Once again coinciding with E3, this year’s Los Angeles Video Games Live show is sure to be a special one. Celebrating their 200th performance, Tommy Tallarico and the gang have quite a line up in store for us, even more impressive than in years past. Attendees will be privy to a number of musical masterpieces across the spectrum of game genres, from Mega Man to Metal Gear Solid, many under the conduction of the original composers, including: the award winning song “Invincible” from World of Warcraft expansion Cataclysm conducted by Blizzard composer and audio director Russell Brower, the world premiere of the award winning music from Red Dead Redemption, the music from Street Fighter II, featuring Tommy Tallarico on guitar, and much more. There will also be an extensive meet and greet with an impressive list of gaming music greats, and performances from “The Video Game Pianist” Martin Leung, Mega Man tribute band The Megas, and the promise of surprises yet to be revealed. For a full list of songs and performers, check out the list after the jump.

Tickets for this June 8 show are available via TicketMaster.

VIDEO GAMES LIVE™ CELEBRATES ITS 200TH SHOW IN LOS ANGELES DURING E3! 

MEGA SHOW TO INCLUDE ALL NEW MATERIAL, SPECIAL GUEST PERFORMERS FROM AROUND THE WORLD, AMAZING MEET & GREET, AND 1ST TIME WORLD PREMIERS!

 

LOS ANGELES, CA – May 27th, 2011 -  Since 2005, Video Games Live has been touring to sold out audiences around the globe and accomplishing goals that no one thought possible; while helping to change how the world views and appreciates the art, culture and community of video games.  Six years, two hundred shows and one million people later, Video Games Live continues to draw new and larger audiences, performing 50 – 60 shows a year on almost every continent and country in the world.  And to celebrate its 200th performance, Video Games Live is pulling out all the stops and continuing on its upward path to provide the finest in live entertainment in honor of the video game industry and culture surrounding it. 

Video Games Live has once again partnered with E3 (Electronic Entertainment Expo) and the ESA (Entertainment Software Association) to perform its 200th show on Wednesday, June 8th during E3 (and right across the street) at the 7,000 seat Nokia Theatre at L.A. Live.  Video Games Live is open to the general public and tickets start for under $25.  Tickets can be purchased online at: http://www.ticketmaster.com/event/2C004669C78934F8?artistid=976815&majorcatid=10001&minorcatid=52

“Our historic groundbreaking first show ever was at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles back in 2005 so it’s pretty cool that this milestone is taking place in the same city where it all started,” said Video Games Live creator, host and executive producer Tommy Tallarico.  “Having so many talented game composers coming out to support us and to be a part of this special show not only means a lot to me, but to the fans as well.  It’s going to be an incredible night to remember.”

The show in Los Angeles will include the following performances…

The live music World Premiere of the award winning song “Invincible” from Warcraft®: Cataclysm™ with Blizzard composer and audio director Russell Brower conducting. 

The World Premiere of the music from Resident Evil® 5 conducted and orchestrated by Award Winning composer Wataru Hokoyama.

The Grammy Award Winning Civilization IV conducted live for the first time by composer Christopher Tin and featuring PBS Special vocalist Kendrew Heriveaux.

The World Premiere of the Award Winning music from Red Dead Redemption™ featuring composer Bill Elm on guitar.

Street Fighter® II featuring Video Games Live creator and world renowned game composer Tommy Tallarico on guitar.

New Guitar Hero™ competition featuring the Foo Fighters Grammy Award winning song “The Pretender”.  Pre-show festival winner to appear and perform on stage with the symphony.

The music of Castlevania® featuring original Castlevania composer Kinuyo Yamishita on organ.

The music of Chrono Trigger™ and Chrono Cross™ with composer Yasunori Mitsuda in attendance, on stage and taking part in the post show meet & greet.

Heroes of Might & Magic® segment with composer Rob King including music from the yet-to-be-released Might & Magic® Heroes® VI.

The L.A. Premiere of Halo®: Reach by Award Winning franchise composers Marty O’Donnell and Mike Salvatori.

The “Video Game Pianist” Martin Leung performing brand new solo piano arrangements from Final Fantasy® and Mario™ including the World Premiere of a brand new internationally published Zelda™ segment.

The video game rock band “The Megas” performing their popular hits from Mega Man® 2 & 3.

Award winning and renowned film composer John Debney (The Passion of the Christ, Sin City, Iron Man 2, Spider-Man 2 & 3) conducting his music from Sony Computer Entertainments’ Lair video game.

Metal Gear Solid® 3: Snake Eater featuring vocalist Laura “Flute Link” Intravia.

Music from the yet to be released MMORTS End of Nations™ featuring industry veteran composer Frank Klepecki (Command & Conquer) on guitar.

The L.A. Premiere of the Tetris® Opera featuring award winning international vocal soloists.

Jonathan Coultons’ Award Winning “Still Alive” from Portal™.

…and many other surprises!

Post Show Meet & Greet (FREE to all ticket holders) includes…

Tommy Tallarico (Earthworm Jim, Metroid Prime, Advent Rising)
Yasunori Mitsuda (Chrono Trigger, Chrono Cross, Xenogears)
Akira Yamaoka (Silent Hill)
Hirokazu “Hip” Tanaka (Metroid, Duck Hunt, Tetris, Pokemon)
Russell Brower (World of Warcraft, StarCraft II, Diablo III)
Kinuyo Yamashita (Castlevania, Mega Man X3, Power Blade)
Marty O’Donnell (Halo series)
Wataru Hokoyama (Resident Evil 5, Ace Combat X2, Afrika)
Christopher Tin (Civilization IV, 1st video game Grammy Award Winner)
Frank Klepecki (Command & Conquer series, End of Nations)
John Debney (The Passion of the Crist, Sin City, Lair)
Gerard Marino (God of War series)
Christopher Lennertz (Warhawk, Medal of Honor, The Simpsons)
Joe Trapanese (Tron Legacy – Film Arranger/Orchestrator)
Bill Elm (Red Dead Redemption)
Neal Acre (World of Warcraft, StarCraft II, Stargate Atlantis)
Rob King (Heroes of Might & Magic series, Fable II)
Jon Van Canegham (game designer/creator/director Heroes of Might & Magic series)
Laura Karpman (Everquest II)
Sean Murray (Call of Duty: Black-Ops, Buffy the Vampire Slayer)
Penka Kouneva (Gears of War 3, Transformers, The Sims)
Tim Wynn (Warhawk, Command & Conquer: Red Alert 3, Red Faction)
Arthur Inasi (Guitar Hero, Rock Band, Dance Central)
Mike Rubino (Pac-Man World Rally, Jaws Unleashed, Line Rider)
Martin Leung (The Video Game Pianist)
Laura Intravia (Flute Link)
Kendrew Heriveaux (PBS Special vocalist)

