The standout performances of the Bravely Default 'Linked Horizon' concert

In 2012, Linked Horizon made its musical debut after its composer, Revo, was chosen to compose for Bravely Default. Alongside the game’s soundtrack, Revo released the single Luxendarc Shou Kikou and the album Luxendarc Dai Kikou. In addition to these releases, the concert, A Travelogue to Luxendarc, was held. In 2022, this concert became available on Amazon Prime in the United States. A Travelogue to Luxendarc is a celebration of Bravely Default’s incredible score, and it features many fantastic vocalists and musicians. However, three performers stood out: Revo himself, Marty Friedman, and Joelle. Their outstanding vocal and instrumental performances worked together to elevate an already phenomenal concert.

Revo is seen in many songs throughout the concert, singing, strumming guitar, and playing the accordion. The first song Revo participates in is Theme of Linked Horizon. In this piece, he performs the lead vocals with six female vocalists providing backup, along with the orchestra, YUKI, Takeshi Nishiyama, Atsushi Hasegawa, and JUN-JI providing the instrumentals in the background. After the song ends, a medley of the town themes begins. At this time, Revo does not sing. Instead, he plays guitar while the songstresses perform the vocals for each town theme. Revo sings and plays guitar throughout the concert until the song, Romantic Vagrant. In this song, Revo pulls out the accordion instead. After Romantic Vagrant finishes, Revo isn’t seen on stage again until the track Uroboros, the Serpent that Devours the Horizon, where he once more plays the accordion. Revo finally appears in Onward Into the Light: A Ballade, the last song in the concert where he sings alongside Joelle. These songs display the many talents of Revo, making them some of the show’s most outstanding performances.

Marty only performs in three tracks throughout the concert. The first song he is featured in is Beyond the Battle. In the previous song, The Bell of Battle, leading up to this, a guitar is heard at the end of it. Then Marty enters the stage with a guitar and begins playing with YUKI, Takeshi, and Atsushi. Throughout this song, there are no vocalists. Instead, all the attention is given to the guitarists and bassist. 

Since this is Marty’s first appearance, most of the focus is on him. His guitar brings a heaviness to the song not found in other pieces, evoking a feeling of nostalgia for old-school Megadeth fans. After Beyond the Battle ends, Revo appears on stage with a guitar, and That of the Name starts. This song focuses on Revo’s vocals, but the highlight is when YUKI, Marty, and Takeshi join Revo on stage for a guitar solo. At this moment, all focus is on the four guitarists having fun playing a fantastic solo while the orchestra plays in the background. 

The final song Marty appears in Onward Into the Light: A Ballade. While this song primarily focuses on Revo and Joelle, Marty also appears in this song for a solo. After a violin solo, Marty adds a heavy yet melodic solo of his own, adding to the richness of the music. These three pieces emphasize Marty’s guitar playing, which adds to the distinguished showpiece.

Joelle is one of six songstresses who sings in A Travelogue to Luxendarc. She first appears in Theme of Linked Horizon as a backup vocalist but sings her own portion in the town medley called Grandship, the Sinking State. This piece highlights her vocal range as she sings high and low notes without difficulty. Her soprano voice is soothing and adds to the relaxing atmosphere of the song. 

The next song she sings is Hana ga Chiru Sekai. This track captures the emotion and beauty of her voice as it progresses. Again, it highlights her soprano vocal range as she hits the high notes without straining her voice. The final song Joelle sings, Onward Into the Light: A Ballade. In this piece, she sings a duet with Revo. This duet emphasizes the contrast between male and female vocals. It also adds to the song’s harmony by blending at the appropriate times. These three songs accentuate Joelle’s voice, leading to a breathtaking performance.

These phenomenal performances from Revo, Marty, and Joelle enhance A Travelogue to Luxendarc through the combination of voice and instruments. They make the show a lot of fun and a joy to watch. I cannot recommend this show enough if you’re a fan of Bravely Default or enjoy video game concerts. If you have Amazon Prime, it’s a must-watch.