Witchcraft? No.
Satanic worship? Sort of.
Video Games? YES!
I went to see Video Games Live! with YoungerSon and The Bride.
WOW! It was great!
The audience was full of "gamers" who came to see the Kitchener-Waterloo Symphony and the Kitchener-Waterloo Youth Chorus perform music written for video games by video game composers Tommy Tallarico and Jack Wall.
First let me say I'm far from being a gamer.
My video game experience is limited to Pong, Donkey Kong and Frogger with quick bursts of Super Mario and Tetris in between. Oh, and recently some rather pathetic attempts at Guitar Hero on "easy".
But these sellout crowd gamers were rabid! Hoots and hollers and cheers each time their favourite video came on the big screen. Some dressed as their favourite game character.
The Symphony played valiantly through big screen monster attacks, caveman skirmishes, and military ambushes.
And the laser lights just kept on flashing.
A special guest was Martin Leung, the Video Game Pianist. Never heard of him? Don't worry, I hadn't either but apparently his claim to fame is an internet video of him playing the Super Mario Brothers theme while blindfolded. See the video here. He sure could bang away at top speed on that piano!
Part of the show is a Guitar Hero competition and the champion is invited on stage to play "Sweet Emotion" from Aerosmith on "Hard", and is given a target of 160,000 points to win a prize. This has to be one of the most difficult songs on the game. He scored over 150,000 points, so they gave him the prize anyway!
This is a concert that I would never in a million years put on my "must see" list, but I surprised myself by really enjoying it. The music was unexpectedly good, although a lot of it was a bit "Star Warsish". Lots of interaction between the performers on the stage and the audience.
This sounds like quite an adventure. I have never heard of it. Isn't it funny that the things we would never usually think of attending always turn out to be the most fun..!
ReplyDeleteBeyond my skill sets and interests, but like you said it is always the unexpected that can turn out really enjoyable.
ReplyDeletehah! Is this a traveling event around Canada?
ReplyDeleteGood thing we have those young ones to give us a boost and move us out of our comfort zone.
ReplyDeleteGood to try something new! The only way to know if you like it or not!
ReplyDeleteSounds like a fascinating, if bizarre, evening.
ReplyDeleteI never heard of it either but it sounds fascinating. I enjoyed hearing the young man play the piano. That's for sharing something so far out of my everyday realm.
ReplyDeleteAhhh Shem, now we know why you're so young at heart! What a fun thing to do with your kids..and you've actually played gutiar hero. Just between you, me, and the gate post, I think I could really get into that one:)
ReplyDeleteyou rock!!! sounds like a perfectly wonderful event....
ReplyDeleteSounds like fun! I am sure the music was wonderful. You know more games than I do. I think the only one I played was the first "pac-man" 'way back in the eighties! How things have progressed!
ReplyDeletethis was a great post. so full of interesting information. who knew about video games live? I am glad you enjoyed the Chihuly on my website. Chihuly is just great and I will keep adding more of it. It is so beautiful and creative. Today i am showing and providing interesting information involving artists from the past.
ReplyDeleteQuite the fun I bet....I'll stick with my Tetrus and Brain Age. My eyes have problems with those and the old crooked fingers are too slow.
ReplyDeleteHave you ever played Guitar Hero yourself? Fun game, but I'm terrible at it. The piano video is amazing. I love to see how people can pick up an instrument and make music come out of it.
ReplyDeleteIt sounds like it was quite different from anything I'm used to. But gaming isn't for me. I get bored after a very short while.
ReplyDeleteThis sounds oddly interesting. And you've had way more gaming experience than I have.
ReplyDeleteTotally awesome, Dude!
ReplyDeleteHeehee...just kidding...but actually it is awesome! Sounds like sometime I'd go to...but I've never heard of it! I know that at one point around here there were clubs that had Guitar Hero/Rock Band competitions, like on Tuesday nights or something. I love that game so very much, my favorite.
If you came to visit me in SF I'm sure, there might be lots of events like this...I'll let ya know when we move! :-)
I would be in your same boat, Sham, but I have a feeling I'd be awed by it all, too. It's a different world out there, isn't it!
ReplyDeleteWow...I am impressed...I can not say that I "get" video games but I know they are very very popular!
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