…and MORE SECRET SURPRISE GUESTS TO BE REVEALED AT THE PERFORMANCE!

For more information or TOUR DATES in your area please visit www.videogameslive.com.

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If you tuned into the 53rd Annual Grammy Awards last night, you might have witnessed the first-ever Grammy given to a song from a video game. Christopher Tin’s “Baba Yetu” was composed for and made its first appearance in 2K Games’ Civilization IV back in 2005, and became Grammy-eligible upon its inclusion in Tin’s late-2009 debut album, Calling All Dawns. Christopher Tin managed to rack up two Grammy Awards last night: the first going specifically to “Baba Yetu” for “Best Instrumental Arrangement Accompanying Vocalist(s),” with the classical/world fusion album Calling All Dawns claiming the second Grammy for “Best Classical Crossover Album.”

Chris credited the Video Games Live concert tour with giving “Baba Yetu” a life outside of the game itself, and the song has since enjoyed enormous success and popularity — as a high school band teacher, I even performed it with my students a couple years ago! Three different versions of “Baba Yetu” are included across Christopher Tin’s Calling All Dawns song-cycle album — available at www.christophertin.com — and both of the Video Games Live albums.

Christopher Tin’s “Baba Yetu” from Civilization IV Wins Grammy Award for “Best Instrumental Arrangement Accompanying Vocalist(s)”

Song Appears on Video Games Live PBS Special, Albums, DVD & Blu-Ray

Video Games Live would like to congratulate fellow video game composer Christopher Tin for the first ever video game song to win a Grammy Award! “Baba Yetu” has been performed in Video Games Live since the song had its live world premiere debut at the Hollywood Bowl in 2006.  A special duet version of the song appears on the recently released Video Games Live DVD, Blu-Ray, album and  highly acclaimed PBS Special  The song originally appeared as the opening song for Sid Meiers’ PC hit Civilization IV as well as Tin’s classical/world fusion album “Calling All Dawns” which also won the Grammy for the “Best Classical Crossover Album”.

Composer Christopher Tin said, “The fact that this song has had a life outside of the game is owed almost entirely to Video Games Live.  They were the first to bring this music to concert stages around the world and to places I had never dreamed possible.”  Video Games Live CEO Tommy Tallarico added, “We’re so proud of Christopher’s Grammy Award victory and what he has accomplished.  This historic moment will continue to bridge the gap between mainsteam music and video games.  It is an honor to perform his music in our show.”

View the Civilization IV music as it appears on the VIDEO GAMES LIVE: LEVEL 2 CD, DVD & Blu-Ray here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xNKHJHwRwXE&hd=1

For further information about Christopher Tin and his Grammy nominated album “Calling All Dawns”, please visit: http://christophertin.com

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My fellow residents in the Rainy City are in for quite a treat. This weekend’s Video Games Live performance will feature the first-ever performance of the music from Halo: Reach. In attendance and available for after-show autographs will be the original score’s composers, Michael Salvatori and Marty O’Donnell, the latter of whom said:

“It’s a real thrill and honor to have our music be a part of such a successful event like Video Games Live. To know that people around the world are able to experience our music live in such a creative and artistic way is very exciting for both myself and Mike [Salvatori].”

The performance is at the Paramount Theatre this Saturday, January 22, 2011. And if I was actually in town this weekend, this would be my cue to dash to Craigslist for tickets!

VIDEO GAMES LIVE™ TO DEBUT THE FIRST LIVE PEFORMANCE OF MUSIC FROM HALO®: REACH

Halo Composers Marty O’Donnell, Michael Salvatori and Other Special Guests to Attend

World Premiere to take place in Seattle, WA at the Paramount Theatre on Saturday, January 22^nd

LOS ANGELES, CA - The live touring sensation Video Games Live will be debuting new music from the highly acclaimed Xbox 360 exclusive video game, Halo: Reach.  The Award Winning music from the latest game in the Halo series was composed by Marty O’Donnell and Michael Salvatori who have been with the franchise since the beginning.  Both Marty and Michael will be in attendance at the Seattle performance of Video Games Live and are available to all ticket holders at the post-show meet & greet for autographs and pictures.

This will mark the first time that the music from Halo: Reach has been performed in front of a live audience.  “It’s a real thrill and honor to have our music be a part of such a successful event like Video Games Live.” said Bungie Audio Director Marty O’Donnell, “To know that people around the world are able to experience our music live in such a creative and artistic way is very exciting for both myself and Mike
Video Games Live currently has over 30 tour dates on sale across the globe with 30 more shows expected to be added for 2011.  (http://www.videogameslive.com/index.php?s=dates)

The world premiere of Halo: Reach will take place on Saturday, January 22, 2011 at the Paramount Theatre in Seattle, WA.  New tickets for this event have just been added: http://stgpresents.org/artists/?artist=1401

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Sigh. This is just one of those moments when you find out about an event that you would totally go out of your way just to attend, only to find out on such short notice that you can’t possibly make it!

