Whether it's the power and passion of the more recent blockbuster games or the exciting nostalgia of the sentimental classics people played growing up, Video Games Live promises to be an excitingly original concert experience.
Video Games Live is an upcoming concert event created by videogame composer Tommy Tallarico and other members of the industry, which features music from the most popular videogames of all time.
Members of the Buffalo Philharmonic as well as other impressive orchestras and choirs from the Buffalo area will perform the music.
The familiar sounds run alongside exclusive video footage, synchronized lighting, solo performers, electronic percussionists, live action and unique interactive segments. These will create an overall explosive entertainment experience, hoping to encourage and support the culture and art that videogames represent.
Video Games Live's debut performance took place on July 6, 2005 at the Hollywood bowl. The show featured the Los Angeles philharmonic where 11,000 took part in largest videogame concert ever.
"I wanted to make sure that we had the best orchestra to show what kind of experience Video Games Live could be," Tallarico said.
While Tallarico is an accomplished musician who has been composing music for videogames for over 15 years, he is also a gaming icon.
"With over three in development with my partner Jack Wall, who is the conductor of the show, I wanted to start off on top from the start," Tallarico said. "No one had done anything like this before and we wanted to set the standard."
Since the first show, Video Games Live has spent the past two years touring the globe. Stops in England, Japan, Spain, Korea and Brazil have brought videogame fans to their feet with excitement and emotion.
"Countries that are known for the love of gaming, like England, the US and Japan, have drawn huge crowds," Tallarico said. "We were shocked by the amount of enthusiasm the Brazilian people showed for gaming."
The concert tour features a broad range of virtually fueled music, including games such as Final Fantasy, Halo, Super Mario, Sonic the Hedgehog, The Legend of Zelda, and arcade classics such as Tetris and Frogger.
"Each show is started with a six-minute medley of classic arcade games, starting with Pong and ending with Tetris that leads into a whole Tron segment," Tallarico said.
The recognizable nature of all the music caused the audience to actively participate in the show.
"We have different segments where I, as the MC, randomly take members out of the audience to play games. For example, I will pick two members of the audience to come on stage and compete in a game of Frogger for 90 seconds," Tallarico said.
Gamers will not be the only ones who enjoy this spectacle.
"I would say a majority of the concert-goers we speak to after the show who have the biggest reaction are the mothers and girlfriends who were dragged to the show but ended up loving it; they leave with a better understanding of what power and emotion videogames have to offer," Tallarico said.
Video Games Live will be at Kleinhans Music Hall Sunday Oct. 14, with doors opening at 7:30 p.m. and ticket prices ranging from $29 to $75.
Photo: Courtesy of Laron Fomby
