Unless you're a member of the school orchestra or have been playing the flute for years, most don't rank classical music highly on their list. But what if you added electric guitars, multi-colored lighting and huge screens with Mario, Zelda and Sonic the Hedgehog plastered on it? Video Games Live fuses the classical elements you'd see at the symphony and the vibe of a rock arena tour with the music from history's top video games. Founded by veteran video game composers, Tommy Tallarico and Jack Wall, the show has played to sold-out all over the world from the United States and Canada to Japan to Brazil. The show performs music from old school classics like "Tetris" and "Pong®" to newer big names like "Kingdom Hearts" and "Rainbow Six." When Video Games Live premiered on July 6, 2005, at the Hollywood Bowl featuring the LA Philharmonic Orchestra, more than 11,000 people came to experience the largest video game concert in history.
Working in the video game industry for over 18 years, Tallarico, who hosts and plays electric guitar on some of the songs, said he really saw the evolution of video games and how they have affected pop culture. "I wanted to create a celebration of the entire video game industry," Tallarico said. "I wanted to prove to the world how culturally significance and how big video games have become."Because it's more of an interactive experience than you're average concert, attendees will be surprised to see how much they'll actually be participating in the event. Unlike most gigs that open its doors to an hour before the show starts, Video Games Live hosts a pre-show that offers ticket holders a chance to game demos and competitions, costume contests and big giveaways. There's also a post-show where video game buffs can meet the makers, composers and artists of their favorite video games. Both are free for all people who attend the concert.
