"Our goal and dream of successfully showcasing the video game industry and video game music to the masses has really taken off." said prolific game composer and VGL co-creator Tommy Tallarico. "The support and interest from around the world has been absolutely amazing and we're really looking forward to continuing this for many years to come."

Tickets for the World Tour go on sale today at videogameslive.com

August 29, 2009 – Taipei, Taiwan
September 5, 2009 – Beijing, China
September 21, 2009 – Tokyo, Japan
September 22, 2009 – Tokyo, Japan
September 25, 2009 – Augusta, Georgia, USA
September 30, 2009 – Belo Horizonte, Brazil
October 1, 2009 – Salvador, Brazil
October 4, 2009 – Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
October 7, 2009 – Sao Paulo, Brazil
October 11, 2009 – Philadelphia, PA, USA (2 shows)
October 13, 2009 – Shanghai, China
October 17, 2009 – Taipei, Taiwan
October 25, 2009 – New York City, New York, USA
November 7, 2009 – Portland, Oregon, USA
November 8, 2009 – Portland, Oregon, USA
November 16, 2009 – Poland
November 17, 2009 – Poland
November 18, 2009 – Poland
November 21, 2009 – Paris, France
November 25, 2009 – Gateshead, England
November 27, 2009 – Lisbon, Portugal
November 29, 2009 – Dublin, Ireland
December 3, 2009 – Cardiff, Wales, UK
March 13, 2009 – Tuscon, Arizona, USA
March 14, 2009 – Tuscon, Arizona, USA
April 10, 2009 - Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA

Video Games Live

The 2GB MP3 player is now available for sale at the Video Games Live online store, and will also be making appearances at the merchandising tables at Video Game Live concert events and eventually retail outlets. It a pretty standard player, though the VGL design on it is rather snazzy. The main selling point will be the 10 tracks of previously unreleased live recordings, with Halo, Kingdom Hearts, Warcraft, Castlevania, Myst, Mass Effect, Civilization IV, Tron, Earthworm Jim and Advent Rising tunes available exclusively on the device. Enticing, but is it $50 worth of enticing?

This probably would have been a very attractive deal a few years ago, but now that everything I own plays MP3s, I'm not seeing this flying off the merchandise table.

VIDEO GAMES LIVE PRE-LOADED MP3 PLAYER $50.00 [Video Games Live Store]

We've already heard from a number of developers are holding off on announcements this year until E3 so they can make a big splash. All of that potential attention has also now attracted Video Games Live, which plans to hold a performance the week of the show.

Video Games Live will be performing on June 4, at 8 p.m. at the Greek Theater in LA as the closing ceremony of the convention, according to the official VGL site.

Live hasn't performed in LA for more than two years , so if you caught it last time round in LA, expect some additions.

VIDEO GAMES LIVE RETURNS TO LOS ANGELES!

I'm still planning on going to cover it for Kotaku. If you're in the Colorado area you should try and check it out as well.

The show is on Sunday, April 19 at 7 p.m. with doors opening a half hour earlier. It will be at the Budweiser Events Center and features the Fort Collins Symphony. Tickets are $47 and $37 and are on sale now.

Video Games Live

Halo composers Marty O'Donnel and Michael Salvatori will be joined by other members of the Bungie team to celebrate the world premiere of the music from the Halo 3: ODST trailer. After the concert, ticket holders will be able to stand in a long line, desperately trying to think of questions to ask them during the meet and greet. Might I suggest, "Is composing hard?" or perhaps, "How difficult is it to compose?" - two of my favorites.

Gabe and Tycho from Penny-Arcade will also be making an appearance. My question suggestions still stand.

VIDEO GAMES LIVE™ TO DEBUT MUSIC FROM HALO 3: ODST IN SEATTLE

Special Guests to Include: Halo Composers Marty O’Donnell and Michael Salvatori as well as Gabe & Tycho from Penny Arcade

After selling out scores of shows in front of hundreds of thousands of fans around the world, Video Games Live is proud to announce the live WORLD PREMIERE of the music from the Halo® 3: ODST trailer. The music will be given the full symphonic Video Games Live treatment at the Seattle performance at the famed Paramount Theatre on January 24th. Halo 3: ODST will be available to fans this Fall.

The Seattle performance of VGL will also feature personal appearances by veteran game composer Marty O’Donnell, best known for scoring the Halo franchise, as well as Halo composer Michael Salvatori and other members of the Bungie team— ticket holders will be able to interact with them at a post-show meet & greet. Says O’Donnell, “I’ve always debuted my music with Video Games Live and it’s an honor to be involved with such a highly successful production. It’s a fantastic show and a great and unique way to connect our music with an audience.” Video Games Live was the first to perform the music of Halo with a symphony orchestra at the Hollywood Bowl in 2005 featuring the Los Angeles Philharmonic and guitar legend Steve Vai (whose guitar work appeared on Halo 2) in front a crowd of 11,000 people.

