In further evidence of our wider cultural world going topsy-turvy, E&T was intrigued to receive notification from the SouthBank Centre of an upcoming concert in its Vision Sound Music Festival, in which the London Philharmonic Orchestra will turn its erudite attention to the music of well-known video games – everything from Super Mario to Angry Birds.
Apparently, concertgoers can look forward to immersing themselves “in the music that brings your favourite video games alive, played by a full live symphony orchestra. The evening offers a rare opportunity to enjoy a captivating, interactive experience that conjures up both a taste of nostalgia and a sense of adventure. The evening’s playlist includes music from Elder Scrolls, Mass Effect, Super Mario, Angry Birds, Little Big Planet and Heavenly Sword.”
As it happens, your correspondent regularly enjoys a bout of Angry Birds gameplay, but could honestly not hum you a single note of the background music. Ah well, it’s a cute idea, if faintly reminiscent of Spinal Tap’s David St Hubbins’ pronouncement that he’d “always wanted to do a collection of [his] acoustic numbers with the London Philharmonic”, borrowing some of classical music’s rarified air to breathe new cultural life in to “lowbrow” artforms. Maybe if Spinal Tap become a video game, his dream may yet come true.
Video Game Heroes takes place on Friday 2 September 2011 at the Royal Festival Hall, SouthBank Centre, London.
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