Video Games Live

For release:

Video Games Live™, the world famous video game concert, will be brought to Scotland for the first time on Thursday, June 26th by the Royal Scottish National Orchestra (RSNO).

This celebration of the video game industry features music from the biggest video games of all time including international favourites such as Mario™, Zelda, Halo, Final Fantasy, Kingdom Hearts, Warcraft and Sonic™ performed by the RSNO and accompanied by exclusive video footage, synchronised lighting and interactive segments.

A dream combination for gaming fans of all ages, retro classics like Pong, Donkey Kong and Tetris will be performed by the RSNO alongside modern classics.

In association with stv, Video Games Live™ is presented and conducted by Tommy Tallarico and Jack Wall, two of the most well-known figures in video games soundtrack composition, whose works include soundtracks to The Prince of Persia, Tony Hawk Pro Skater, Spider-Man, Advent Rising and Splinter Cell: Pandora Tomorrow. It has received international acclaim and this exclusive performance in Scotland promises to be the highlight of the year for gamers and music fans alike.

Described as bringing together the excitement and energy of a rock concert with the power and emotion of a symphony orchestra combined with technology, interactivity, stunning visuals, state-of-the-art lighting and special interactive segments this concert is sure to overwhelm both gamers and non-gamers alike.

Those attending the concert are invited to don their favourite costumes and get set for a night of unrivalled gaming action. Past performances have welcomed everyone from Sonic and Mario through to Lara Croft and Donkey Kong and organisers are predicting some spectacular and peculiar sights outside the Royal Concert Hall on the night of the performance.

Simon Woods, Chief Executive of the RSNO, said: "Video Games Live™ is a breathtaking event both sonically and visually, and the power of the RSNO will really bring it to life. We are very pleased to bring this major production to Scotland for the first time. Symphonic music is pushing at its traditional boundaries and Video Games Live™ is a fascinating step on the journey, as well as being a phenomenally entertaining evening."

The RSNO will be joined by the RSNO chorus for the performance as well as video footage, synchronised laser lighting, electronic percussionists and state of the art special effects. The concert will showcase music from some of the most recognisable video games of all time including nostalgic retro arcade classics from the 1970s and 80s.

Video Games Live™ presenter and co-creator Tommy Tallarico: “It's a great honour for us to be performing the very first video game concert ever in Scotland and to be playing with such a prestigious and talented orchestra in one of the finest concert halls in Europe will make it that much better."

Video Games Live™ is part of a three-concert festival called orchestra+ which will see the RSNO delve into the 21st century for inspiration and theme and will open the genre of classical music up to a whole new audience.

ENDS

Issued by DADA on behalf of the RSNO

For further information, please contact:

Julie MacSporran on 0141 222 2266 / 07989 324 176 / julie.macsporran@dada.co.uk

Laura Duncan on 0141 222 2266 / 07988152261 or email laura.duncan@dada.co.uk

Notes to Editors

NB: orchestra+ is part of the RSNO’s summer calendar. A complete list of the Orchestra’s summer performances will be announced shortly.

orchestra+ Event Dates

Concerto for Turntables

Glasgow Royal Concert Hall (0141 353 8000, www.rsno.org.uk)

Thursday 19 June 2008, 8.00pm

Turntables: Beni G (Mixologists)

Tickets: £12 (includes aftershow party); U26s £5 with RSNO U26 card

Elvis Costello with the RSNO

Glasgow Royal Concert Hall (0141 353 8000, www.rsno.org.uk)

Saturday 21 June 2008, 7.30pm

Conductor: Clark Rundell

Tickets: £35 + concessions

Video Games Live

Glasgow Royal Concert Hall

Thursday 26 June 2008, 7.30pm (0141 353 8000, www.rsno.org.uk)

Conductor: Jack Wall

Presenter: Tommy Tallarico

RSNO Chorus

Tickets: £32/£25/£19.50 with f-t students/U16s half price

Video Games Live

Having already performed to sold out audiences around the world since its LA Philharmonic debut at the Holywood Bowl in 2005 (attended by over 11,000 people), the most successful video game concert in the world – Video Games Live - continues its ground-breaking tour in 2008 with over 40 performances across the globe. Video Games Live is produced and created by veteran video game composers Tommy Tallarico and Jack Wall, who describe the event as “…utilizing the power & emotion of a symphony orchestra mixed with the energy and excitement of a rock concert combined with the cutting edge visuals, technology, interactivity and fun that video games provide. Video Games Live is not just a concert, but a celebration of the entire video game industry that people of all ages adore.”