Kinuyo Yamashita, known best for composing for the original Castlevania game pretty much right out of college, will be joining the performers of Video Games Live when the touring concert series stops in New Jersey tomorrow night and Thursday. She will be performing her music from Castlevania, backed by the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center. Both shows start at 7:30pm, and tickets are still available (including new seating areas that just opened up) for as low as $21.

If anyone wants to buy me a last-minute plane ticket from Chicago, I’ll totally join you. Otherwise, you can check out the press release after the break!

ORIGINAL CASTLEVANIA AND MEGAMAN X3 COMPOSER KINUYO YAMASHITA TO PERFORM AT VIDEO GAMES LIVE IN NEWARK, NEW JERSEY THIS WEEK WITH THE NEW JERSEY SYMPHONY

OTHER SPECIAL GUEST PERFORMANCES INCLUDE YOUTUBE SENSATION BRENTALFLOSS

NEW SEATS NOW AVAILABLE – TICKETS AS LOW AS $21!

Legendary female Japanese composer Kinuyo Yamashita will be performing her original music from Castlevania along with the New Jersey Symphony this Wednesday, December 29th and Thursday, December 30th at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC).  Aside from performing in both shows, Yamashita-san will also be taking part in the post-show meet & greet which is open to all ticket holders.  New seating and tickets have just opened up and start as low as $21.

Also performing for the first time ever with Video Games Live is internet sensation Brentalfloss who is best known for his hilarious game music lyric parodies on YouTube viewed by millions of people around the world.

The show will be starting at 7:30pm on both nights but doors will be open 2 hours early for game competitions, costume contests, prize give-a-ways and classic arcade gaming!

NEW SEATING FOR BOTH SHOWS NOW AVAILABLE HERE:
http://www.njpac.org/show_events_list.asp?shcode=15554.

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Those of you planning on attending the Video Games Live concert in Paris, France this Friday just got an extra treat for the evening!

Ubisoft has announced that a brand new segment featuring themes from the Might & Magic franchise has been added to the show’s repertoire, specifically getting its world premiere in Paris on the 17th. The segment will comprise of music by series composers Rob King and Paul Romero, and will even feature the “Haven Theme” from the upcoming Might & Magic Heroes VI game slated for release next summer.

I wonder how much last-minute airfare to Paris would cost me…

VIDEO GAMES LIVE™ TO PREMIERE THEME FROM UPCOMING
MIGHT & MAGIC® HEROES® VI

Paris, France – December 14, 2010 – Today, Ubisoft® announced that the worldwide touring music show Video Games Live™ will feature a  Might & Magic® segment consisting of 5 themes taken from the franchise including the “Haven Theme” from the upcoming Might & Magic® Heroes® VI.  Video Games Live will be doing the world premiere in Paris, France, on December 17th, 2010.

The Might & Magic segment will consist of the following themes:

Heroes of Might & Magic® II – Knight Town
Heroes of Might & Magic® II – Sorceress Town
Heroes of Might & Magic® IV – Academy Town Theme
Heroes of Might & Magic® V – Credits Theme
Might & Magic® Heroes® VI – Haven Them

Veteran game composers Rob King and Paul Romero have been writing for the franchise since the beginning and worked closely with the Video Games Live team to create a new and unique arrangement exclusively for the show.  Video Games Live is the most successful video game concert tour in the world.  An immersive event created by the game industry featuring the best game music performed by top orchestras and choirs combined with synchronized lighting, video, live action and audience interactivity.

Developed by Black Hole, Might & Magic Heroes VI will include all the characters and features that have made the brand a worldwide success, in addition to a wealth of new innovations. The game will be available worldwide on Windows® PC in 2011.

For more information on Might & Magic Heroes VI, visit www.mightandmagicgame.com

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It’s no secret that I’m a big advocate and supporter of what Video Games Live is trying to do. Video Games Live not only showcases video games and their rich history of fantastic musical scores, but it also brings audiences out to experience what for many of them is their first symphony orchestra concert. The efforts of Video Games Live have helped to underscore the impact that video games have had on modern art and culture.

But what about the concert itself? I’ve been to several of their shows over the years. In previous reviews, I gave praise to Video Games Live performances, but has anything changed? Is it still worth seeing? I took a few friends — all music teachers and/or performers — and went to Video Games Live at the Chicago Theatre this past weekend to check out their show. Read on to find out what I thought!

Right off the bat, you come to the realization that Video Games Live is no ordinary symphony event. You don’t walk in to a crowd of people simply taking their seats, ready to listen to and critique one ensemble’s interpretation of certain musical compositions — something I’d grown accustomed to after years of music school. No, instead you walk in to a festival-like atmosphere. In the lobby, people line up to buy Video Games Live merchandise, compete in a Guitar Hero: Van Halen tournament for the privilege of performing on-stage during the concert, and even strut around in homemade costumes resembling video game characters ranging from Fire Emblem‘s Ike to Final Fantasy‘s Sephiroth. Even inside the auditorium, people were up and about, engaging in conversations with total strangers about video games and music, at least until a collection of fan-made tribute videos came on screen to everyone’s delight. Video Games Live has a completely different aura surrounding it compared to other orchestra concerts — one of excitement.

Even with all the pre-show festivities, the focus of a Video Games Live show is to exhibit the history of video game music, and they wasted no time in doing so. Newly appointed Video Games Live conductor Wataru Hokoyama, along with the Metropolis Symphony Orchestra and Oriana Singers, led the audience down memory lane via their “Classic Arcade Medley” to open the concert. Other fan favorites will almost always be performed at a Video Games Live concert, such as themes from Super Mario Bros., The Legend of Zelda, Halo, and Final Fantasy. Fans have heard these themes through sound cards and television speakers, but most have yet to experience them through the lush, resonant sound of a live orchestra. In this day and age of deteriorating music standards such as compressed digital files, hearing an orchestra and choir perform right in front of you provides an aural experience you can’t get at home. It gives Video Games Live a sense of authenticity, and allows you to appreciate music compositions for the beautiful and artistic creations they are.

