PAX: Nerdcore Rising, Mega Man Falling

You may not know that nerdcore music rocks harder live. Before PAX, what I had listened to of Optimus Rhyme had only convinced me that, "Yeah, it's pretty neat." Now, I'm a believer. Part of this is the usual hit-or-miss problems that crop up when small independent groups enter the studio. The group goes in, records a good set, and then some damn fool says to themselves, "Hey, all of that RAWK is getting in the way of Count Lyle's mellifluous voice! I'd better fix that."

Meanwhile, M.C. Frontalot's studio works possess a superior studio mix, but I preferred his live backup to the rotating cast of starts he grabbed for his album. That said, I'm still happy to own both CD's, and not just because he gave me a free rubber band with my last purchase.

Meanwhile, Beefy Live is just as good as Beefy Not Live. This is probably because his backup band is an iPod.

On the other hand, I can pretty much take or leave people covering videogame music. There are still some standouts that grab my attention, but for the most part, I only find myself liking the songs I already know from playing the games they're attached to. My current theories as to why this might be the case:

1- As a child, I only played games with good music.
2- Most covers of videogame music drain the midi-styled charm that made them so catchy, while failing to inject their own flavor into it.
3- No, really, Final Fantasy music sucks.

PAX?

Is anyone else going to the Penny Arcade Expo? If so, we need to talk before hotel reservations are finalized. Like, stat.

For those of you unfamiliar with the con, it's the annual gaming event put together by the guys at Penny Arcade. There are video game tournaments for those so inclined, and exhibitors offering first or second looks at their upcoming titles. But Mr. Bile and I are more about the music. In addition to PAX alumni MC Frontalot, the NESkimos, and Optimus Rhyme (non-embarrassing nerdcore hip-hop, heavy metal covers of video game music, and a rockin' live band, respectively), this year's lineup includes Freezepop, who you might know from bonus tracks on Guitar Hero I and II, and Jonathan Coulton, the man who brought you "Code Monkey", "Re: Your Brains," and a folk-rock cover of "Baby Got Back."

There's also a very friendly open-gaming room and the Omegathon, where randomly selected attendees compete in front of an audience of 20,000+ in tabletop and videogame challenges. Last year's contest included pre-release Guitar Hero II tracks and Tetris. I'm no prognosticator, but something tells me Carcassone or Catan might be involved this time around. At least, I hope so, because my name is in the hat.

Oh, and Will Wheaton will be there, if you're into that kind of thing. And by that kind of thing, I don't know what I mean. I can only assume that if an appearance by Will Wheaton whets your appetite, you have your reasons.

So there you have it. Several perfectly good reasons to vacation in Seattle the weekend before Labor Day, even if you've never heard of the Fruit Fucker 2000.