Thursday night I attended the Video Games Live concert at the Hollywood Bowl. I was one of fifty invited video game designers and music composers - the "meet and greeters."

For two-and-a-half hours before the show, fans could come by and get us to sign their programs and posters. Of the nearly 8,600 who attended the concert, an estimated 1,000 came early for autographs.

And to all of you who were nice enough to stop by, I hereby apologize for any smartass, rude, and/or inappropriate remarks I may possibly have made. Especially to you, Rachyl. OK, moving on…

The concert was mostly made up of music that originated in video games. The exception was a suite of melodies from the movie TRON. This music, composed by Wendy Carlos, always hits me emotionally. For most of 1982, I designed and programmed the game TRON Solar Sailer for Intellivision. It was a significant year personally and professionally, and hearing that music brings back a flood of bittersweet memories.

That's why our CD of Intellivision music, Intellivision in Hi-Fi, ends with a TRON suite. When you're president of the company, you can insist on things like that.

Hearing TRON at the Hollywood Bowl on a beautiful summer night (the next-to-last summer night of the year) was a treat. But there was a bonus. Video Games Live founder Tommy Tallarico brought onto the stage a special guest to take a bow: TRON writer and director Steven Lisberger.

I had never met Lisberger back in the days of working on TRON Solar Sailer; I had only met him briefly a few years ago at E3 when Disney introduced the TRON 2.0 computer game. But Thursday night at the reception following the show I had a chance to hang out with him, TRON Effects Supervisor Richard Taylor, and TRON archivist David Arnspiger just talking about all things TRON. Too cool.

I also had fun catching up with two of the soloists I had met at the March Video Games Live in San Jose: singer Laurie "The Voice!" Robinson and Martin Leung, "The Video Game Pianist." They both kicked ass during the concert. And I had a chance to spend time with Mr. Tommy Tallarico himself and Becky "Aktrez" Young, correspondent for Coin-Op TV and one of my very first MySpace friends.

Great way to end the summer. We've crossed the equinox now. Happy autumn, everyone. Especially to you, Rachyl.

End of line.

Related blog:
Incoming! - Fear & Loathing at the Game Developers Conference >