Joystiq announced Monkey Island Music Day, which of course put an obligatory warmth in me scurvy little heart.

They hosted a slew of videos, all of which I believe have been previously posted here, so instead I offer you the bounty of the downloads section of Scumm Bar, the Monkey Island mega fansite.

A vast trove of MP3s and MIDIs from all four games.

I will also take this opportunity to reflect upon an episode from the Video Games Live performance I attended at the Hollywood Bowl.

Somewhere in the middle of the concert, seemingly out of the blue, it was announced that for the first time in many years, LucasArts composing legends from the old days, including my favorites Michael Z. Land and Clint Bajakian, were teaming up onstage to wail on the old glories of game music. And yes, they performed the Monkey Island theme.

Leading up to the actual music, I was so excited I actually drew blood from some stranger I gripped hysterically, but once the middle-aged, plaid-clad gentlemen took their places at their keyboards and guitars, the magic quickly faded. These boys had obviously not practiced a lick in the decade since these games came out, and it showed. They looked small and jaded in the glare from the giant screens, and the respectful but uncomprehending orchestra. And they just sounded messy.

Chastened and regretful, I went home and queued up my mp3s. I hope someday to see those themes done justice on as massive a scale as the other games in the lineup, but with the age and obscurity of the titles only increasing, I doubt I ever will. Eliza Gauger

Happy Monkey Island Music Day [Joystiq]