“We’ve been good friends of Marty for a long time and really love the work that he’s done,” said video game composer and Video Games Live co-creator/conductor Jack Wall. “The audience’s reaction to the Halo scores is always incredible and we’re once again looking forward to adding more exclusive music from the franchise.” Game composer and Video Games Live co-creator/host Tommy Tallarico added, “It’s always been a goal of ours to change the show each and every year. We’re going into our 5th year of touring Video Games Live and each year we continue to mix it up and add to our setlist.” Aside from the 50+ game franchises already represented and created, Video Games Live is currently working on 10 new segments for 2009 including Mega Man, Chrono Cross/Chrono Trigger, Super Smash Bros., Monkey Island, Shadow of the Colossus, Earthworm Jim, Silent Hill and more.

Joining Marty O’Donnell at the post-show meet & greet will be Penny Arcade creators/founders Gabe & Tycho, along with other industry creators, designers, artists and composers. Also appearing will be Canadian artists Splitting Adam, performing with the symphony their hit “On My Own” from the recent Need For Speed: Undercover game.

New Preferred Tickets and Additional Seating have been added today for this performance. Tickets are available at:
http://www.ticketmaster.com/event/0F004039CD048C2F?artistid=976815&majorcatid=10001&minorcatid=52

Video Games Live is currently planning over 60 shows for 2009. Additional international TOUR DATES can be found at: http://www.videogameslive.com/index.php?s=dates

Portuguese gaming blog RumblePack got an exclusive from Tallarico during a recent Video Games Live performance, with the diminutive composer spilled the beans on several properties they are working on integrating into the show this year. In the video clip below, Tommy announces that Shadow of Colossus, Mega Man, Chrono Trigger, Chrono Cross, Shenmue, and Earthworm Jim were all in the works.

I don't know about you guys, but they had me at Chrono Trigger. If I had to single out the best video game soundtrack ever composed, that's the one right there. The only problem I can see with the addition is that depending on the song selection, I won't be able to attend the concert without crying like a baby.

Exclusivo Mundial: Os novos segmentos do Video Games Live em 2009 [Rumblepack - Thanks Pedro!]

“With more hall space, more attendees, and more attractions, this BlizzCon will be our biggest yet,” said Mike Morhaime, CEO and cofounder of Blizzard Entertainment. “We’re working hard with our partners to make this an unforgettable experience, and we’re looking forward to meeting players at the show.”

Best of all, Kotaku will be there! Well, I will be there. Most of Kotaku will be in Japan. I suppose I could have gone to Japan too, but then I'd miss out on that sweet polar bear mount. Either way, coverage begins Friday, so stay tuned for more from the BlizzCon floor.

BlizzCon® 2008 Gaming Convention Begins This Week

IRVINE, Calif.—(BUSINESS WIRE)—Blizzard Entertainment, Inc.’s two-day gaming festival, BlizzCon® 2008, begins on Friday, October 10, at the Anaheim Convention Center in Anaheim, California. The convention celebrates the communities of players surrounding Blizzard Entertainment®’s Warcraft®, StarCraft®, and Diablo® game universes. Attendees of the sold-out show will be able to play the latest versions of Blizzard Entertainment games as well as speak with developers in special panels, participate in tournaments and contests, and meet with fellow gamers and friends.

Jay Mohr has returned to host the live contests this year, and the show will close on Saturday evening with an epic concert featuring comedian Patton Oswalt, Blizzard’s own Warcraft-themed metal band Level 80 Elite Tauren Chieftain, and Video Games Live, who will be performing special orchestral arrangements of music from Blizzard games.

“With more hall space, more attendees, and more attractions, this BlizzCon will be our biggest yet,” said Mike Morhaime, CEO and cofounder of Blizzard Entertainment. “We’re working hard with our partners to make this an unforgettable experience, and we’re looking forward to meeting players at the show.”

For those unable to attend, DIRECTV® will be broadcasting the convention live as a pay-per-view event. Visit www.blizzard.com/blizzcon/dtv for more information. In addition, up-to-date show coverage will be posted at the official BlizzCon website, www.blizzcon.com.

Anyone attending BlizzCon who is interested in pursuing career opportunities at Blizzard Entertainment should bring their resumes, demo reels, art portfolios, or business cards, as the global staffing team will be on hand to accept materials and discuss any job-related questions.

BlizzCon would not be possible without the enthusiasm of Blizzard gamers around the world and the generous support of AMD, Dell®, DIRECTV, Intel®, and other sponsors.

