Announced a few months back, More Friends: Music From Final Fantasy will mark the second straight appearance of the Dear Friends Tour at E3. Scheduled to take place May 16th, one night before the trade event gets underway, from The Gibson Amphitheatre at Universal City Walk in Los Angeles, Square-Enix will be sparing no expense.

As previously announced the concert will feature music accompanied by visual presentations from the Final Fantasy series performed by The World Festival Symphony Orchestra and The CSUF University Singers. Conducting the orchestra will be award winning composer Arnie Roth, who is also conducting other dates on the US Dear Friends Tour. Also appearing is composer Nobuo Uematsu, and his band The Black Mages, who will be performing Rock Versions of his Final Fantasy classics.

But the friends don't stop there. The previously un-announced Special Guests have been revealed as Japanese Music sensations RIKKI and Emiko Shiratori. Shiratori is the vocalist featured in the theme song of Final Fantasy IX, "Melodies of Life", and the author of the lyrics to "Pure Heart", a remixed and vocalized version of "Aerith's Theme". Songstress RIKKI will be reprising her role with the series, performing the ending theme of Final Fantasy X, "Suteki da ne".

As if all of this wasn't enough, More Friends will mark the US Debut of "Maria and Draco". Fans of the Final Fantasy series will recognize this as the opera performed in the series classic Final Fantasy VI. Stephanie Woodling (Mezzo-Soprano), Chad Berlinghieri (Tenor), and Todd Robinson (Bass-Baritone) will be performing. Also scheduled is the World Premier of a new Final Fantasy piece, "Swing de Chocobo", composed by none other than event conductor Arnie Roth himself. And finally, James Arnold Taylor, better known to US Final Fantasy fans as the voice of Tidus from Final Fantasy X, will be the event's Master of Ceremonies.

Doors open at 7pm, with the show getting underway at 8pm. Tickets for the event are still available via the venue's Official Website, and range in price from $40-$90. This will also be the first time that the soundtracks for this event, as well as last year's Dear Friends concert, will be available for sale in the US.

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