MAGFest 2017

Game Music

Brave Wave to release Resurrection: Panzer Dragoon Saga 20th Anniversary Arrangement Soundtrack

December 14, 2017 | Ryan Paquet | Comments Off on Brave Wave to release Resurrection: Panzer Dragoon Saga 20th Anniversary Arrangement Soundtrack Share this

2018 will mark the 20th Anniversary of my favorite video game soundtrack, AZEL: Panzer Dragoon RPG, also known as Panzer Dragoon Saga. A few months ago Brave Wave Productions hinted that composer Saori Kobayashi was working on a new project with the Triforce Quartet. They had also recently performed music from the Panzer Dragoon series live during MAGFest 2017 which gave me hope the new project would be related.

On December 12, 2017, Brave Wave Productions officially announced that on January 29, 2017 they would release Resurrection: Panzer Dragoon Saga 20th Anniversary Arrangement Soundtrack. Few details are know at this time except that it is an official collaboration with SEGA, that the album will contain 20 tracks, and be available on CD, Vinyl and digitally. We also know from previous announcements that five tracks were recorded for this album with the Triforce Quartet.

I posed a Community Question on November 21, 2016, and noted that there were two scenarios that would lead me to jump to vinyl, and suggested this would be one of them. I also included a suggestion that the above image would make for a great album cover. I think its time I started saving up for a record player.

Are you excited for this arrangement album?
Events, Featured, Game Music

MAGFest 2017: Review & Recap

January 18, 2017 | Brenna Wilkes | 3 Comments Share this MAGFest 2017: Review & Recap

It’s been just over a week since MAGFest 2017 and a great deal of decompressing was required to be able to properly sum up this year’s experience. I was fortunate enough to see more performances than I normally would (thanks to a willingness to be dragged around), and therefore think I have a pretty good account of just how well this year’s prime Music and Gaming Festival went.

From the main stage to the underground to the secret shows, this year’s MAGFest was a solid lineup and featured a bit of everything to tickle your fancy.

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Chip Music, Indie Music

MAGFest MerchFest: GameChops USB Anthology

January 12, 2017 | Shawn Sackenheim | Comments Off on MAGFest MerchFest: GameChops USB Anthology Share this

If you didn’t get to attend MAGFest this year (or weren’t covertly handed one under a table at the show) there’s still time to grab one of these jampacked USB keys. Available from GameChops’ Bandcamp page for $50, the metal drives contain 4.1 gigs of GameChops music and include “every single, EP and album release from 2012 – 2016 with artwork, including exclusives”. That’s a ton of great music, 446 files in all, in 320bkps MP3 format.

It also includes streaming access to 2015’s Smooth McGroove Remixed album in anticipation of the upcoming follow up release. But act fast if you’re tempted, at the time of writing there were only about 40 USB keys available which were apparently hidden among GameChops’ luggage.

Unpacking from MAGFest and I’m finding USB Keys EVERYWHERE. It’s like an infestation of merch pic.twitter.com/xRfKeuCXYa

— Dj CUTMAN @ MAGFest! (@VideoGameDJ) January 9, 2017
Events, Game Music, Indie Music

MAGFest’s Channel is back with video from the 2017 event!

January 11, 2017 | Ryan Paquet | Comments Off on MAGFest’s Channel is back with video from the 2017 event! Share this

I was unable to make MAGFest again this year, but am very happy that MAGFest’s channel has videos available of some key events. As things only just wrapped up a few days ago I expect the list of videos to grow. I wrote about the videos they posted from the 2016 event which you can revisit here.

I have added the MAGFest Underground Playlist above, which features some awesome performances by Cowabunga Pizza Time, Gimmick, Jackal, Michael Zucker, Search Snake, Steel Samurai, Super Guitar Bros., Super Soul Bros., The Mountain Chiefs, The Tiberian Suns and Triforce Quartet (who I said was runner up for best arranged album of 2016).

There are plenty more concert videos and panel videos you can watch directly on MAGFest channel. Keep checking back as I’m sure there will be more videos added soon.

Did you attend MAGFest this year, is there a panel or concert that you saw that you really enjoyed? Let us know!
Events, Game Music

MAGFest 2017 Pre-Event Rundown

January 3, 2017 | Brenna Wilkes | Comments Off on MAGFest 2017 Pre-Event Rundown Share this MAGFest 2017 Pre-Event Rundown
MAGFest 2017 is only two days away and we’re furiously prepping ourselves for the event festivities. For those also attending, full announcements and a guidebook for the event are now available. Beyond the music artist lineup we announced earlier, you can check out the list of guests, MCs and a whole lot more gaming music-related information. Highlights include:
- Guest composers, including Alexander Brandon (Dues Ex), Davis Wise (Donkey Kong Country, Yooka-Laylee), Austin Wintory (Journey, The Banner Saga) and more.
- Game Voice Actors, such as Ellen McLain (Portal), John Patrick Lowrie (Team Fortress 2), Matt Mercer (Resident Evil 6, Overwatch) and others.
- Misc. concerts and musical mini-events like MAGFest Underground, Dwelling of Duels, Chipspace, Jamspace, etc.
- Music industry and community panels (DAWs for Chiptunes & Soundtracks, Remixing VG Music 101, Demoscene for Dummies, etc.)
The full guidebook for the event can be found here or on the main MAGFest website. Currently the Gaylord has a few extra rooms opened up, so if you are thinking of pulling a last minute attendance, you should jump on that now. Additional information can be found streaming regularly leading up to and during the event on the MAGFest Twitter and Facebook pages.

See you at the show! (Unless you sadly must miss it, in which case you can find the show streaming on Twitch!)
Chip Music, Events, Game Music, Miscellaneous

MAGFest 2017 Full Music Announcements Now Available

December 5, 2016 | Brenna Wilkes | 1 Comment Share this

Next month marks the 15th year of the main iteration of MAGFest; the music and gaming festival that started in 2002 and has blown up into a series of multiple nerd music culture events since. Returning to Nation Harbor to the Gaylord National Hotel from January 5-8th, the event is expected to sell out of badges, so if you were waiting on the full announcements of who will be performing this year before jumping on registering, we’ll help you out.

Last week marked the final music performance announcements for MAGFest 2017. Over the past month, video game artists and bands, chiptune artists and nerdcore performers have been steadily revealed for the upcoming event. If you hadn’t been keeping up, here’s the full lineup:

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