Kingdom Hearts: See, for me Kingdom Hearts and music spells out Utada Hikaru, so instead of being a strong opening choice for the album, the first entry had me wanting to go listen to “Simple and Clean”, and then perhaps “Passion” from Kingdom Hearts II for good measure.

Warcraft Suite: So much of my life has been spent on Warcraft in various forms that this selection evokes a great deal of memories and emotions in me. That's really one of the keys to listening to this CD. If you've played the games you get the 1-2 punch of excellent music and nostalgia. Hell, that's the key to Video Games Live.

Myst Medley: I spent so much time being vexed by puzzles playing through the Myst series that I never really considered the music. This is some very powerful and majestic music. The vocals are particularly elegant and haunting.

Medal of Honor: This is the selection that loses the most during the transition from live performance to CD. During Video Games Live they present this arrangement with a series of touching wartime photos that really drive the music home. Without the photographs it is a still a lovely piece, but it lacks the impact of the full presentation.

Civilization IV Medley: Very tribal, which is fitting seeing as Civ is all about evolving your tribe into a full-fledged Civilization. It's like something out of Lion King, only on a much larger scale.

Tetris Piano Op. 1: My only problem with this rendition of the classic Tetris music performed on piano? It's way too short, though I suppose my opinion could be tempered by the fact that I would hear that music for an hour at a time as a young teenager. A minute just doesn't cut it!

God of War Montage: The music in this live recording of the God of War montage is a bit overwhelming...overpowering really. While it works really well while kicking ass in the game, as standalone music it is more likely to kick your ass.

Advent Rising Suite: Quite honestly one of the best pieces on the CD. Tommy Tallarico crafted some truly amazing music for a game that didn't turn out to be nearly as epic as the developers had hoped. Perfect accompaniment for a sweeping space opera.

Tron Montage: And suddenly I'm a little boy in a movie theater getting his first taste of CGI all over again. Tron played a huge part in getting me into the whole video game thing in the first place, and this piece is a lovely reminder as to why. Almost worth buying the CD for.

Halo Suite: One of the finest pieces of video game music produced over the last decade, arranged in a very pleasing manner, though ever Halo music performance pales in the face of this one.

Castlevania Rock: It's rock! It's live! It's Castlevania! It's been done better elsewhere! Not the strongest closer for the CD, but a pleasant change from the sweeping orchestral bits. Lovely guitar work, but then you'd better damn well bring lovely guitar work to Castlevania, or we're coming for you.

Basically, Video Games Live Volume One is a trade off. While it may not have the raw power and excitement of actually attending one of the concerts, it is much cheaper, and it's a solitary experience. Appreciating music is about interpreting it in your own way, which is hard to do with several thousands fellow gamers screaming before and after every song while a giant screen flashes music-related graphics over your head. While the concert series provides a richer experience as a whole, VGL Volume One allows you and the music to get to know one another.

Said award-winning composer Inon Zur, “CRYSIS is one of the most interesting and challenging games I have scored to date so I am thrilled that it is going to be featured in Video Games Live. I’m very proud and honored to have my music played in this groundbreaking concert series."

The concert is to be held at the 7,000 seat Leipzig arena on Wednesday, August 20th. Not sure if McWhertor or I will be stopping by at this point, but in any case we'll be there in spirit. Or nearby drinking the local spirits. One of those.

WORLD PREMIERE OF CRYSIS TO BE PERFORMED AT VIDEO GAMES LIVE IN LEIPZIG

Performance to be held at 7,000 seat Leipzig Arena during Games Convention

LOS ANGELES, CA – AUGUST 11, 2008 — Video Games Live and German based developer Crytek are pleased to announce the music from the multiple award winning PC blockbuster CRYSIS will make its world premiere on Wednesday, August 20, 2008 at the 7,000 seat Leipzig Arena in Leipzig, Germany during the world renowned Games Convention. Recently the “Video Games Live – Volume One” album debuted on the Billboard charts at #10 and in week 2 of the release has climbed to #8 (SOURCE: Billboard Top 10)

Video Games Live is proud to be the official game concert of one of the biggest video game conventions in the world which received over 185,000 people from around the globe in 2007. In celebration of this special concert event, a powerful arrangement of tracks from the modern cinematic score composed by Inon Zur, will be featured for the first time and synchronized to exclusive video footage and state-of-the-art lighting and special effects.

Said award-winning composer Inon Zur, “CRYSIS is one of the most interesting and challenging games I have scored to date so I am thrilled that it is going to be featured in Video Games Live. I’m very proud and honored to have my music played in this groundbreaking concert series." Co-Creator and conductor of Video Games Live, Jack Wall added, “"When we debut a new segment in Video Games Live, it's always a thrill to perform it for the first time in the place where the game was originally created. Playing the world premiere of CRYSIS in Germany is something I am really looking forward to!"

