Final Fantasy at Field Day 2009
If there is one message that must be relayed to the public after seeing Final Fantasy play live it is this: AT WHATEVER COST, YOU MUST SEE FINAL FANTASY PLAY LIVE!
For the uninitiated, Final Fantasy is the solo project of Owen Pallett, originally of the Hidden Cameras, he is also the violinist/arranger for Arcade Fire and one of the best kept secrets of, well, anything!
Armed with just his violin, a synthesizer and a loop station Pallett performs some of the most beautiful, euphoric, heart-melting music to ever grace a festival stage, and you cannot help but feel blessed for having seen it.
Focussing largely on new material (“all the old stuff is on CD so you can listen to it there”, he informs the crowd) each song opens with a tap, pluck or stroke of bow on string, and is then gently built up with constant backing from Pallett’s rich vocals.
Unusually the quality reaches its lowest point when he does dip into his back catalogue as the loop station reaches its maximum capabilities trying to capture the depth of the material of his last album 'He Poos Clouds' (yes, I know). But this just makes it all the more essential that you see Final Fantasy NOW! Not later, NOW! You will not be disappointed.