I won’t divulge too many specific segments of Saturday’s show, simply because they may not apply when Video Games Live arrives in your area. Video Games Live’s co-creator, Tommy Tallarico, has amassed a repertoire of over sixty segments that they can perform, less than a third of which can be performed at any given show. On top of that, new segments are being added all the time. As a result, Video Games Live avoids becoming dull and repetitive — you’ll never see the same show twice.

Musically, I was very impressed with the quality of Saturday’s concert. I can be quite critical of symphony orchestras, and I know the Metropolis Symphony Orchestra isn’t exactly the cream of the crop in terms of Chicago ensembles. That said, this was the same organization tapped to perform Video Games Live the last time VGL was in Chicago, and they absolutely raised the level of performance from two years ago. The only aspects that deterred from the performance were the occasional tempo discrepancies due to the seeming lack of a click track, and the imbalance from all the amplified musicians being a tad loud. I consider these minor issues, since I’ve seen Video Games Live use click tracks before, and I’m sure they adjust amplified volume levels for each individual concert. The orchestra and choir themselves were superb, allowing the audience to simply enjoy the music without having to worry about execution.

Of course, the Chicago-based performers aren’t the only ones putting on a show. Tommy Tallarico continues to entertain as the host of Video Games Live by raising the audience’s level of excitement and participation, serving as a human encyclopedia for the history of game music, and even making the occasional on-screen call to special guests via Skype. On top of that, he’s no slouch on guitar, as he wails through each solo with ease, precision, and a dominating stage presence that has become a selling point for the show. Joining him is VGL’s new conductor, Wataru Hokoyama, best known to gamers for composing the score to AFRIKA and orchestral arrangements in Resident Evil 5. As the third conductor I’ve seen atop the Video Games Live podium, Wataru has a certain finesse in his conducting that evokes the great response from his orchestra. I’m excited to see what kind of impact his presence will have on the performance levels of Video Games Live shows to come. Last but not least, Laura Intravia is quickly becoming a rising star in the Video Games Live family. Her contributions have grown beyond her signature “Flute Link” segment thanks to her excellent flute technique, professional vocal training, and arranging experience. The professional music teachers and performers I brought with me to the show thought she was so good, they thought she had to be “flute-syncing” — I had to struggle to find flaws to eventually prove them wrong!

Finally, the entire show is augmented by synchronized video montages and lighting effects that appropriately accompany each segment. You’ll see footage from your favorite games that help to emphasize the programmatic aspects of each musical piece — all those characters, key moments, and vivid memories alluded to by each song will find their way onto the screen. The lighting certainly sets the mood for each piece while simultaneously immersing the audience in the experience by flooding the auditorium with color. My favorite has always been the pitch black auditorium that starts the God of War segment, before the lights engulf the orchestra with reds and oranges that evoke the emotions and wrath of Ares. Other times, a sea of calm, blue light would submerge the entire room and audience. This rush of visual and musical sensation is quite fitting for Video Games Live, as video games are a unique medium that actually serve as a conglomerate to combine various art forms and appeal to all your senses. The crew does a fantastic job of melding all of this together for each and every performance.

You can’t go wrong by attending one of Video Games Live’s shows. They’ll have music for all ages, featuring yesteryear’s Mario, Mega Man, and Sonic, as well as today’s hits such as Halo, Metal Gear Solid, and Assassin’s Creed. Unlike formal concerts and even unlike other video game concerts, there’s a fun atmosphere before, during, and after the show thanks to the competitions, comedic video tributes, and the meet and greet with the performers. Tommy and co. continue to do a great job of hyping up the crowds and giving audiences an evening to remember. Without a doubt, this is the absolute best way to enjoy video game music as a standalone artform. Be sure to check out their list of tour dates and see when Video Games Live will be coming to your area, as you won’t want to miss it!

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In the wake of Video Games Live: Level 2′s glorious Billboard success, 42 new shows have been announced across the world, spanning the globe from Russia to Mexico to France and the far reaches of…um, Canada. The tentative schedule through June includes:

November 4, 2010 – Detroit, MI
November 5, 2010 – Milwaukee, WI
November 6, 2010 – Chicago, IL
November 9, 2010 – Wichita, KS
November 10, 2010 – Kansas City, MO
November 11, 2010 – Evansville, IN
November 13, 2010 – Baton Rouge, LA
November 17, 2010 – Concord, NH
December 17, 2010 – Paris, France
December 20, 2010 – St. Petersburg, Russia
December 29, 2010 – Newark, NJ
December 30, 2010 – Newark, NJ
January 7, 2011 – Minneapolis, MN
January 22, 2011 – Seattle, WA
January 29, 2011 – Brookville, NY
February 3, 2011 – Huntington, WV
February 4, 2011 – Huntington, WV
February 19, 2011 – Charlotte, NC
February 26, 2011 – Bethesda, MD  2PM
February 26, 2011 – Bethesda, MD  8PM
March 4, 2011 – Fort Wayne, IN
March 26, 2011 – Ft. Lauderdale, FL
April 2, 2011 – El Dorado, AR
April 7, 2011 – Mesa, AZ
April 13, 2011 – Vancouver, BC
April 14, 2011 – Vancouver, BC
April 15, 2011 – Victoria, BC
April 17, 2011 – Calgary, AB
April 18, 2011 – Edmonton, AB
April 20, 2011 – Saskatoon, SK
April 21, 2011 – Regina, SK
April 22, 2011 – Winnipeg, MB
April 23, 2011 – Winnipeg, MB
April 25, 2011 – Thunder Bay, ON
April 27, 2011 – Kitchener, ON
April 28, 2011 – Hamilton, ON
April 29, 2011 – Ottawa, ON
April 30, 2011 – Montreal, QC
May 2, 2011 – Toronto, ON
May 3, 2011 – Kingston, ON
May, 2011 – Mexico City, Mexico
June 8, 2011 – Los Angeles, CA

In total there are a planned 70 shows for Video Games Live in 2011, so chances are if you missed them so far, you’ll get a chance this time around. All necessary venue and ticket purchasing information can be found at the link below.