For CRYSIS Inon Zur wrote a modern cinematic score that heightens the impact of the dramatic storyline, realistic environments and highly-evolved gameplay. His CRYSIS compositions feature sweeping themes, immersive setup pieces, intense action music, and "otherworldly" instrumental soundscapes performed by the orchestra to invoke the alien influences in the game.

The Leipzig Games Convention is an annual video game event in Leipzig, Germany, first held in 2002. Its concept was created by the German Federal Association for Entertainment Software amongst others. With 185,000+ visitors, 2,600 journalists and 368 exhibitors from 25 countries in 2007, the Games Convention rivals the Tokyo Game Show as the biggest games event in the world. By comparison, both the Leipzig and Tokyo shows, where gamers of all ages can visit the show floor, were three times the size of the trade-only 2006 E3 show in Los Angeles. The conference takes place in a sprawling modern complex of exhibition halls in Leipzig, Germany.

"What a great honor to be asked by the Leipzig Games Convention to be a part of their incredible convention", said game composer and co-creator of Video Games Live Tommy Tallarico. "We've received so many e-mails and requests over the years to bring our show to Germany, and to finally perform there in such a prominent and prestigious way is very special to us. We're really looking forward to exposing German audiences to our very unique presentation which will include many special guests from around the world.”

Crytek GmbH ("Crytek") creators of the multi-award winning first person shooter Far Cry®, and the recent blockbuster hit Crysis®, awarded best PC Game of both E3 2007 and the 2007 Leipzig Games Convention, and awarded Best Technology at the 2008 Game Developers Choice Awards, is an interactive entertainment development company with its headquarters located in Frankfurt Main, Germany and additional studios in Kiev, Ukraine, Budapest, Hungary and Sofia in Bulgaria. Crytek is dedicated to creating exceptionally high quality video games for the PC and next-generation consoles, powered by their proprietary cutting edge 3D-Game-Technology CryENGINE®2.

The CRYSIS Original Soundtrack is available on CD from Sumthing Else Music Works and for digital download from iTunes and Sumthing Digital. VIDEO GAMES LIVE - VOLUME ONE is currently available wherever music is sold including retail outlets, iTunes, Amazon.com and Walmart.com.

For more information on the composer Inon Zur please visit his official website www.inonzur.com.

So what's on the tracklist? Eleven games are represented, from the whimsical Tetris Piano Opus, to the moving Medal of Honor suite. Myst, Warcraft, God of War, Kingdom Hearts...hell, they've even got Advent Rising on there, which goes to show that your game doesn't have to be successful to make it on the Video Games Live CD...it just has to have music composed by Tommy Tallarico. The track that really makes the disc for me? Wendy Carlos' Tron Montage. Makes me feel like I am 10 years old wearing a cardboard Tron helmet all over again. Hit the jump for the full track listing and sketchy details about availability!

EMI CLASSICS RELEASES - VIDEO GAMES LIVE: VOLUME ONE

First Video Game Music Compilation Album to be Released Worldwide on a Major Label

Recorded and Mixed at the World Famous Abbey Road Studios in London

LONDON, UK - JULY 7, 2008 - In an exciting collaboration with Video Games Live, EMI Classics will release a CD celebrating some of the best known, most popular video game music of all time. The first worldwide campaign of its kind by EMI is linked to the Video Games Live events planned in North and South America, Europe and Asia over the coming months and aims to appeal to a broad audience of gamers, non-gamers and music lovers of all kinds. Video Games Live: Volume One showcases some of the more popular segments that currently appear in Video Games Live. The album contains several unique arrangements that were created along with the original composers exclusively for the show, and have never previously been released.

Video games are arguably today’s most popular entertainment of choice for the 21st century, and the music is central to their attraction. The EMI Classics CD, compiled by Video Games Live co-creators Tommy Tallarico and Jack Wall, who also conducts the recording, features the Slovak National Orchestra, The Crouch End Festival Chorus and The Video Game Pianist, Martin Leung in medleys from hit game franchises such as Halo, Warcraft, Kingdom Hearts, Tetris, Castlevania, Myst and Tron.

Video Games Live: Volume One will be released in two stages: The digital release will be downloadable in the UK from July 7th, 2008, with the option to pre-order from a week before that on iTunes and other DSP’s (Digital Service Providers) with that capability; the release of the CD and iTunes exclusive, including digital bonus tracks, will be staggered to coincide with Video Games Live events, beginning in San Diego, California on July 24th (North America) and Leipzig, Germany on August 20th (Europe and worldwide).

Music in the interactive entertainment industry has come far in the past 35 years, from beeps and electrical impulses to early digital synthesis and sampling to pre-recorded soundtracks. As the games themselves have become more sophisticated, so has the music that drives them and a generation of composers are devoting their energies to writing for the video game medium.

