Blizzard music to be featured at Gamer MusiCON '09
by Zach Yonzon 
Jul 17th 2009 at 6:00PM
If you're looking for a way to relax this weekend, why don't you hie off to Houston and get tickets to the Gamer MusiCON '09, an all-day event celebrating music from the video game industry. If you're familiar with the Video Games Live, the whole event has expanded somewhat with the help of Blizzard Entertainment and will now have a full hour-and-a-half Blizzard Live! to go along with the traditional Video Games Live! concert.Blizzard Live! will feature music, both old and some never performed ones, from Blizzard's different game worlds - Diablo, Starcraft, and Warcraft - paired with exclusive game footage and synchronized lighting. The Video Games Live! segment features music from other popular games like Chrono Trigger or Mega Man.
Of course, just like any great geek and gamer event, Gamer MusiCON will feature a lot of fun in between, such as costume contests, Guitar Hero faceoffs, a Q&A with Blizzard's composers, autograph signings, and lots of swag. The event, conducted by Jack Wall and hosted by Tommy Talarico, comes to life with the help of the Houston Symphony. It will be held at the Jones Hall in downtown Houston. You'd better get your tickets today! Oh, and don't forget to bring a date.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Ezlo Jul 17th 2009 6:07PM
I've been to several Video Games Live concerts before and they are always great fun. Get your tickets if you can, they are worth every penny.
Michael Jul 17th 2009 6:15PM
Saw Video Games Live in Vegas, it was great. Highly recommend any gamer take a break from raiding and venture out of your mom's basement for some fresh air and an awesome show.
Atsuko Jul 17th 2009 7:07PM
Damn it, I live in the Attic!
Task Jul 17th 2009 6:56PM
I concur with Michael and Ezlo, I went last year and it was awesome. Got an autograph from Tellarico himself. :)
This year was a 3 day event with different content every night. Unfortunately I couldn't go due to financial roadblock.
And yes definitely get tix for this asap, it'll probably sell out quickly. And I saw an old school Galaga arcade machine when I went to VGL.
Hmm... since Blizzard music will be heard and seen, perhaps we'll see GC, Zarhym or any of the CM's there and possibly give us a pony and more? Or maybe a subtle hint of what will be shown @ Blizzcon....
Anyone with a video camera should tape the big screen collage and post it on Youtube.
[When I went, people brought camcorders to record the entire event, and Tommy himself said post it on Youtube, Facebook etc. It was a great way to promote it by word of mouth and video clips.]
chipersoft Jul 17th 2009 7:01PM
Am I the only one a little bothered by how much of VGL Blizzard is taking up? Don't get me wrong, Blizz' music is good, but it's not THAT good. I'd rather have some more Martin O'Donnel, or maybe Jesper Kyd.
moomba89 Jul 17th 2009 8:23PM
OK, don't get me wrong - I love WoW, but I hate its music content. Music is the one aspect blizzard completely failed in WoW, it is most certainly not worth a concert. FFXI completely and utterly kicks its arse. I haven't even played FFXI, but I downloaded the full soundtrack anyway because I knew it would be worth a listen (and it was), but even then its music isn't amazing. WoW just didn't spend the money when it came to music.
WoW music = fail.
Ronin Seraph Jul 17th 2009 10:59PM
Blizzard spends far more money on music than Square. However, money doesn't make good music.
All JRPG music sounds the same. Same chord progressions, modes, everything. While Warcraft has a distinct "sound" to them. All their games really. You hear a piece of Blizzard music and automatically go, "Yeah, that's Diablo"
It can be subtle at times, or epic at times. Pieces like "A Call to Arms" and even the latest "Arthas, My Son" are excellent pieces. Subtle cues, like the one in Storm Peaks, tend to have a hauntingly beautiful presence and definitely give the game a life of it's own. Not to mention there's more variation than in FFXI. Where you hear the EXACT same piece time and time again and it's "in your face" so you can't escape it.
However, I do wish the audio engine was a bit more dynamic. It'd be cool to have music change when encountering a raid boss or have the music change when the boss is at X% of life. Something more than the "zone dynamics" that they currently use.
moomba89 Jul 18th 2009 1:35AM
FFXI was a bad example, and I was a bit over-hasty in saying that it fails - I should have said WoW music fails as classical music, but then again, all game music fails as classical music. Sure, maybe for a 'non-informed' listener it would be nostalgic, but it is just hell to play - the basis of the harmony is experimentation rather than function, and the part writing just doesn't make sense. WoW's soundtrack is fundamentally 'ambient' music which is fine in context, or for a short amount of time, but NOT a 90 minute concert. The reason that JRPG music concerts have gone so well is because of their short and catchy themes that are easily arranged, but the WoW soundtrack phases in and out and uses a large amount of asian-influence instruments that are incredibly hard (outside of a MIDI/electronically mixed context) to do anything with. So anyways, that's my two cents - sorry to go on a rant :S
Task Jul 17th 2009 8:37PM
Depending on how long the event is in terms of length, I'm sure you can survive 10 minutes of "Fail WoW music."
And no one is forcing you to go, if you don't go, that's your choice. Soundtrack music is much more enjoyable with a symphony orchestra.
Task Jul 17th 2009 8:39PM
I stand corrected, I saw the play listing, its a 90 minute concert. Just skip the Blizz concert and wait for the VGL show... its 3 1/2 hours later after Blizz.
neoak Jul 17th 2009 9:10PM
Im going to this. However, i don't know how to dress for this... Suit and a tie, right?
Julie Jul 17th 2009 9:54PM
I am going in jeans and a regular tshirt. I think as long as you dont look like you walked out of a garbage truck you should be ok.
Rai Jul 17th 2009 9:16PM
Saw Video Games Live in London not last October, but the October before.
The WoW segment there was short but sweet.
Julie Jul 17th 2009 9:52PM
I will be there :D Tickets didnt sell out too fast...i bought mine a week ago and we still got box seats.
Oak Jul 17th 2009 11:04PM
Hey, we should do a meet up and take some pics.
Oak Jul 17th 2009 11:24PM
well, at least a meet up.
Samantha Smith Jul 18th 2009 10:36AM
i just recently went to video games live! performed by the national symphony in DC and it was awesome. They did play some WOW music although i really hoped to hear some of the newer music and i was dissappointed. it was great though.
Yoji Jul 18th 2009 12:04PM
I will be there with my wife as well. I'll be the guy walking around with a hand-made blood elf crest on the back of a white polo, horde symbol on the front. Everyone have a great time!
Julie Jul 19th 2009 9:23AM
The concert was ok...wasn't what i expected. It hadn't sold out because it was the 4th time they had been to Houston and I think everyone else was tired of it.