Concert Review - Chiptunes Set @ SC3

Something I've learned about attending a chiptunes performance is they are usually held in a non-traditional space. At least the one's I've been to have. Last night was no exception, as I caught a set from several chiptunes artists at the SC3 arcade party, held at Gallery Nucleus in Alhambra, CA.

First up was Wizwars, who puts on a manically energetic performance as he manipulates his gear. And last night was no exception. His live rendition of "8 Bit Raceway" was a highlight of his set. Next up was Mr. Spastic. I was only able to catch part of his set, but I did enjoy the bleeping beats he was putting down.

ComputeHer played next with a set featuring a good amount of material from her Modemoiselle album which I have given high praise previously for its breaking out of the traditional chiptunes mode in its sound.

The set ended with 8 Bit Weapon putting on one of their signature performances, highlighted by "Fallout in the Wasteland (SID 8580 Remix)" from the Silo 64 soundtrack. A tad dark as there wasn't much in the way of lighting, apart from the familiar glow of dozens of arcade cabinets and some nice laser effects on the walls. Kudos to the person who bumped me at the :29 second mark. Nearly flawless victory.

The cheers you hear during the video are from a group of people playing a heated match of Warlords mere feet from the "stage". Albeit I thought it a bit rude at first to be yelling like that during a music performance, it actually was quite appropriate at times, with their shouts punctuating the music. Kudos to the SC3 organizers for not only pairing a chiptunes concert with a classic arcade experience, but for bringing in arcade systems in perfectly playable condition.

One game in particular caught my eye, or rather ear: a functioning Journey arcade machine. Yes, THAT Journey. Despite being an old-school arcade denizen, I can't recall ever playing or even seeing this machine before, one of the first music-themed games. Even better was hearing an arcade version of "Don't Stop Believin'" emanating from the machine.

While performing in non-traditional spaces is part of the chiptunes music mystique, it would be great for artists such as these to be able to take it to the next level by playing in more familiar concert settings, with stage and production values to match.