Video Games Live is the largest and most successful video game concert in the world having already performed around the globe to over 250,000 people. The debut performance took place on July 6th, 2005 at the world famous Hollywood Bowl with the LA Philharmonic. Over 11,000 people attended making it the biggest video game concert in the world. Most of the game music played (Halo, Sonic, Metal Gear Solid, Warcraft, Tomb Raider, Myst, Kingdom Hearts, Tron, Medal of Honor, Advent Rising, etc.) had never been performed live. Video Games Live followed with groundbreaking first ever game concert performances in countries such as Brazil, England, New Zealand, Spain, Mexico, Canada, Scotland, Taiwan and Portugal. Video Games Live was also the very first American video game concert to perform in Asia (Korea). In 2007 they were recipients of a major industry award in Brazil for "Special Breakthrough Achievement" following their sold out performances in Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo. Video Games Live concerts have since taken place around the world, selling out multi-thousand-seat venues within hours or days of being announced.

The live concert experience features music from the biggest games of all time. Top orchestras and choirs around the world perform along with exclusive video footage and music arrangements, synchronized lighting, solo performers, electronic percussion, live action and unique interactive segments to create an explosive one-of-a-kind entertainment experience. Special events surround the show, including pre- and post-show festivals.

In the coming months, Video Games Live will perform more concerts throughout the world. Forthcoming dates include: Houston and Austin, TX; Louisville, KY; San Diego and San Jose, CA; Indianapolis, IN; Brookville, NY; Birmingham, AL; Kansas City, MO; Chicago, IL; Newark, NJ; Burlington, VT; Seattle, WA; Kalamazoo, MI; Sarasota, FL and Richmond, VA; Vancouver, BC; Kitchener, ON; Calgary; Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; Leipzig, Germany; Glasgow, Scotland; Paris, France; Lisbon, Portugal; London, UK; Taipei, Taiwan; Beijing, China. Visit www.videogameslive.com for regular updates of the performance dates.

“If Beethoven were alive today, he would probably be a video-game composer... he was always ahead of the curve. One of his goals in creating music was to control the emotions of the person listening to it. This is exactly what we as game composers are constantly trying to accomplish.” (Video Games Live co-creator Tommy Tallarico)

“A touring multimedia show that has already been seen by more than 250,000 people is playing at the world's finest concert halls — with the world's finest orchestras powering through some of the world's most popular video-game music. And it's attracting a decidedly different audience. There were more than children and teenage gamers … [there were] a lot of grandmas out there.” (NPR – National Public Radio, U.S.)

TRACKLISTING

1. Kingdom Hearts®
KINGDOM HEARTS © Disney • Developed by Square-Enix Co., Ltd. • “Kingdom” written by Utada Hikaru • Orchestrator: Kaoru Wada

The KINGDOM HEARTS® franchise is the result of a collaboration between Disney and Square-Enix. The ground-breaking fantasy action role-playing game received numerous awards and was a dominating presence upon its release in 2002. The single, Hikari (to which the instrumental version “Kingdom” was based) has sold over 1 million copies in Japan. Female songwriter Utada Hikaru’s first official album became the best-selling album of all time in Japan with over 10 million copies sold. Currently, three of her albums rank in the Top 10 all-time best-selling albums list in Japan.

2. Warcraft® Suite
Composer: Jason Hayes • Orchestrator: Benoît Grey

Created by the development team at Blizzard Entertainment®, Inc. Warcraft® is an award-winning fantasy series that is one of the fastest selling PC games ever. Blizzard's release of World of Warcraft®, the massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG) based on the Warcraft series, has shattered all sales records for an online game, and is currently the biggest subscription-based online game in the world.

3. Myst® Medley
Myst® Theme composed by Robyn Miller; Gallery Theme composed by Tim Larkin (BMI) • Myst® III Main Theme and Myst® IV Main Theme composed by Jack Wall (ASCAP) • Orchestrated by Steve Zuckerman

The Myst® phenomenon catapulted the world of computer games to the forefront of consumer entertainment and broke many boundaries as the best-selling CD-ROM game. It appealed to many demographics and featured beautifully rendered environments and intricate puzzle-solving quests.

4. Medal of Honor™ (LIVE)
“Operation Market Garden” from Medal of Honor: Frontline™ published by Electronic Arts, Inc. Composed and orchestrated by Michael Giacchino • Recorded Live in Brazil, South America

Created and inspired by Steven Spielberg, the award-winning Medal of Honor series is one of the most convincing and well established wartime simulation game franchises, blending cinematic visuals with intense sound and music. Award-winning composer Michael Giacchino started in the video game industry and has since added films and television to his impressive list of credits which include TV shows Lost and Alias, motion pictures such as The Incredibles, Mission: Impossible III, Ratatouille, Speed Racer and even Space Mountain in Disneyland.

