Video Games Live to play Kennedy Center in Wash. D.C.
by Alexander Sliwinski 
{ Jun 4th 2007 at 10:56PM }
OK, now Video Games Live is getting big time. Video Games Live will perform at the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C. for two days, June 29 and 30, with the National Symphony Orchestra. Yes, that was not a typo. The orchestra, which typically won't creep past the 19th century, is about to take on the last 30 years in video games.
"What an incredible honor for us and the entire video game industry to be playing at such a historical landmark with such a prestigious symphony," said video game composer and Video Games Live co-creator Jack Wall. Fellow co-creator and game composer Tommy Tallarico added, "We've already started inviting as many local politicians and their families as possible. It's important for us to show everyone how incredibly creative, artistic and significant video games and the culture surrounding them have become."
Just pick up our jaws off the floor already. Video Games Live is also holding a contest to send someone and a guest to the event. Sponsored by Microsoft, ManiaTV and DreamAuthentics you can apply here. There will also be a pre-show on the Grand Foyer with "costume contest, free game demo handouts, prize give-a-ways" and game competitions. After the concert people will be able to meet Sid Meier (only appearing June 30) and other industry veterans. Very cool news, now we wonder if House Speaker Nancy Pelosi will sit next to Sid Meier and discuss Civilization, while Vice President Dick Cheney and Epic's Mark Rein go boozing in the lobby and Cheney lets him know they got the splatter effect of shooting someone all wrong in Gears of War.
[Via Press Release]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
def PD @ Jun 4th 2007 11:17PM
I went to the show @ Yale University in CT. Phenomenal show. I was going to wait for the NYC show, but that isn't until 2008. For those who haven't gone, I highly recommend attending.
Rubang B @ Jun 4th 2007 11:24PM
Yay! Great news that won't turn into a flamewar!
bearattack79 @ Jun 4th 2007 11:40PM
Ya but the 360... No wait Wii is...
Rubang B, I think your right.
Tommy Tallarico @ Jun 5th 2007 12:22AM
Yo Alexander,
Thanks for the great coverage and support. Hope you'll be able to make it out to one of our shows this year. Loved the last few lines of the article. I'll make sure to inquire to the White House about that one!
:)
Tommy
Wirestone @ Jun 5th 2007 1:14AM
Um ... saying the orchestra doesn't typically creep into the 19th century is ignorant to the extreme. Beethoven's symphonies were all written in the 19th century (that is, the 1800s). The music that most people associate with symphony orchestras come from the romantic period, which Beethoven began.
For that matter, the orchestra has regularly programmed music by Copland, Mahler, Strauss and Shostakovich, all of whom wrote in the 20th century (1990s). The orchestra also commissions works from living composers, and has recorded John Corigliono's Symphony No. 1, written in 1991.
So please, give the orchestra its due. It's not as ancient as you suggest.
Nathaniel N. @ Jun 5th 2007 1:14AM
I went to Video Games Live just a few months ago when they came here to Edmonton. The music was effing phenomenal, but the screen they projected on was somewhat cheap and distracted from the Free Bird like epicness. Here's to hoping they get something a little more sophisticated for this show.
Bonus Points:
My Tallarico signed copy of Canvas Curse.
http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a86/Nathan_x/Tallarico.jpg
Jedimonkey27 @ Jun 5th 2007 1:15AM
Wow I have been wanting to go to one of these things ever since I missed the Philadelphia one that was a while ago. I am SOO excited that it will be in D.C. W000 I can't wait!
n_revolution9 @ Jun 5th 2007 2:00AM
I totally wanna go to this thing too.
driven2sin @ Jun 5th 2007 2:18AM
everyone knows you can replace the wholething with one PS3 in a white room
Rowd149 @ Jun 5th 2007 7:09AM
Aw, man, this is PERFECT. I can't wair, gotta buy tickets...
ricefarmer @ Jun 5th 2007 7:37AM
Tickets have been on sale for over a month now at the Kennedy Center website, at least that's when I got mine. I didn't know they were going to have some extras before the show though... looks like I'll be getting there really early now.
megaStryke @ Jun 5th 2007 8:41AM
@Wirestone
Alexander said that the orchestra doesn't typically creep PAST, not INTO, the 19th century. In other words, the DO play 19th century material but rarely if ever play anything from the 20th century. Be careful of calling out ignorance before checking what you might have misread.
megaStryke @ Jun 5th 2007 8:44AM
@Wirestone again
Maybe I should practice what I preach. If they do play what you say they do, they play more current music more often than rarely.
