | Final Fantasy I, II, III |
| 12. | “Cloud Smiles” | Final Fantasy VII Advent Children |
| 13. | “Final Fantasy Theme” | Final Fantasy series |
| ENCORE | ||
| 14. | “One-Winged Angel” | Final Fantasy VII |