5. Civilization IV Medley
Composer: Christopher Tin (BMI) • Orchestrator: Christopher Tin • Alto solo: Nathania Reid • Tenor solo: Ron Ragin • Soprano solo: Nicole Bonsol • Choir: Stanford Talisman

Over the course of 15 years, Sid Meier’s Civilization series has come to define turn-based strategy games. Few games have managed to combine the sheer addictive depth that the Civilization series commands, and fewer have had such universal appeal. With unprecedented critical acclaim from fans and press around the world, Sid Meier’s Civilization game is recognized as one of the greatest PC game franchises of all time.

6. Tetris® Piano Opus No. 1
Tetris® is a trademark of The Tetris Company and Blue Planet Software. Tetris® theme (Music A) originally adapted and arranged from the Russian folk song “Korobeiniki” • Piano Arrangement: Martin Leung • Performed by: Martin Leung

Tetris is arguably the most beloved and biggest selling video game in the world. It was originally conceived and designed in 1985 by Alexey Pajitnov while working for the Soviet government in Moscow, Russia. “Music A” in the Nintendo Game Boy® edition of Tetris is one of the most recognizable and popular songs from a video game. It is an instrumental arrangement of a vocal Russian folk tune called “Korobeiniki” which was based on a poem with the same name written in 1861. The first line of the translated lyrics read… “"Oy, the box is full, so full".

7. God of War™ Montage (LIVE)
Published by Sony Computer Entertainment America, Inc. • Composed by Gerard Marino • Recorded Live in Brazil, South America

God of War is a high-energy action-adventure game based on Greek mythology. It was extremely well received by critics and fans alike and was the recipient of many “Game of the Year” awards. It has been called the greatest PlayStation® 2 game of all time by many top gaming magazines and websites. The award-winning score by Gerard Marino was his first credit as a game composer.

8. Advent Rising Suite
Composers: Tommy Tallarico, Michael Plowman, Emmanuel Fratianni, Laurie Robinson • Orchestrated by Emmanuel Fratianni, Laurie Robinson and Christopher Nickel

Advent Rising is a third-person, intergalactic action/adventure wrapped in a visually imaginative universe that plays like a fast action movie. Famed science fiction novelist, Orson Scott Card, co-wrote the gripping storyline behind the game. The multi award-winning Advent Rising soundtrack has been noted as "one of the greatest musical scores of all time" by websites such as Yahoo, Gamespot and others.

9. Tron Montage
Composed by Wendy Carlos; Orchestrated and adapted for Video Games Live by David Kates • Synthesizers programmed and performed by Matt Robertson

Disney’s 1982 action sci-fi cult classic masterpiece embraced video game aesthetics and has since inspired numerous blockbuster films and video games alike. Harnessing the latest technology available at the time, Tron was the first motion picture to ever use computer graphics and animation.

10. Halo® Suite
Composers: Martin O’Donnell and Michael Salvatori • Orchestrated by Emmanuel Fratianni, Laurie Robinson, Martin O’Donnell and Michael Salvatori • Guitars: Tommy Tallarico, Steve Vai, Chris Kline and Marcus Henderson • Voiceover: Cindy Shapiro

Halo is the blockbuster XBOX game developed by Bungie Studios that reinvented the first person shooter experience with action packed gameplay, an epic science fiction storyline and a multi award-winning soundtrack. The first Halo soundtrack received countless accolades including The Rolling Stone award for best original video game soundtrack, and its sequel Halo 2 became the #1 selling original video game soundtrack album in North America.

11 Castlevania® Rock (LIVE)
Castlevania® series owned and published by Konami Digital Entertainment Co., Ltd. • Composers: Kinuyo Yamashita (Castlevania®), Club Kukeiha (Castlevania® III) and Michiru Yamane (Castlevania: Symphony of the Night®) • Arranged by Tommy Tallarico • Guitars: Tommy Tallarico and Dweezil Zappa • Keyboards: Martin Leung • Drums: Joe Travers • Bass: Peter Griffin • Recorded at Plaza Calafia Bullring - Mexicali, Mexico

The Castlevania series is one of Konami's most famous franchises and is a recognized landmark in the design of action-platforming games. The earliest games borrowed from motifs in iconic horror cinema, though the series later developed a more artistic and dramatic direction drawn from Gothic fiction and dark romanticism. This classic adventure series features some of the most addictive gameplay, beautiful graphical effects and contagious musical scores ever witnessed in a platform game. The musical styles for the Castlevania series range from Gothic and operatic rock to classical symphonia.

The album was engineered at EMI’s famous Abbey Road recording studios in London.

