They say the neon lights are bright on Broadway … and on a recent springtime evening there was music in the air and to my way of thinking it never sounded better. Razer is proud to be the “presenting Sponsor” for this year’s tour. The most recent tour stop was at the Beacon Theatre on Broadway. This landmark musical concert event was developed to help encourage and support the culture and art that video games have become … and boy did it ever!

Anyone who has followed my blog over time is aware of my point of view regarding gaming as a viable entertainment cultural event; right up there with movies, literature and theatre. Video Games Live (VGL) celebrates the music developed for our industry. It promotes pop-cultural credibility to video game composers over the last 20 years or so.

VGL synthesizes the influence & passion of a large symphony orchestra, a powerful vocal choir, blended with the enthusiasm and vigor of a rock concert and the technology and interactivity of a video game all completely synchronized to amazing cutting edge video screen visuals, state-of-the-art lighting and special on-stage interactive segments with the audience.

Razer was there to demonstrate in the lobby our latest and greatest audio products, led by the amazing Mako 2.1 desktop system. I was there to meet the masterminds behind the VGL, chat with the New York press (show off my new Razerguy shoes) and be entertained by the concert itself … and wow, was I ever entertained!

As I was quoted a few days after the event in the New Jersey Journal, “We’ve watched [gaming] grow up and this is just a part of the evolution,” Krakoff said. “People now are starting to recognize gaming isn’t just about blowing stuff up.”

To cover the specifics of this event I quote Troy Drier’s recitation …
“Doors opened an hour early as people flooded in for gaming displays and “Guitar Hero” and costume contests.

The concert itself started with a musical tribute to early arcade favorites, such as “Donkey Kong” and “Elevator Action.” Then the orchestra presented segments devoted to the music of The Legend of Zelda series, “Final Fantasy 7,” the Sonic the Hedgehog series, the Mario titles and even “Castlevania,” among others.

As the orchestra played, clips from the games were shown on a large screen overhead. A segment devoted to the movie “Tron” was a big hit.

Because the night wouldn’t have been complete without some actual gaming, the emcee brought audience members onstage for a live version of “Space Invaders” and a “Frogger” duel.”

The next event is June 5th in Winnipeg, Manitoba Canada and if you are near or passing through the area I do encourage you to witness this musical spectacle and pay homage to the heritage and culture of the gaming community.