Video Games Live

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Video Games Live: Level 2, a release the New York Times heralds as “Captivating!” and “Bombastic!”, has officially hit the Billboard Top Ten! The CD version, featuring the performance of the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra under the direction of video games composer Tommy Tallarico, has debuted at #8. Not bad for video game tunes, eh? Tallarico’s tireless work is really bringing some respect to an otherwise overlooked facet of music entertainment. You can catch the show currently on PBS, or enter our ticket giveaway contest for the November 6 performance in Chicago. Only a few days left, so sign up now!

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If you’ve thus far managed to miss Video Games Live in concert or PBS, another new option for experiencing the epic game music event is here. Video Games Live: Level 2, sequel to Video Games Live: Volume 1,on DVD, Blu-ray (packaged with DVD copy), and CD is available for purchase now on Amazon (and I recommend doing so right away–the Blu-Ray/DVD combo pack is half off right now, only $14.99!). Check the link below for full track listing, bonus content info and more.

Oh, and if you still prefer to try for the real thing, don’t forget there’s only four days left to enter the giveaway for a pair of tickets to the Chicago Video Games Live performance on November 6.

Video Games Live

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Video Games Live is returning to the Midwest! The world famous gaming concert series is stopping in Detroit on November 4th, Milwaukee on the 5th, Wichita, KS on the 9th, Kansas City on the 10th, and Evansville, IN on the 11th. More importantly, Video Games Live is headed to the Windy City on Saturday, November 6th, and we’re giving away some tickets to that show!

If you can make it to Chicago that weekend, Tommy Tallarico and co. will be playing at the Chicago Theatre at 8pm that Saturday night. We have two pairs of tickets for local Tanooki readers, and thus two ways to win! For those who follow us on Twitter, we’ll be revealing a “codeword” each day hidden in one of our daily posts. Send us a direct message with that day’s codeword and something to the effect of “I want VGL Chicago tix!” for a chance to win via a random drawing. Codewords are good until midnight central time, and you can enter once per day. To give you a head start, the codeword for 10/20 is PODIUM.

The other way you can win is to simply email us an original photo or video demonstrating your love for both video games and music, or — better yet — video game music. Be creative! Be passionate! Please include your email name, “The Tanooki” and “Video Games Live in Chicago” somewhere in your photo/video itself… any additional Tanooki/Chicago love will be noted! One email entry per person.

Of course, if you don’t want to depend on the contest, tickets are on sale now for as low as $37.50 (plus additional fees). The event’s full press release can be found after the break, as can the rules for both of our contests. Be sure to read the “How to Enter” section if you want those free tickets! Good luck; the contest ends 10/29.

MSG ENTERTAINMENT AND JAM PRODUCTIONS PRESENT

VIDEO GAMES LIVE

“Bonus Round”

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 2010 @ 8PM

THE CHICAGO THEATRE

**TICKETS ON SALE NOW**

Chicago, Illinois – THE CHICAGO THEATRE is proud to welcome Video Games Live back with an all new show, created and produced by Tommy Tallarico! A complete celebration and multimedia concert experience featuring the best music and exclusive synchronized video clips from the most popular games from the beginning of video gaming to the present, including Mario™, Zelda®, Halo®, Final Fantasy® and more!

Performed by top orchestras and choirs, the show combines exclusive video footage and music arrangements with synchronized lighting, solo performers, stage show production, special FX, electronic percussionists and unique interactive segments. Whether it’s the power and passion of the more recent blockbusters or the excitement of remembering the sentimental classics you played growing up, it will truly be a special night to remember for the entire family. The show has a segment dedicated to the old retro arcade classics – but there is also modern music and older, more memorable pieces that no one has ever heard played live.

There is a Pre-show festival and post-show meet and greet free to all ticket holders. Pre-Show activities include a Guitar Hero competition, costume contest and prizes. The Post-Show activities include meet and greet opportunities with industry designers/creators, composers/sound designers, voice actors, performers and more special guests! Continuing its international tour in 2010, Video Games Live is the largest and most successful video game concert in the world having already performed around the globe to hundreds of thousands of people on 5 continents and selling out locations worldwide. For more information visit videogameslive.com.

What: Video Games Live

When: SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 2010 @ 8PM

Where: THE CHICAGO THEATRE

Tickets On Sale: NOW

Ticket Prices: $37.50, $47.50, $75.00

****NO CAMERA/VIDEO/RECORDING****

Tickets are available at The Chicago Theatre box office, all Ticketmaster outlets and Ticketmaster phone charge (1.800.745.3000)

Online: thechicagotheatre.com and ticketmaster.com.

OFFICIAL CONTEST RULES

Contest and Dates: The Tanooki’s Video Games Live in Chicago Giveaway. From October 20th, 2010 through October 29th, 2010, The Tanooki will provide the opportunity to submit entries to win one of two pairs of tickets to the upcoming Video Games Live concert in Chicago, IL.

Eligibility and Limitations: In order to submit entries, participants and winners must be at least 18-years old or have consent from a parent or legal guardian and should preferably (but are not required to) be residing in the greater Chicago area. Only one (1) Twitter entry per household per day for this contest. Only one (1) Email entry per household for the duration of this contest. Any individuals (including but not limited to employees, consultants, independent contractors, and interns) who have, within the past six months, performed services for The Tanooki or any organizations responsible for sponsoring, fulfilling, administering, advertising or promoting the contest or supplying the prize, and/or their respective parent, subsidiary, affiliated and successor companies, and immediate family and household members of such individuals, are not eligible to enter or play. “Immediate family members” shall mean parents, stepparents, children, stepchildren, siblings, stepsiblings, or spouses. “Household members” shall mean people who share the same residence at least three months in one calendar year.

How to Enter: There are two ways to enter. Participants can enter to win via one way, or both.