* * *

I'll be sure to give a full report of my adventure next week. In the meantime, is anyone else going to the Toronto show - (and that's not an invite, you'll have to supply your own date)? Or does anyone else have gaming-related plans for V-Day?

Video Games Live rolled out their 2008 touring schedule and it looks like they've managed to pump up their stops to more than 40 this year, including visits to the Leipzig Games Convention and Broadway.

The first two shows are later this month in Orlando and St. Louis, followed by stops around the globe, including a bullring in Mexicali, Mexico, a stop in Taipei, Taiwan, a performance on a cruise ship and a visit to the Leipzig Games Convention.

The full calendar after the jump.

Orlando, FL
January 24, 2008
Hard Rock Live
Otronicon

St. Louis, MO
January 26, 2008
Fox Theater

Montreal, QC
February 7, 2008
St. Denis Theatre

Montreal, QC
February 8, 2008
St. Denis Theatre

Toronto, ON
February 9, 2008
Massey Hall

FT. Wayne, IN
February 15, 2008
Embassy Theatre
Ft. Wayne Phil

Edmonton, AB
February 17, 2008
Alberta Jubilee Auditorium

San Francisco, CA
February 22, 2008
Nob Hill Masonic Center
GDC

Milwaukee, WI
March 1, 2008
Riverside Theater
Milwaukee Symphony

Phoenix, AZ
March 7, 2008
Maricopa Center
Phoenix Symphony

Mexicali, Mexico
March 15, 2008
Plaza Calafia Bullring

Ogden, UT
March 27, 2008
Browning Arts Center
Utah Symphony

Salt Lake City, UT
March 28, 2008
Abravanel Hall
Utah Symphony

Salt Lake City, UT
March 29, 2008
Abravanel Hall
Utah Symphony

New York City, NY
April 26, 2008
Beacon Theatre
MSG Entertainment

Las Vegas, NV
June 14, 2008
Henderson Pavilion
Las Vegas Phil.

Austin, TX
July 11, 2008
Long Center
Austin Symphony

Austin, TX
July 12, 2008
Long Center
Austin Symphony

Louisville, KY
July 18, 2008
Kentucky Center for Arts
Louisville Orchestra

San Diego, CA
July 24, 2008
Embarcadero Marina Park
San Diego Symphony

Taipei, Taiwan
August 9, 2008
Pan-Chiao Stadium

Taipei, Taiwan
August 10, 2008
Pan-Chiao Stadium

Leipzig, Germany
August 20, 2008
ARENA Leipzig
Games Convention

Birmingham, AL
October 9, 2008
Jefferson Conv. Complex
Alabama Symphony

Vancouver, BC
October 29, 2008
Orpheum Theatre
Vancouver Symphony

Carnival Cruise Ship
November 14, 2008
Normandy Lounge
NAVIGaTR Cruise

Seattle, WA
January 24, 2009
Paramount Theatre

The show will also make appearances at yet to be announced venues in :
Anaheim, CA
Atlanta, GA
Boston, MA
Brazil (multiple cities)
Dallas, TX
Glasgow, Scotland
Houston, TX
Indianapolis, IN
Los Angeles, CA
Milan, Italy
Paris, France
Shanghai, China
Winnipeg, MB

What the hell, still no Denver!

Video Games Live

Tickets run from $20 to $70, depending on how close you want to be to Tommy Tallarico and his magical shoes.

VIDEO GAMES LIVE ANNOUNCES SPECIAL GUESTS FOR UPCOMING LOS ANGELES SHOW [Video Games Live]

New arrangements of Contra, Chrono Cross, Pac-Man, Tetris and Final Fantasy will debut as well. And apparently there is a whole new Blizzard segment for The Burning Crusade and Starcraft II. But we're actually a bit less excited about VGL for the music than the post show meetup.

20 video game composers and designers will be present, including Atari man Noah Bushnell, Tron special effects man Richard Taylor and Intellivision president Keith Robinson. That would be a fun group of guys to go drinking with. Don't you think?

We've gotta get some big names at our next party. Not that Tokyo wasn't a lot of fun. I'd just love to hear Bushnell's stories about trippy midday hot tub sex at the office.

Video Games Live announces new music for LA Live show [via Gaming Today]

Yeah, we aren't falling for that temporary Zelda tattoo. And neither is your mom. So who's planning on picking this one up? (Fahey, hand down please. We already know.)

