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Archive for the ‘Bit Brigade’ Category

[DID NOT ATTEND: March 6, 2024] Bit Brigade / Nmlstyl

I saw Bit Brigade in 2018 and really enjoyed the show.  The premise of their live show is terrific

The band plays the soundtrack to a video game while their resident gamer plays the game.  The band is heavy and the sound is amazing.

For this show, Bit Brigade Performs “The Legend of Zelda” + “Castlevania” but I’m going out tomorrow night so I’m going to give it a miss.  The good news is that in a few months they’re coming back and I’ve already got tickets to see them in Frenchtown. (more…)

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[DID NOT ATTEND: November 17, 2023] Bit Brigade/ Triforce Quartet 

I have only seen Bit Brigade once and it was amazing.

The premise behind a Bit Brigade show is that the band plays the soundtrack to a video game while their resident gamer plays the game.  The band is heavy and the sound is amazing.

I don’t know why exactly I didn’t get a ticket for this show.  They are playing one game I’ve never heard of, and one that I haven’t played in 30 years, but that shouldn’t make any difference.

Maybe when they come by next year.

Although if Mc Lars was opening I definitely would have gone.

Which is not a dis of Triforce Quartet who play string versions of video game themes.

Triforce Quartet  began innocently as a short Zelda medley for an encore of a recital in early 2007, but the video of using traditional string quartet instruments to play music of classic games gained viral popularity later that summer. Thanks to this, cellist Chad Schwartz was able to combine his love for video games, along with years of classical training, to arrange a variety of video game themes that even non-gamers can enjoy. The four members of the Triforce Quartet take audience members on an unforgettable musical journey.

Their music is beautiful.

If I wasn’t going  to see Mass of Fermenting Dregs, I would sneak across town to see this too.

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[DID NOT ATTEND: December 4, 2022] Bit Brigade / Standards

I saw Bit Brigade in 2018 and really enjoyed the show.  The premise of their live show is terrific.

The band plays the soundtrack to a video game while their resident gamer plays the game.  The band is heavy and the sound is amazing.

I can’t believe they were here in May and are back now in December and I didn’t get to go to either show.

For this show they were playing MegaMan II and Ducktails, two games I don’t know at all, so maybe that had some impact on my decision.

Standards opened the set.  Once again, I had not heard of the opening band for a Bit Brigade show.  But once again, they picked wisely.  Broadway World (!!!) has this succinct review of their music

Led by ebullient guitarist Marcos Mena, the pair boast a fruitful combination of musical chops and catchy guitar-driven melodies which has garnished popularity among fans who laud standards for their uniquely danceable brand of complex instrumental rock. For almost five years, their instrumental compositions have captivated audiences all over the world.

I need to reiterate this one part: uniquely danceable brand of complex instrumental rock.

It’s a spot on description.  The guitar is kind of showoffy intense and complicated, but never obnoxious and the light touches of synth and almost chiptune, make the songs really delightful and bright–almost like a video game is scrolling past.

 

 

 

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[DID NOT ATTEND: May 27, 2022] Bit Brigade / Super Guitar Bros.

I saw Bit Brigade in 2018 and really enjoyed the show.  The premise of their live show is terrific

The band plays the soundtrack to a video game while their resident gamer plays the game.  The band is heavy and the sound is amazing.

Last time I saw them, they were playing The Legend of Zelda and it was phenomenal (The music is really good).  They came around last year playing a different game but I couldn’t go.

This time they were playing Zelda and Castlevania.  I’m sure it would have been a lot of fun.  But I just didn’t feel like going out.  They’ll be back, I’m sure.

Opening for this show was Super Guitar Bros.  They are two guys from Detroit who play acoustic guitar versions of video game theme music.  As their blurb says: “Gentle Video Game Guitar Covers For Relaxation.”

Sounds like a perfect pair.  And I’m absolutely ready to see them again.

 

 

 

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[POSTPONED: August 9, 2020] Bit Brigade [rescheduled from March 29]

indexBit Brigade was one of the first shows to get postponed due to the pandemic.  They were also one of the first bands that I saw post about how the band was their livelihood and how they were going to lose a lot of money from a postponed tour.

I sure hope they managed to make some money on the side and I’m very sorry for them that the show was postponed again.  Bit Brigade has played Johnny Brenda’s before and I’m sure they will be back again.

I saw Bit Brigade play Johnny Brenda’s back in 2018.  The premise behind a Bit Brigade show is that the band plays the soundtrack to a video game while their resident gamer plays the game.  The band is heavy and the sound is amazing.

Last time I saw them, they were playing The Legend of Zelda and it was phenomenal (The music is really good).  They came around last year playing a different game but I couldn’t go.

They were playing Zelda again this time around and although it might be more fun seeing a different game, each show is different depending on how well their gamer plays.

I really want to bring my son to this show, but Johnny Brenda’s doesn’t allow anyone underage to come to the show.

I don’t think that an opening act had been announced at this time.

 

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[POSTPONED: March 29, 2020] Bit Brigade [moved to August 9]

indexI saw Bit Brigade play Johnny Brenda’s back in 2018.  The premise behind a Bit Brigade show is that the band plays the soundtrack to a video game while their resident gamer plays the game.  The band is heavy and the sound is amazing.

Last time I saw them, they were playing The Legend of Zelda and it was phenomenal (The music is really good).  They came around last year playing a different game but I couldn’t go.

They were playing Zelda again this time around and although it might be more fun seeing a different game, each show is different depending on how well their gamer plays.

I really want to bring my son to this show, but Johnny Brenda’s doesn’t allow anyone underage to come to the show.

I don’t think that an opening act had been announced at this time.

I’m not sure I was going to go to this since there were so many other shows this week, but it’s nice to know that it has been rescheduled to August 9.

 

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[ATTENDED: April 24, 2018] Bit Brigade

I had never heard of Bit Brigade, but I saw an ad in Johnny Brenda’s for a band who would be playing music from The Legend of Zelda and I was very intrigued.

Clark and I have been to see Symphonic Zelda twice, so I thought it would be interesting to hear a rock version of it.

But as I investigated, I saw that they also had a “Player One” who played the game while the band played.  What was going on here?

It turns out that, as bassist Luke Fields explained to us:

Noah is going to play The Legend of Zelda as fast as he can.  And we are going to play the soundtrack as loud as we can.

(more…)

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[ATTENDED: April 24, 2018] Double Ferrari

I first heard about Double Ferrari when NPR covered them for their SXSW special.

They were described as “a thrillingly over-the-top throwback to a time when guitar virtuosos noodled their way to arena-sized stardom, Double Ferrari crafts giddily triumphant odes to giddy triumph.”  And why would you only have one Ferrari when you could have a Double Ferrari?

The song on the show was an instrumental based around guitar riffs.  That’s what they do.  I felt like they took the best solos from classic British heavy metal and built songs around them–with two guitars playing the parts in delicious over the top harmony.  And of course I love that the band Double Ferrari has a song called “Double Ferrari ” from the album Double Ferrari. (more…)

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