Anam @ Jun 5th 2007 9:21AM
Sounds great.
The only question is how much of the music will be by Nobuo Uematsu?
Grant @ Jun 5th 2007 9:54AM
"Vice President Dick Cheney and Epic's Mark Rein go boozing in the lobby and Cheney lets him know they got the splatter effect of shooting someone all wrong in Gears of War."
lol. thats just good writing.
Steve @ Jun 5th 2007 10:38AM
Nancy Pelosi to discuss Civilization? Why? So she can figure out which communist policy will work best to destroy it? :)
Crono @ Jun 5th 2007 12:13PM
Let the political flamewar begin!
Did you hear vermont wants to seceed from the union because the American government has become a corrupt empire that doesn't care for its constituents.
I happen to agree. Political parties (both of them) have taken the power away from the people they're supposed to be representing, and have given it to a platform. Because of this, when people go to the ballot box, the are casting their vote for a party, not a person. So what happens when there is a candidate whom you agree with on all issues, but he doesn't belong to an "electable" party (green party, libertarian party)? You vote for some other guy who you still agree with, but not nearly as stongly, because he belongs to an electable party (democrat, republican).
This is bullshit. Party platforms have destroyed the democratic process of this republic, and will be america's downfall. The government long ago stopped looking out for our best interests and became far more interested in looking out for itself.
The crappiest thing about this is, even if most people realize this, its too late to do anything about it. 3rd party candidates are still commonly seen as "protest votes" with no chance of election on the national level, with few exceptions. As such, we are stuck electing a democrat or republican. We can't break up the parties, because the parties in power don't want to be broken up, either of them.
So what solution is there? Vermont want to "peacefully seceed". Well, 140 years ago, South Carolina wanted to "peacefully seceed", but the union had other ideas.
Thats right, the only solution left is a revolution. Another Civil War, only this time those revolting have no chance to win, due to wonderful gun control laws that keep the citizens weak relative to the governments military, not to mention the lack of training, or an organized militia that doesn't belong to the federal government.
Basically, we the people of the United States of America, are totally boned.
Darren @ Jun 18th 2007 3:16PM
Sorry, but crono has it dead wrong.
Platforms are nothing more than a description of what the party stands for. Nothing wrong with that, especially since, unlike his claim that they're "more important than the people," these platforms are chosen BY the people. Every step a party takes is done because of votes from the members, ordinary people who bother to participate.
That's why the party's a great thing. Without it, ordinary people can't do squat, but with the party even without spending a bunch of money I have influence and can make a difference.
If you think there are only 2 candidates, you wake up and get involved a whole lot later than you should. Right now the parties have SEVERAL candidates, and people who bother to get involved are making their decisions now who to support.
People aren't "boned," or out of control, in the least. People who don't bother to TRY to participate, who aren't well enough informed on what's really going on to make a remotely intelligent decision, they can sit and whine about getting "boned" but nobody's preventing them from participating, from making a difference, but themselves.
I'm looking forward to seeing VGL this year, and even though I also like the traditional classical music it sounds like some folks here are bagging on, I think it'll be pretty cool.
Now...quit griping about how horrible your government is, and go DO something about it. Show up at your party's next meeting, go to a caucus (and if you're going "I'm too young" believe me, they LOVE to have young people show up) work on a campaign, work at party headquarters, we all start small and work our way up, and you'll learn the truth...the most candidates for office are just regular people like everyone else who want to do what's best for their community, their state, their nation. Some have very bad ideas about HOW to do that, but they're still decent people.
That's one more thing...people talking about politics and government ALWAYS talk about presidential elections and federal government. The decisions that will affect your life are a WHOLE lot more likely to come from your local city council or school board. The stuff that happens in Sacramento and Oklahoma City and Pierre and Albany is as important as the stuff in Washington, and you have a lot more chance of talking to your state rep as you do your congressman.