1. Send a Direct Message on Twitter.com to The Tanooki (twitter.com/thetanooki) with that day’s “Codeword” and any statement indicating you specifically desire to see Video Games Live in Chicago. The Codeword will be revealed through a randomly selected post on The Tanooki (thetanooki.com) and will be valid until midnight, Central Time, that day. Only one Codeword entry per household per day.
2. Send an Email to The Tanooki at vglchicago [at] thetanooki [dot] com with a photo or video attachment or link to a photo or video hosted on an open online sharing service. For verification purposes, include in the photo or video the name or screenname you use to email your entry, along with “The Tanooki’s Video Games Live in Chicago Giveaway.” All submitted entries become the property of The Tanooki and will not be returned and may be used by The Tanooki for any purpose and in any media in perpetuity. Only one Email entry per household for the duration of this contest.

How to Win: Two separate winners in total will be chosen. One (1) winner will be selected by random drawing of all entries submitted through Direct Message on Twitter.com by October 29th, 2010. One (1) winner will be selected by judges among The Tanooki staff of all entries submitted through Email by October 29th, 2010. In the event that the original winner(s) does not meet Official Rules or eligibility requirements, or he/she or parent or legal guardian forfeits the prize, The Tanooki will award prize to first alternate. In the event of the same person being chosen for both contest methods, that winner shall win the Email contest and an alternate will be drawn from remaining entries via Twitter.com Direct Message. Processes will continue until prizes are awarded.

All entries must be received on or before October 29th, 2010. The selection will be held October 30th, 2010. Decision of the judges and The Tanooki is final. The winner of the Twitter drawing will be notified by Direct Message on Twitter.com while the winner of the Email contest will be notified by email. Winners must meet all eligibility requirements and have 72 hours from notification to respond and confirm to receive prize.

By entering, each contestant agrees to be bound by the rules. The Tanooki, Video Games Live, The Chicago Theatre, their promotional agents and contest co-sponsors are not responsible for illegible, lost, delayed or misdirected messages, or incomplete entries.

Prizes: Two (2) winners, one for each method of contest entry, will each receive a pair of tickets to VIDEO GAMES LIVE “Bonus Round” at the Chicago Theatre on November 6th, 2010. All tickets will be held at will call at the Chicago Theatre for the winners to claim prior to the concert. There are no other prizes. Tickets are not redeemable for cash. Tickets will not be awarded until The Tanooki receives a confirmation of the winner’s name and intent to use the tickets. Failure of winners to respond to notification within the required timeframe will result in automatic forfeiture of any prizes and tickets shall be awarded to an alternate winner.

No purchase necessary to participate or win. Void where prohibited. Odds of winning depend upon the number of participants. Twitter is a registered trademark of Twitter Inc., which is not affiliated with this contest. The Tanooki reserves the right to change this contest at its sole discretion at any time that The Tanooki become aware of any circumstances or occurrence which would materially affect the contest security or fairness. The Tanooki disclaims any responsibility to notify participants of any aspect related to the conduct of this contest. The Tanooki is not responsible for the inability of the winner to accept the prize for any reason. By participating, each participant and winner waives any and all claims of liability against The Tanooki, Video Games Live, and the sponsors of this contest for any personal injury or loss which may occur from the conduct of, or participation in, the contest, or from the use of the prizes.

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In celebration of tonight’s premiere (in some areas) of Video Games Live on PBS, we’ve gone and transcribed my June interview with Video Games Live co-creator Tommy Tallarico, who I’m sure is enjoying his BBQ at home right now in celebration of the event! In case you want to be able to read it all at your own pace or in case you missed the video as part of our E3 2010 coverage last month, a full transcription of the interview can be found just past the break.

Again, you can check out the special on your local PBS station, and you can check a partial listing of air times on the Video Games Live website.

Christian Ponte: Hi, everyone! I’m Christian Ponte and I’m here with Tommy Tallarico. He’s a video game music composer, sound engineer, and he’s the founder and Mr. Everything of Video Games Live! How are you doing today?

Tommy Tallarico: I’m doing fabulous!

CP: You’re doing fabulous. You’ve got a lot going [on] with E3 and everything… I know you had two shows in Dallas just recently?

TT: Whoooo! Yeah, just flew back from Dallas yesterday, we did two shows with the Dallas Symphony, and I had to fly back last night. I was working on a new segment for Video Games Live that we’re debuting on Thursday [June 17, 2010]. I stayed up all night long, drove here, and now I’m at E3 here for the whole week, [with] back-to-back meetings from 8 in the morning ’til midnight, and then we have the show on Thursday. Then all in between that, after that I’m doing the final editing for the PBS show, and the DVD, and our album, and… I love it!

CP: I hear ya! It’s all worth it.

TT: I’m not complaining! Greatest job in the world!

CP: I want to talk a little bit first about game music in general. You’ve done a lot of interviews, and fans can check on your website and things like that about what you do and [what] Video Games Live [is]. Can you talk about how video game music has evolved in the twenty years since you’ve gotten involved in the industry?

TT: Yeah, you know when I first started out, it was a bunch of bleeps and bloops, and that’s what we had to deal with. I think that’s a positive thing that came from that era. When you only had three or four voices to work in, some of the greatest video game music of our generation came during that time. Mario, Zelda, Castlevania, Mega Man, Metroid, right? And Tetris. When you only have three or four voices to work with, it has to be melodic, it has to be great, or else it gets annoying really quick, you know?

Then, in the mid-’90s when CD-ROMs became available as a storage medium, we were able to start to doing live instruments and live music and this and that. [That was] a huge leap forward. But then the reality is is that the budgets didn’t really catch up to the technology until the turn of the century, and that’s when you started to get games’ music like Halo, Warcraft, Kingdom Hearts, Metal Gear Solid, God of War, and the bigger Final Fantasy stuff, and things like that. That’s great as well.

