Video Games Live

Academia Nut · Post by **Academia Nut** » 2008-02-18 01:44am

So I just got back from the Edmonton date of Video Games Live, and let me tell you, was it ever a blast. For those of you that don't know, Video Games live is an event organized by industry music hot shots Jack Wall and Tommy Tallarico, where they take a full symphony orchestra and use it to create video game music live. We got the classics like Mario and Zelda and obvious ones like Halo and FF7's One Winged Angel, but we also got a couple of brand new ones like Metroid (most demanded set they had yet to do since they started playing in 2002, first time performed tonight) and Castlevania. We also had several performances by Martin Leung, known as the guy who played Mario Bros. on the piano blindfolded, and damn can the guy move his fingers.

And since Edmonton is Bioware country, we got Jade Empire and the first performance of the music from Mass Effect with a special performance by the Faunts of the their song M4 Part 2, the end credit song to Mass Effect. So kickass.

Oh, and its Tommy Tallarico's birthday today (more or less) so we all sang him Happy Birthday as the last song before the encores.

So has anyone else been to one of these concerts, and if so what did you think?

Laughing Mechanicus · Post by **Laughing Mechanicus** » 2008-02-18 05:26pm

I went to the one in London last year and I have to agree it was a great night. I especially liked their rendition of "Baba Yetu", which is the menu theme tune for Civilisation IV. They really fit so much in too - there was at least a little of everything I expected to hear, plus more. I am definitely going again this year, and if possible organising a few more friends to come too.

The Jade Empire music done by a full orchestra must have been fantastic.

TithonusSyndrome · Post by **TithonusSyndrome** » 2008-02-18 06:37pm

That was this weekend? Bummer, I should've planned my travels around it. I wanted so badly to go last year.

Academia Nut · Post by **Academia Nut** » 2008-02-18 07:30pm

I was indeed quite the epic event, although with such concentrated levels of Awesome, it all kind of blended together into one huge string of kick assery. Of course, you have to buy your tickets early because it was nearly sold out by mid-late January, and I think each year as news spreads tickets will be harder and harder to come by.

The opening song to Civ IV done live must have been fucking incredible.

Phantasee · Post by **Phantasee** » 2008-02-18 10:22pm

Oh fuck, I missed that? You bastard, could have reminded me

Erik von Nein · Post by **Erik von Nein** » 2008-02-20 06:27pm

I saw one in L.A. a few years ago and it was pure awesome. Also, it was held in an outdoor ampatheater doubling the already huge concentrations of win. I was kinda sad, though, since they were advertising music from Beyond Good and Evil and Parasite Eve but they never played anything from either of those games. *sigh*