Friday - October 9: 8Static
8STATIC is a chiptunes event that features music based on 8bit video games. The sound and style of 8STATIC is unlike anything you've experienced before.
Inverse Phase (7 - 7:30)
(http://clickass.org/ip/)
Inverse Phase takes the songs you (hopefully) love and whittles them down to chiptunes that fit the specifications of old gaming platforms. NES and Commodore 64 renditions of rock and metal are his specialty -- besides, computers are made of metal anyway -- and as much as possible is preserved of the tune, sometimes changing the feel and other times leaving it the same. Inverse Phase will be playing a fun set of chiptunes and sharing a few humorous insights into the writing that went into them
Ro-Bear (7:40 - 8:10)
(http://myspace.com/robearaudio)
Robert Joffred, or Ro-Bear. initially fell in love with the music of video games early on while playing Tetris Attack and Yoshi's Island on his Super Nintendo. After learning musical instruments from guitar to trombone, he discovered LSDJ in the spring of 2008 and hasn't looked back. Taking influences from Maurice Ravel to Daryl Hall, Ro-Bear focuses on making heavily melodic compositions created from a Nintendo Game Boy.
Animal Style (8:20 - 9:10)
(http://www.animal-style.com)
Joey Mariano is an American guitar virtuoso, chip musician, visual artist, and educator hailing from Philadelphia. Well-known for his Game Boy Foot Controller mod and for popularizing the 8bit fuzz pedal, Mariano continues to innovate the performance of 8bit music. Live, Joey walks a chiptune tight rope, triggering loops from his feet and shredding progressive, improvised guitar solos rooted in his strict, jazz training. Animal Style music is a blend of demoscene sensibilities, catchy melodies, organic guitar riffs, and improvisation that will explode your ear canal and leave you begging for more. Mariano stands at the forefront of the emerging chip scene in Philadelphia and is a frequent co-conspirator with 8bitpeoples, the New York chip scene, and iimusic.net.
Cheap Dinosaurs (9:20 - 9:40)
(http://myspace.com/cheapdinosaurs)
Dino Lionetti, a veteran of the indie rock scene, first gained recognition as a chip music genius with his his band Chromelodeon - integrating chrunchy melodies, huge orchestration,and gameboy tracker music. recently, he played Blip Festival Europe and a slew of other high profile performances. Sometimes aided by Dan Tang (ex-Chromelodeon), Joey Mariano (Animalstyle), and Bucky this band has a unique sound that can't be denied. The sound has strong roots in the sounds of chip music past, but also updates it for the future.
Autoscroll (9:50 - 10:20)
(http://autoscrollsound.com)
Autoscroll is an insane fusion that joins the two fractured worlds of video game cover music and chip music. Retro video game music is covered with live instruments and chip music backgrounds.
Saturday - October 10: Concerts All Day Long
Facundo (1:00)
(http://www.myspace.com/facundoloop)
Didn't get enough chiptunes on Friday? Facundo is a chip artist that has played everything from basements to blipfest, hailing from the nearby land of New Jersey. Four and a half songs have recently been released on delicious looking green marble and blue marble vinyl with wonderful artwork (done by the magical Katia Pouleva) in the form of "Future Anthems From The Past". If you do not have a record player to listen to this wonderful release, have no worries, facundo will burn cd-r's with the audio content upon request with the purchase of the vinyl!
Ultraball (2:00)
(http://www.myspace.com/theultraball)
In the summer of 2007, after much drinking and playing Pokemon -- errr, research, Chris Campbell had an epiphany: to sing the unwritten song of each and every creature that inhabits the Kanto region of Pokemon lore. In short: to write one hundred fifty songs for the original one hundred fifty Pokemon. He soon contacted long-time friend and fellow musician, Sami Al-Qaisi, and Ultraball was formed. Playing a variety of genres from punk rock to reggae, synth-pop to metal, Ultraball strives to capture the unique spirit of each Pokemon in song, just as a masterful trainer would in battle.
Cryptorchild Chipmunk (3:00)
(http://www.myspace.com/cryptorchidchipmunk)
So we have these instruments, and we play 'em real loud. We like lots of different music and have really short attention spans. So we play all kinds of different stuff in rapid succession with minimal repetition (you've got a back button on your CD player, don't ya? Why should we need to play it twice, d00dzors?) We like lots of stuff going on all at once; otherwise we get real bored. At our shows, we try to model after riots and circus acts.
Gonna Get Got (4:00)
(http://www.myspace.com/gonnagetgot)
Once called "new wave hip-hop,” another scenester called them "punk-rap." Some simply say, “Punk-Pop Hip-Hop.” If you're anything like the band-members themselves, any sort of musical description involving a mash-up of rap with white-boy styles has made you run for the hills. But fear not, this is actually good! However you describe it, GGG's unlikely collision of sound is providing sustenance to that peculiar strain of music fan out there looking for something different.
Armadillo Tank (5:00)
(http://www.myspace.com/armadillotank)
What happens when you combine video game music with metal, rock, and country, ALL AT ONCE? Well, nothing you've ever heard, that's for sure! Armadillo Tank combines a whole bunch of game music with a whole bunch of rock, adds crowd participation, and then brings a slightly controversial topic in the world of game music to the table: Lyrics.
This Place Is Haunted (6:00)
(http://www.thisplaceishaunted.com/)
Transplanted from PA to Queens, this VG Rock band has been on the scene for quite some time and has recently undergone a little more than just a location change. With new members on drums and guitar, and also a new keyboardist, their sound is completely revamped and their new EP features 42 minutes of hard-hitting, complete game soundtracks including their trademark favorite, Castlevania. Don't worry, TPIH can stand for whatever you want. As long as they can do it in a bathrob
Super 8-Bit Brothers (7:00)
(http://www.super8bitbrothers.com/)
Growing up in the suburbs of Chicago in the 80's was a great time and place to be a kid. With plenty of bad weather and middle class parents, video games and music in the basement was where it was at. Merging the two pastimes into an artistic endeavor seemed like an obvious choice for Super 8 Bit Brothers' masterminds Rob Kleiner (Tub Ring, ex-Mindless Self Indulgence) and Kevin Gibson (Tub Ring, pet lover). Super 8 Bit Brothers combines danceable indie pop with lyrics ripe with arcade lingo for people who'd rather stay inside or do a basement boogie.
Sunday - October 11: Video Game Live (@ the Kimmel Center, extra cost)
Video Games Live at the Kimmel Center: (3 pm and 7:30 pm)
BATTLE OF THE VIDEOGAME BANDS
Games like Guitar Hero and Rock Band have proved to be HUGE hits with gamers and at VGXPO we take music and gaming very seriously. The Battle of the VideoGame Bands is sure to be a big event at VGXPO. Come out and play.
