PixlBit

Saturday night my wife and I had the opportunity to see Video Games Live, Tommy Tallarico's incredible orchestral game concert series. (Tommy is probably best known for the soundtrack to Earthworm Jim, though he holds the Guinness Book of World Records record for working on more video games than any other person. Over 300!) This was our second time going (our first was about two and a half years ago) and it was just as good this time around. They revisited a few of the same games as the last we saw them but it was mostly new stuff. They had a Phoenix Wright medley! I might have squeaked with delight just a little bit when they started that one. Another favorite of mine was the Mega Man medley. Hearing that Wily 2 music from a live orchestra was moving. There were some expected franchises represented like Mario, Zelda, Sonic, Castlevania, and Final Fantasy, which were all really great (Castlevania was a total rock fest with Tommy himself playing the electric guitar). Last time they played the music to the opening cinematic of World of Warcraft: Cataclysm as the visuals played on the big screen; this time they played Warlords of Draenor. Blizzard sure knows how to do those things! They also played League of Legends, Skyrim, and Resident Evil 5. Even though I've played the game, I was surprised by how much I liked the music from Uncharted 2. Metal Gear Solid, Shadow of the Colosus, Mass Effect, Halo, Street Fighter II, Kingdom Hearts (I can never hear "Hikari" too many times)—so much good stuff!

At the end of the show we all just kept clapping and cheering and they came back for an encore with a medley from Chrono Trigger and Chrono Cross followed by "One-winged Angel" from FFVII (the choir was incredible, by the way). The line was so long to meet Tommy after the show and it was already after 10:30, so we ended up just going home. But man! What a night! I would have gladly sat through the same show again right as soon as they finished it. Can't wait to go again!

(Here is my blog from the first time we went to Video Games Live. Also, VGL has a kickstarter going right now for a new album. This will be their fifth CD overall and third time using Kickstarter. Check it out!)