Sunday, February 20, 2011

Thoughts on Video Games Live


The Video Games Live event came to Charlotte, NC this past Saturday. For those not in the know, it is a concert hosted by Tommy Tallarico ( game composer) who pays tribute to famous game music with a live orchestra and laser show. I am a big fan of game music, so I had to attend and see what the big fuss was about...

Highlights:

During the tribute to Sonic games of yesteryear, a live chorus chimed in and sang "SEEEGGGAAA!" just like the logo screen from the original two Sonic titles. It was awesome.

Sephiroth's theme, One Winged Angel, with the full chorus and guitar lead sounded incredible.

The famous Mario pianist from Youtube played selections from many Final Fantasy games and rocked the house down with his Super Mario World mix.

Could Have Lived Without:

The dumb jokes supplied by Tommy Tallarico came off sounding like lines from a washed up game show host. Lame.

The game videos and laser shows distract heavily from the orchestra and guitar work on display leading to boredom with some pieces. It felt alittle too much like a light show at Six Flags, which is cool, if you are under the age of 10.

The music from World of Warcraft makes me yawn, I didn't even know it had music till last night. Of course, I am not a PC gamer, so my taste may not be shared by all.

The Guitar Hero days are dead, Tommy's tribute seemed like a wasted segment.

Overall, the concert was a fun experience. I was really surprised that they ended the show with music from the Chrono series. It was a nice way to end the night, as Chrono Trigger and Chrono Cross have some of the best music in gaming history. If Video Games Live comes to your city, check it out, the show is great for music lovers and very family friendly...just don't take spend too much for tickets.

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