The reason GameCrate left sunny Los Angeles for the freezing temperatures of Boston is simple: PAX East is the only place gamers want be this weekend. It’s also a pretty good place to be if you’re a music lover. If you’re one of the lucky (and cold) people attending the best gaming expo in the world, you’re also going to be treated to some of the most innovative music you’ll ever hear.
Here are the bands you don’t want to miss at PAX East 2015:
Super Guitar Bros
The Super Guitar Bros are not actually brothers – they’re bros! Steve and Sam met back in 2007 at a local coffee shop where Sam was performing with a mutual friend of theirs. After seeing Sam’s classical skills, Steve knew they had to start making music together. During their first jam session, everything clicked. They’ve been playing together ever since.
Triforce Quartet
The 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.
Paul & Storm
Paul and Storm (Paul Sabourin and Greg “Storm” DiCostanzo) are known internationally and across the Internet for their original comedy music (often with a “nerd-ish” bent). In addition to their own live performances, they are co-founders of the geek-oriented variety show w00tstock, along with Wil Wheaton and Adam Savage, and co-produce JoCo Cruise Crazy. The duo’s original webseries musical, “LearningTown“, debuted on YouTube’s Geek & Sundry channel in January 2013. Also in 2013, their song “Another Irish Drinking Song” was featured in the hit movie Despicable Me 2, and in July had their guitar smashed on stage by George R. R. Martin (and deserved it). Their fifth full-length CD, Ball Pit, came out in 2014, and was the central item of the duo’s wildly successful Kickstarter campaign.
Freezepop
Formed in Boston in the summer of 1999, Freezepop released two homemade EPs and started a DIY machine that would become one of their trademarks. Their debut album, 2000’s Freezepop Forever, was released domestically on their own label, Archenemy, as well as licensed in Europe by the Spanish indiepop label Elefant. Several more EPs followed, and in 2004, Freezepop put out their sophomore album, Fancy Ultra•Fresh. After nearly eight years of self-releasing their CDs, they partnered with Rykodisc/Cordless Recordings for their most recent album, Future Future Future Perfect. Their single “Less Talk More Rokk” was the iTunes #4 dance/electronic song of 2007, and the band swept the 2008Boston Phoenix/WFNX Best Music Poll, winning the local categories of Best Band, Best Live Act, and Best Album.
Bit Brigade
When Bit Brigade rolls into town, the gamer elite hang up the controller for the evening and see a rock show. With unprecedented attention to detail and post-rock bombast, Bit Brigade meticulously replicates every musical cue, cutscene and boss battle in perfect syncronization with master gamer Noah McCarthy’s inspiring speed-trial run of each level. Composed of members of roadwarrior (both stateside and abroad) mathrock bands Cinemechanica and We Versus The Shark, Bit Brigade elevates game music to its proper place in the foreground of epic technical rock and plays the games like they don’t need the extra lives. Which, for the record, they don’t.
MC Frontalot
MC Frontalot was born Merrill Conrad Frontenson on an Okeechobee gator farm in 1973. The fronting has increased exponentially since. Nine years of rap stardom, thirty world tours, and thirty-nine platinum albums find MC Frontalot threatening retirement. His legion of fans will sob quietly to themselves.
Not at PAX East? Not a Problem!
I wasn’t able to take flight aboard Newegg Air this weekend because I don’t do well in cold weather. This doesn’t mean I won’t be catching all the music action at PAX East though. I’ll be tuning in to the GameCrate livestream all weekend long without having to wear a jacket.
I’ll also be dancing in front of my computer without having to compete with Q and Jenny’s amazing moves.