I love both eras: the old school era and the new school. I think there’s great music and crappy music in both, you know? They both have their pluses and minuses. I like to kind of take that mentality when I write video game scores today. I like to take that mentality that I had twenty years ago, which is, “OK, let’s pretend I only have three or four voices, because it’s all about melody. That’s the most important thing of any song — that hook, that motif. The opening of Halo. [sings chant melody] Those notes. You can create all sorts of music from that once you have that hook in there. So I’m fortunate to have been around in those early days to kind of learn that way of thinking and then bring it forward into the modern times.

CP: You’ve talked a lot about how video game music differs from… a lot of people compare it to soundtracks, movie soundtracks. Can you about how different they are in terms of video game music being a dynamic art?

TT: There’s a bunch of differences between film and television [compared to video games]. The first of all is that film music, for the most part, is considered a “background” music or “incidental” music, and the reason for that is that films… they’re linear. They’re also stories, right? In a film you’re telling a story, and the way to do that is through dialogue. People are talking all the time through this linear piece of media, whether it’s film or television, whereas in video games, it’s completely different. Video games, it’s the music that actually helps drive; it’s the interactivity and the design that drive the entertainment of what video games are. Video games tell a story, sure, but through interactivity.

It’s like in a film, you get a big chase scene, right? The composer gets really excited because he gets to do the chase scene or the battle music, and he gets to do that maybe one or two times during the film. Well in video games, we get that scene every time! We get the action scene every level, pretty much.

Because [a movie is] linear media, even the great John Williams has to sit down with George Lucas, and George Lucas says to him, “OK, John, here’s the deal: At 00:01:43, the music has to do this because Darth Vader just walked through the door. And then at 00:02:42, the music has to do this because the Death Star just blew up.” So John Williams, as a composer, is completely trapped in that linear media. His music has to do certain things at a certain point.

Now let’s compare that to the video game industry where a designer will come up to me and say, “OK, here’s the scenario: We got a hundred guys on horseback with swords, all coming to kick your ass. Write me a three-minute piece of music.” So I have no barriers. I can just dream up this thing in my head and start creating music around it. But then maybe there’s fifty guys left, and then maybe only ten guys left, or five, or two, or one, or zero. I might do different arrangements and different orchestrations and different mixes of that same song, so I have to think in that way to say, “OK, when this happens, how is the arrangement going to change? How is the orchestration going to change?” Maybe I’m going to add more drums as there’s more people, and take the percussion away as there’s less people, or change the percussion. Maybe when there’s a hundred guys, I have a male choir and a female choir all going at the same time, but maybe when there’s only one guy left, it’s a single solo child’s voice. Maybe the strings are doing sixteenth notes when it’s big, but then when it’s small, they’re the same notes, but they’re only doing eighth notes.

The other thing, too, is that I like to call video game music “foreground” music. If they call it “background” music in films, I like to call [game scores] “foreground” music. We’ve got the interactivity, we’ve got the story telling element, the action/adventure… but the final thing is that in a film, let’s say you take a film like Avatar where you go to the film, you watch the movie, there’s maybe about 90 minutes of music in there, 80% of which is all being talked over, right? So you see Avatar once in the theater, then maybe six months later you buy the DVD. So in a whole year, you’ve heard the music to Avatar, maybe about three, four hours of music through the whole year, 80% of which people were talking over.

Now let’s take video games. Let’s take a game like World of Warcraft where the music isn’t in the background, it is in your face, and people are hearing 20, 30, 40 hours a WEEK. I mean if you think about it, no time ever in the history of the world has music been played more often and in your face more often than in video games. Never. That would be like taking your favorite Led Zeppelin or Pink Floyd album or Beatles album and putting it on repeat for 40 hours, right? Maybe [people] did that in the ’60s when they were tripping out on acid, but nowadays that’d be unheard of without the proper amount of angel dust or something, I don’t know. That’s the thing.

Again, no time in history has more music been played more often than [in] video games. It’s incredible to think about and people don’t realize that. Especially Roger Ebert.

CP: I know we don’t have too much time, so I want to jump into Video Games Live now. Can you talk about why you started Video Games Live and what you’re trying to accomplish through Video Games Live?

TT: The reason I created Video Games Live was I really wanted to prove to the world how culturally significant and artistic video games have become. I wanted to create a show for everybody, not just for guys like me and you, the gamers. We know how cool Final Fantasy music is, and Halo, and Warcraft, and all the rest, you know, Zelda. But I wanted to create a show that you don’t have to know anything at all about video games to come to the show and to get this huge, massive appreciation and understanding of what video games and the industry is all about.

That’s why it was really important for me to design the show the way I did, with big, massive video screens, synchronized videos, synchronized rock and roll lighting, special effects, a stage show production, interactive elements with the crowd, little comedy routines, soloists, and things like that. All of that stuff, it’s a show. I don’t even really consider it a concert; it’s a show. It’s kind of like this big Las Vegas production that we take on the road every night. The people who are most blown away by our show are the people who don’t play video games, ’cause they’re like, “Oh my gosh, I never knew that video games were this cool, I never knew the music was so powerful and emotional. I never knew the characters were so cool and the graphics are so amazing. I get it now! Now I know why my kids are so much into video games.”

Coming up on July 31st, we have a 90-minute PBS special, a nation-wide television program. They’re predicting that over 55 million people will be viewing the program because it’s in primetime for a whole week, and then it’s going to air in repeats for three years, and 80% of those people have never even played a video game. I think it’s going to be a huge turning point for our industry entering into pop culture. Roger Ebert… I challenge him to watch our PBS special and tell us that that isn’t art. I think it’s going to be a game-changer, I really do, because if a guy like him can say that movie music is art but video game music isn’t, that’s a guy who’s never played a video game. That’s a guy who doesn’t understand. That’s a guy who’s now turned into somebody that he used to be against when he was a kid. He’s lost his way. I’m sure when he was growing up in the ’50s, people were saying, “Oh, rock and roll music’s bad for you, it’s the devil’s music,” and he was like, “No way, man! Rock and roll!” He’s become that guy he hated when he was growing up, so if he wonders why he gets so much flack from gamers, maybe he should take a look in the mirror and figure it out a little bit.

