[Coverage] The Video Games LIVE Concert 2016 @ Stadium Negara, Kuala Lumpur

[Coverage] The Video Games LIVE Concert 2016 @ Stadium Negara, Kuala Lumpur

Kuala Lumpur, February 2016 – The Video Games LIVE Concert 2016 Malaysia just happened yesterday and it was fantastic! Me and my fellow photographer John from WLjack.com has been given a golden opportunity to do the coverage for the event! And both of us were very excited! (Well, we are both gamers since young!)

Date: 27^th February 2016

Venue: Stadium Negara, Kuala Lumpur

Opening Act Of Armon & His Band Of Bandits!
For the first time ever, a Video Games Live Concert featured an opening act and the performance was by Armon. It was an energetic start-up before the main event began!

Cosplayers Graced The Event!
Apart from the opening event, the event was also attended by many cosplayers who took part in the on-stage cosplay competition. Most of them did a great job in depicting their cosplayed characters.

The winner went to the contestant who cosplayed Tarma from Metal Slug!

Start The Game! First Act Of Video Games Live!

At around 8.15pm, the main course of the event began as Tommy Tallarico and Eimear Noone greeted the audiences alongside with our National Symphony Orchestra!

It was not like usual orchestral event whereby we need to stay quiet and total silent when the music began. Tommy himself has actually asked the audience to get involved and shout or make some noises to show our passion in video games music!

The first act of the show before the intermission was really classical! Most of the scores performed during this part of the show consists of long-running or classical gaming franchises themes such as Castlevania, Megaman, Silent Hill 2, Super Mario, Mass Effect, Earthworm Jim and The Legend Of Zelda!

Of course, some newer franchise being performed during this segment include both of the recent GAME OF THE YEAR franchises, namely Metal Gear Solid and Uncharted. Most fans shouted and cheered in delight when Hideo Kojima video was shown on the big screen. Although it was clearly an old pre-recorded video, the fans for Metal Gear Solid were really excited to see that video nonetheless. And yup, my favorite Metal Gear Solid Saga from MGS 4 was being performed LIVE! It was really awesome!

The first part of the show ends with the theme from The Legend of Zelda!

Second Part Of The Show! Songs Chosen by the fans via Facebook Event Page!

After the intermission, Tommy asked the audience to leave a comment on their latest photo on Video Games Live Page and answer the question of which was the last song played during the first part of the show. The winner gets to win the access to Video Games Live music, score sheets and etc which are worth more than 1000 USD.

Tommy also informed the audiences that the set list for every tour they did were totally different in different countries. They created a facebook page whereby the fans get to vote in the poll for the songs that they wanted to listen to. Then, they created the set list based on that poll.

In the second part of the show, it consists of a few very prominent game franchise themes from the later generation of video gaming. For example, Kingdom Hearts theme for the Disney and Square Enix Fans, Assassin’s Creed, Skyrim, League Of Legends and etc. In addition, they have also included newly created scores from Phoenix Wright and Command & Conquer. Many people were shouting in joy as they listened to those themes played by the ever impressive National Symphony Orchestra!

Audiences were also amazed by the performance of "Malach" from WoW, featuring Malukah and other virtual performers.

Encore Achievement Unlocked!

After the second part of the show, Tommy and Eimear left the stage temporarily and was being summoned upon again after hearing the great encore response from the crowd! Encore Achievement unlocked!

A Video Games Live concert wouldn’t be complete if there was no theme song being played from one of the most iconic game franchise ever, Final Fantasy!

Without any waste of time, they presented the LIVE version of Final Fantasy One-Winged Angel! The choir and the symphony orchestra did a spectacular job in delivering the devilish tempo of the song with the upbeat music! Of course, the one magical word, “Sephiroth” was also sang-along by many of the audiences in the stadium!

Last but not least, Chrono Trigger and Chrono Cross Theme was being played as the very last encore song and it ended the show with a beautiful touch!

It was a really fantastic experience. We all should be proud to be a Video Gamer! And people who have never played video games before should really give it a try to appreciate such great music from Video Games!

I attended the Video Games Live Concert with my fellow photographer John!

Meet & Greet with Tommy Tallarico & Eimear Noone

One day prior to The Video Games LIVE, there was a special Meet and Greet for the media with Tommy Tallarico (Solo Guitarist Extraordinaire) & Eimear Noone (renowned conductor) at LOL@LIVE HOUSE.

Malaysian has the most passionate crowd!

During the meet and greet, Tommy mentioned that The Video Games LIVE this year around was more like a festival than just being a concert! There were cosplays, games and even MMA fight.

Most importantly, Tommy mentioned that among the countries which he has toured to, Malaysian crowd is louder and more passionate! People here really takes Video Games Music more seriously. Of course, he wouldn’t want to mess anything up too. Because if he messed up anything, Malaysian crowd would be the first to make complaints to him. That’s why, he really loves performing in Malaysia!

Eimear Noone on the other hand mentioned that she really liked the performance by our own Istana Budaya National Symphony Orchestra.

Up-Close and Personal Interview with Tommy and Eimear!

During the session, we had the opportunity to get up-close and personal with both Tommy and Eimear!

Fun facts About Tommy:

• The first video game Tommy has ever played was Pong when he was 6 years old.
• He started his very first Video Games Live at the age of 10 years old when he played the instrumental version of his arcade game songs to his neighbourhood friends.
• Tommy’s goal is to prove to the world that Video Games Music is a culture and art. He wants to usher the world to appreciate its symphony.

Fun Facts About Eimear:

• Her current favourite theme is from Overwatch.
• Her favourite instrument would be viola solo. But she stated that the most important factor in good music is the musician behind the instrument, not the instrument itself. “A great piano is only a great piano if no good pianist behind!”

Kickstarter Campaign For Video Games Live: Level 5 Album!

They are currently running a Kickstarter campaign to raise the funds to create and produce their fifth album entitled "LEVEL 5". It will also help to create a full length concert video, "Making of" Documentary and many other ancillary products and music such as a Majora's Mask piano album and sheet music.

So, guys, if you really love Video Games music, you should really back them up for the greatness in return!

Last but not least, our team would really like to thank 11pass11 (www.11pass11.com) for giving us such a chance to do a coverage on the show! You guys are awesome in bringing us Video Games LIVE in Malaysia 2016! Keep it up and hope you all can continue to bring more great events to Malaysia!

Personal Request To Tommy and Video Games LIVE!

If I could make a request now, I wish to listen to you guys perform these two songs in Video Games LIVE in Malaysia next time:

• Quiet’s Theme From Metal Gear Solid V
• Gratia Mundi From Final Fantasy XV

Thanks! Looking forward for the next Video Games LIVE Concert in Malaysia again!

Published by WLJack.