The programme will include music from video games such as Mario™, Zelda®, Halo®, Final Fantasy®, Warcraft®, StarCraft® II, Sonic™, Metal Gear Solid®, Kingdom Hearts, Chrono Cross™, Myst®, Tron, Castlevania®, Medal of Honor™, God of War™, BioShock™, Civilization IV, Tomb Raider®, Beyond Good & Evil™, Advent Rising, EverQuest® II, Monkey Island, Earthworm Jim, Pac-Man, Conan, Guitar Hero™, Headhunter, Splinter Cell®, Ghost Recon™, Rainbow Six®, Jade Empire, Metroid, Contra, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix™

And a Classic Arcade Medley featuring over 20+ games from Pong® to Donkey Kong® and including such retro arcade classics as Dragon's Lair, Tetris, Frogger, Ghosts 'n Goblins, Gauntlet, Space Invaders and Outrun.

Jack Wall

Composer/Producer Jack Wall has built a track record and an international reputation as an A-List composer and music producer in the interactive entertainment sector. He brings an unmatched depth of experience, credibility and knowledge in the engineering and production of records, film soundtracks and live recordings working with mainstream artists and major label artists such as John Cale, David Byrne and Patti Smith. His work spans full-length albums, live concert recordings, videogame soundtracks, film soundtracks and other projects that demand an exacting ear and vast library of musical and technical knowledge and know-how.

Jack Wall's current projects include Mass Effect, the blockbuster game from BioWare and Microsoft. His career composing credits include Jade Empire, Myst IV: Revelation, Myst III: Exile, Splinter Cell: Pandora Tomorrow (cinematic music), Dungeon Siege II (promotional trailers), Unreal II, Rise of the Kasai, and Wrath Unleashed among others.

Jack Wall is co-creator, executive producer and conductor of the concert series entitled Video Games Live, an immersive concert event featuring music from some of the most popular video games of all time. A full orchestra and choir is accompanied by exclusive video footage and music arrangements, lasers, synchronized lighting, solo performers, electronic percussionists, live action and unique interactive segments to create an explosive one-of-a-kind entertainment experience. For more information, please visit www.videogameslive.com.

Jack Wall is Vice-Chairman and co-founder of The Game Audio Network Guild (G.A.N.G.) www.audiogang.org, a non-profit organization established to promote excellence in interactive audio by providing information, instruction, resources, guidance and enlightenment not only to its members, but to publishers, developers and listeners throughout the world.

Tommy Tallarico

Tommy Tallarico is a veritable video game industry icon. As one of the most successful video game composers in history, he has helped revolutionize the gaming world, creating unique audio landscapes that enhance the video gaming experience. He is considered the person most instrumental in changing the game industry from bleeps & bloops to real music now appreciated worldwide by millions of fans.

An accomplished musician, Tallarico has been writing music for video games for more than 18 years. He has won over 35 industry awards and has worked on more than 275 game titles. No one in the history of the video game industry has ever worked on more titles and projects. In 2008, he was enshrined in the Guinness Book of World Records.

Tommy is a cousin of rock star legend Steven Tyler (nee Tallarico) from Aerosmith. Tallarico was the first musician to release a video game soundtrack worldwide (Tommy Tallarico’s Greatest Hits Vol. 1 – Capitol Records) and his score for Advent Rising has been noted as "one of the greatest musical scores of all time" by websites such as Yahoo, Gamespot and others.

Tommy is the founder, Chairman of the Board and CEO of the Game Audio Network Guild (G.A.N.G.), which is a non-profit organization educating and heightening the awareness of audio for the interactive world ( www.audiogang.org).