Video Games Live in London Review

Video Games Live: Nerdgasm Times A Million

As regular readers of Londonist know, we've got a fairly strong nerd contingent; comes with the blogging territory, really. So did you really think we'd stay away from Video Games Live, which took place at the Hammersmith Apollo on Saturday night? Bit of a no-brainer.

Some of you are probably aghast at the very thought of a concert - like, with a proper orchestra (the English National Ballet Symphony, to be precise) and a choir and everything! - for the music from video games. Aren't they just for kids? Indeed, Londonist was originally forwarded the concert details by a friend as a joke in a "let's laugh at the geeks" kind of way, which backfired when we promptly ordered tickets. And as an example of the plurality of views and opinions which are encouraged to flourish within the Londonist crew, our own Hazel described it as a "quite bizarre event" not so long ago. Well, laugh if you like; we, as it happens, agree with the one, the only, the almighty and eternal Charlie Brooker when he says that:

"[V]ideo games, like ridicule, are nothing to be scared of. Anyone who isn't hopelessly addicted should be regarded with suspicion. Don't like pixels? Think games are shallow? Shut up and learn to love the joypad."

People who can't join in on conversations about "my favourite memory from the Zelda series" - is it when you take the ghost back to his cottage, or when you go into the Dark World for the first time and realise you have EIGHT MORE DUNGEONS to get through? - or "what level I reached in the Emperor's Secret Order in TIE Fighter" are like those poor weirdoes who can't join in on nostalgic chats about Count Duckula and Trapdoor and Henry's Cat because their fascist parents never let them near a TV screen. We pity them.

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