CP: Now going along the lines of perception, obviously Video Games Live has had a lot of influence. People have said Video Games Live possibly influenced Star Wars: In Concert…

TT: Oh, sure. They admit it! In fact, our agent at William Morris is also the agent for that show as well.

CP: Well, all I’m saying is there’s also a flip side. You’ve talked about how you and Video Games Live have convinced people that aren’t necessarily gamers or people that don’t listen to video game music to come to embrace it. I’m actually a professional, classically trained musician myself, and I’m a music teacher. I know a lot of peers and a lot of people who are music majors, and even they don’t consider movie soundtracks to be real [art] music. I know you’ve talked in previous interviews how game music has even surpassed movie soundtracks…

TT: It really has, yeah.

CP: Is there a way that you see that Video Games Live can really embrace that small [elitist] demographic that’s really, really resisting?

TT: Well you know, I tell a story about when I was growing up. When I was ten-years-old, I grew up in a rock and roll family, [my] cousin’s Steven Tyler from Aerosmith (his real name’s Stephen Tallarico), and so I always grew up with rock and roll. My parents were a product of the fifties so I was listening to Jerry Lee Lewis, and Elvis Presley, and the Beatles, and all that. When I was ten-years-old, I went to see the film Star Wars. In 1977, I was ten, and that was the first time where I really heard and experienced orchestral, symphonic music. It was the first time I paid attention, anyway. I was like “Wow, what is this? That’s what I want to do when I grow up.” Then I would start to read — because we didn’t have the Internet back then — I would start to read magazine interviews with John Williams and learn through him that his influences were Beethoven and Mozart, and so I would start to listen to Beethoven. When I heard Beethoven for the first time, when I really heard it, when I listened to it… that changed my whole life. I was like, “Oh my God!”

So, because of pop culture, because of Star Wars, because of a film, that got me interested in classical music and being a composer. The same thing is happening now with Video Games Live thirty years later. I will get [after] every show we play, the following day, I’ll get at least ten or fifteen emails from parents, and they all say the same thing. They say, “You know, we went to your concert last night, I brought my kids. I didn’t know what to expect, but oh my gosh, it was so amazing and wonderful and I have a newfound respect for games! But I want to tell you a story! We’re all sitting around the breakfast table this morning talking about it and my 8-year-old daughter said, “Mom, I’d like to start learning the violin, taking violin lessons, so I can learn the music to Kingdom Hearts,” or “Final Fantasy.” Those young people are getting influenced just like I was thirty years earlier with a movie. They’re now getting this because of video games and because of our show. So for those people who are like, “Oh, video games, blah blah blah,” you know what? The next Beethoven, the next Yo-Yo Ma, may just be somebody who went to our show and got interested because they saw you up there on stage.

In fact I’ll tell you about our soloist. One of our solo pianists who travels all around with us, his name’s Martin Leung, he’s an amazing wonderkin. He can play Mozart, and Chopin, and Liszt, and Bach like anyone’s business. Beethoven, you know. But he loves video games because that’s what he grew up on. He rips shreds through Mario, and Final Fantasy, and we have him on stage this week. He’s going to be doing a brand new Warcraft 2 piano arrangement, and I can tell you in all my years of playing the piano and being involved with professional musicians, I have never seen anyone’s hands move as fast as his when he plays this song. It is mind-blowing. It’s like you can’t even believe you’re watching a human being, it’s that crazy.

Continued on Page 2

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Don’t forget to set your DVRs  this weekend. Video Games Live will be airing on several PBS stations across the nation, and it’s an event you won’t want to miss. Major cities including New York, Seattle, San Francisco, Chicago, Detroit, Las Vegas and many more will be participating, so be sure to check the full list of cities, stations, and time listings, available at the official Video Games Live site. Local listings are available at the PBS site, links provided below.

The Tanooki staff was very lucky this year to see the Video Games Live show airing the last night of E3 2010, and it was easily one of the highlights of the entire trip. I think I speak for us all when I see this is must see TV! See for yourself with the video below, a performance of the theme from Civilization IV, as played by Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra and choir.

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There probably aren’t that many today who are unfamiliar with Video Games Live. VGL is a live musical experience, which consists of a symphony orchestra, mixed with fun musical interludes ranging between special guest composers, live on-stage Guitar Hero and even some YouTube all-stars. Songs range from 8-bit NES songs, to an array of Mario tunes, to newer next-gen favorites.

Later this month and through August, Video Games Live will be airing on PBS, showing the public what the live show has to offer. Check out a great clip above of the very talented orchestra playing a selection from Civilization IV, introduced by composer Christopher Tin.

Check your local listings below to see when Video Games Live will be playing in your area.

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So I’ve been to the Staples Center a few times this week, and more often than not, it’s seemed like it’s all about the Lakers these days… what with the NBA Finals and all. On Monday, however, I took a trip up into the administrative security tower to sit down and speak with Tommy Tallarico, best known as a game music composer and the co-creator of Video Games Live.

We got a chance to talk about several topics, ranging from the evolution of video game music, the upcoming Video Games Live PBS special, and even how young musicians can go about getting involved with the game industry. I’ll probably post an embeddable video and transcript of the session next week, so for now, you’ll have to check out our E3 Page for the whole thing! Simply check out the On-Demand Player in the video section to find it!

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Video Games Live is easily the most exciting musical event for gamers. A live orchestra plays music from several incredible video games, while video montages, lighting effects and interactive segments bring it all to life.

In New Orleans, the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra performed hits from such titles as Mario, Zelda, Sonic, Final Fantasy, Guitar Hero and God of War. For the first time ever, PBS will air the special on July 31st, giving audiences in all areas of the country the opportunity to watch and listen.

Take a look at the trailer for the television event above.

GoNintendo

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