Experiencing Video Games Live

Finally! On February 22nd 2016, I was able to attend the Video Games Live show in Richmond, VA. The concert had been delayed an entire month because Winter Storm/Blizzard Jonas dumped 12+ inches of snow in the RVA area. After months of hearing about the show plus the added delay, I had anticipated that night for a very long time.

I wore semi-nice clothing to the event. I'd been to the Altria Theatre many times before and every time I'd gone it was to see a broadway show or ballet, some very formal affair.

"The Richmond Symphony is playing, so this needs to be fancy, right?" I thought. This time I wore some dark jeans, pumps, and a sleek black tank top with cut-outs and mesh.

I put on the shirt with the thought, "This is something Fem Commander Shepard would wear," and I fully put myself into the mentality for this show. And I was still too overdressed. The majority of the crowd wore their gaming t-shirts and many had costumes. There were several Links, some members of Organization 13, an awesome Chell with her own Portal Gun, and a couple of kids with super creative cardboard costumes of Steve from Minecraft and Pacman. There were a few others there like me, who dressed a little nicer so I didn't feel so alone. But it was great. The atmosphere was so comfortable and relaxed, and I could tell that everyone was there to have fun.

So ready! Looks awesome right?

The most unexpected thing when I arrived at the theatre was that the program had almost no information about the actual songs on it. It had the biographies of the creator, conductors and musicians, but nothing about the set list except a message that said, "Selections will be announced from the stage." I accepted that I would just have to be surprised at that point. 

Nothing could’ve prepared me for the excitement I felt every time they announced a favorite soundtrack.

The concert was composed of requests from their Facebook event, and included some popular franchises like The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, Metal Gear Solid with a really cool introduction by Hideo Kojima, and they even managed to throw in some Phoenix Wright. When the intro music to Mass Effect started and the images of Commander Shepard and the Normandy appeared on screen, I nearly cried. This show was a fangirl's dream. Several screens had game footage as the musicians played, with an accompanying light show fitted to the moods of the songs.

One of the most unexpected treats was the performance of music from Shadow of the Colossus. I didn't think anyone else had noticed how gorgeous the music was from the classic PS2 game, so I'm happy it got some recognition. Definitely one of the highlights of the show for me. With the combination of the already wonderful composition, the talent of the Richmond Symphony, and the proper imagery to go with it, the music reached a wave that it rode on for the rest of the concert.

The layout of the stage

Unfortunately, the people in the immediate seating around me didn't seem as excited. It was kind of awkward being the only one in my section who squealed with excitement when they announced my favorite video games. I hooted and hollered with many others as each song was announced, but I’m afraid that annoyed those around me. They had kids and younger ones with them, and I'm sure they were surprised that this show didn't include the popular Minecraft. That's not to say kids didn’t connect to the song choices. The set list included major franchises like The Legend of Zelda and Super Mario Bros.

But this show wasn't just for the kids. I'd actually argue that the show was mostly for the adults and teenagers who were old enough to remember some of those games. They threw in some older franchises like Street Fighter, and other classics like Castlevania and Megaman. The intermissions and little breaks had things like “Grand Theft Auto vs. Frogger”, or the “Top Ten Worst Voice Acting,” filled with adult humor and awkward Japanese to English translations full of innuendo. The adults were finally engaged and either chuckled a bit or hunched over with laughter.

Intermission 

If there's one critique I had, it was the lights show. I don't mind the lights, but I think they could've done a better job of not shining it in the eyes of the audience. I remember one section in particular during the Mass Effect theme where the lights were super bright and seemed like they were flashing constantly in my eyes. I understood why they were there, but I wanted to watch the cutscenes. I wanted to watch the gameplay that was associated with my memories of Mass Effect, one of my favorite games that has had the most impact on my life. The lights took me out of the moment.

Regardless, this show is important because it exhibits the detail and effort that goes behind making video games a full experience. I liked the section where Tommy Tallarico (creator of Video Games Live) came on stage and said that you're not just playing the game, but becoming the character, and the music in the video game becomes the "soundtrack to your life."

I'm a little sad I didn't get the chance to stay and meet the creator and conductor after the show, I had a bit of a road trip ahead of me to get home. Still, I appreciated everything that they did, and I hope that I get the chance to meet them in the future. This is a great example of how important the arts are. Everyone is so focused on studying the science and the computer programming that makes a video game, but we also need to remember the artistic side. Music has always been important in cultures, if there's one thing that is preserved through time, it's the music and the emotions people feel when they listen to it. The importance of that factor was highlighted in that night's concert.

If you have the chance, support this show. Go to a concert. Purchase an album and merchandise. They even have a Kickstarter for their next album: Video Games Live-Level 5. This needs the support, especially if you want to see your favorite songs and soundtracks played!

Have you been to Video Games Live before? What songs do you wish were played or were different from what I described? Be sure to comment below!

Written by: Rae Swain

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