Music in video games has come a long way since pong’s initial beeping and booping that someone passed for a soundtrack. From that point, we have arrived a point where entire symphonies are used to create scores that rival the best cinematic scores and challenge musicians in ways they never expect.
Video Games Live (VGL) is just that – a symphonic celebration of game music. VGL rolled into Bass Performance Hall in Fort Worth, Texas, Tuesday, July 14 and we were there for all of it.
To get one thing out of the way: Video Games Live is something everyone with even a passing interest in video games, pop culture or music should attend.
A bit of history – Video Games Live was founded in 2002 by video game composers Tommy Tallarico (Earthworm Jim, Prince of Persia, Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater) and Jack Wall (Mass Effect, Myst, Splinter Cell) and after three years of attempted to get things going, finally had a concert in 2005 and have been building strong ever since.
Bass Performance Hall, Fort Worth, Texas.
The Fort Worth concert featured a number of pieces taken from famous and less-famous games. Michael Salvatori (Halo Trilogy) and Master Chief dropped by for a performance of the main Halo Suite and to conduct the audience in the famous ‘Halo Chant.’
There is little room for improvement on the overall feel of VGL. It’s much more casual than a traditional orchestral performance, but the music itself is just as polished. Rather than suits and dresses, the musicians just all wear black. Clapping at random scenes of cool video game footage on the screen is encouraged, regardless of breaks, pauses or lack thereof in the music.
According to one member of the VGL crew, sometimes the musicians don’t even start looking at the music until the day of (the case with the Fort Worth Symphony, but you could never tell). “These guys read sheet music like you or I read a book. This is nothing,” the staffer said.
Tetris Blocks win the costume contest.
It’s also a fully interactive experience. After a costume contest (won by Tetris blocks) and the opening scores, an audience member was invited on-stage for live-action Space Invaders. Sort of.
A 17-year old lad in the black shirt was tracked on stage and moves left and right to control the spaceship from the game, pressing a button to shoot. The orchestra improvised the music to the pace of the game and he had two minutes to clear level one.
Naturally, for one of us born in the age of 3D analog sticks and CD-drives, he failed.
Prior to the concert, a Guitar Hero competition was held, with the winner being featured on-stage, playing “Sweet Emotion” by Aerosmith on-stage in the largest projector possible, with backup provided by Tallarico on [real] guitar and the entire orchestra. Kelly Law-Yone (AKA Tipper Queen in Guitar Hero circles) won the competition onto the stage and scored just over 250,000 on Expert.
What about the music?
Outstanding. While pieces from ‘Halo’ and ‘The Legend of Zelda’ make for great orchestral scores because they were written that way. Games like Metroid and Super Mario Bros had music composed on synthesizers and MIDI programs so to hear them re-imagined and composed as full philharmonic awesomeness is nothing short of world-shatteringly fantastic.
That's a Space Invaders ship on his back all right.
The show has over 60 games to choose from for any given show, so seeing it twice is like seeing it again. Only 20 or so are done in any one night.
Add in a couple of performances by Martin Leung (The Blindfolded Pianist) on the piano in what can only be described as jaw droppingly quick hand movements – proof that he’s never tampered with a video in his life – and you have one hell of a show.
Video Games Live is something that will undoubtedly impress everyone from the youngest gamer in a family, to someone who remembers pong in an arcade. Even well orchestra snobs seemed to be impressed walking out of Bass Performance Hall.
VGL is an experience that not only hard-core gamers can get into – parents and families should definitely check it out too, it’s been called a bonding experience by a number of parents’ magazines and there’s nothing to indicate that it’s not.
Creator of the first video-game ever, Ralph Baer, also met with the audience via Skype.
Any ticket is worth the price. If this show comes within driving distance of you, do whatever it takes, just see it.
July 24th, 2009 at 9:30 pm
I was the Black Mage in the costume contest, and indeed, it was a great show.
July 11th, 2010 at 11:31 pm
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