Video Games Live CD Releases October 15 [gamelife]

XBOX 360™ BRINGS VIDEO GAMES LIVE CONCERT TO THE ROYAL FESTIVAL HALL ON THE 22nd October 2007

A spectacular, interactive evening of music, visuals and games

Video Games Live™, the premier concert celebrating the most memorable music from the biggest video games, is brought to London by Microsoft® Xbox 360, IMG Artists, and Raymond Gubbay in association with the Southbank Centre, as the opening event of the London Games Festival. The biggest scores from the most iconic games will be performed by members of the Philharmonia Orchestra at the Royal Festival Hall on 22nd October 2007, at 7.30pm. Tickets can be bought from the Royal Festival Hall box office on 0871 663 2500, or http://www.southbankcentre.co.uk/calendar?action=production&production=17937&performance=17938

Video Games Live™ is not just a concert, but a musical, visual and interactive celebration of gaming that will enthral anyone who has ever played a video game. Whether it's the power and passion of forthcoming Xbox 360 blockbuster Halo® 3, or nostalgia for the days of Pong and Space Invaders, Video Games Live™ is sure to be a hit with gamers and non-gamers alike.

Hosted and Conducted by co-creators Tommy Tallarico and Jack Wall, the prestigious Philharmonia Orchestra and a Choir will perform live alongside exclusive video footage and music arrangements, synchronized lighting, solo performers, electronic percussion, live action and unique interactive segments to create an explosive one-of-a-kind entertainment experience. Special events surrounding the show commence at 5.30pm, including a pre- and post-show festival, featuring all the Xbox 360 blockbuster Christmas titles. Guests will enjoy game demos, a cosplay contest with exclusive prizes for the best outfit, game competitions and meet-and-greets with Tommy Tallarico, Jack Wall, and other leading industry names.

Video Games Live™ features the biggest and best-loved video games of all time including such beloved and popular franchises as Halo®, Mario™, Zelda®, Final Fantasy®, Warcraft®, Myst®, and Sonic™. There's even a special retro Classic Arcade Medley featuring over 20+ games from Pong® to Donkey Kong® including such classics as Dragon's Lair, Frogger, Space Invaders, Duck Hunt & Tetris!

This event will also feature a special arrangement from the iconic Halo 3, composed by Marty O'Donnell, to be performed live by the Philharmonia Orchestra for the first time.

The London Games Festival, running from 22nd - 26th October, is a celebration of gaming and interactive entertainment featuring diverse events for different audiences across the capital. Visit www.londongamesfestival.co.uk for more details.

There were more than children and teenage gamers at Video Games Live. Christine, who didn't give her last name, was dragged along to the show by her kids. She was surprised by the diversity of the crowd.

"I've seen a lot of grandmas out there, and I'm like, 'What are they doing here?'" she says.

I definitely could've lived without seeing the guy in the Mega Man costume. There are a couple of clips of the actual concert and (of course) the original audio piece over at NPR.

At the Concert Hall, a Symphony for Space Invaders [NPR, thanks Jennifer!]

Specifics on pricing and release date were not specified.

A trailer for the DVD release has been added to YouTube and the official Video Games Live web site. Michael McWhertor

Video Games Live in Rio! - DVD & CD Announcement Trailer [YouTube]

VIDEO GAMES LIVE ANNOUNCES DVD & CD RELEASE

Online Trailer Now Available!

Recorded From Award-Winning Sold Out Performances in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Los Angeles, CA - Video Games Live, The #1 video game touring concert in the world, announced today that they will be releasing a DVD & CD from their award-winning sold out performances recorded in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil last year.

Online DVD & CD trailer now available:

Hi-res: http://www.videogameslive.com/video/vglbrazil.wmv

YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GIMFYoQkHvo

"Since we started Video Games Live over 5 years ago we've always received at least a few e-mails and letters each week asking if and when a DVD and CD would be available," said Tommy Tallarico, co-creator of Video Games Live and longtime video game composer. "We're finally proud to announce the first ever live game concert DVD and CD available in the U.S. and throughout the world." Co-creator Jack Wall added "The shows in Brazil were absolutely amazing. The crowds were unbelievable and the energy level was second to none."

Recently, Video Games Live was the recipient of the "Special Breakthrough Achievement Award" at the 3rd Annual Gameworld Awards for their performances in Brazil last November.

The Brazilian shows were sponsored by the biggest corporations in all of Latin America including oil company Petrobras as well as UOL, the principle Latin American internet online provider. Intel, the world's largest semiconductor company were the title sponsors along with media partner Futuro Publishing which helped to make the initial groundbreaking tour a national success. Adding to the already powerful line-up of supporters were the Brazilian Government and the Ministry of Culture, whose commitment to the Video Games Live project speaks volumes for VGL's relevance, significance and future presence in Brazil.

The highly prestigious Petrobras Sinfônica Orchestra performed in some of the highest regarded venues in all of Brazil.

Video Games Live is currently planning its return tour to Brazil for September, 2007. Exact DVD & CD release dates, pricing and ordering to be announced in August.