Game music is growing ever better, and ever more recognised as such in the last decade. I’ve always had a huge soft spot for game soundtracks, from the glorious Sonic R, through Shenmue, Expedition 33, to the underrated Mekazoo, Valfaris: Mecha Theron and much more. I was fortunate enough to visit the final day of the Game Music Festival this past weekend to see the Ballad of the Underworld performance, featuring music from Hades, and Hades II and once again, the orchestra and performers knocked it out of the park.
Over the course of two hours, we were treated to stunning performances of various tracks from the games, including early renditions of Scylla and the Sirens stand out songs from Hades II. The crowd erupted as conductor Austin Wintory introduced Erin Yvette, Judy Alice Lee and Ashley Barrett, the original performers of the songs, and they proceeded to not only deliver a masterclass is vocal performances, but kept the crowd entertained with playful expressions throughout.
It was a whirlwind of music throughout the nearly 2 hour runtime, and the energy from both orchestra and performers never dipped for a moment. Hades soundtrack composer Darren Korb made several appearances throughout as well, performing various songs from both games, including a moving rendition of Good Riddance that I must confess was my first time hearing (I was terrible was Hades…).
It’s clear that the Hades soundtracks were not only worth putting in this live format, but that fans of the game came out in force to hear it. The auditorium was buzzing, with multiple standing ovations, laughs, cheers, and a general buzz that I’ve rarely felt walking into something like this. Those around me were clearly having a blast (I heard several shrieks and gasp of excitement as new pieces started), and everywhere I looked there were smiles, heads bobbing along and fingers tapping, and a general sense that everyone was invested throughout.
The entire performance was livestreamed on Twitch, and an archive of this is in the works. I can’t recommend enough that you find it (or come back here where I’ll link it) if you’re even remotely interested in not just Hades soundtrack, but what the GMF does to elevate game music every year.
This years festival featured performances from games like Persona, Diablo, and a medley of tracks from Hitoshi Sakimoto including Final Fantasy‘s Tactics and XII, 13 Sentinals, and Odin Sphere Leifthrasier. Previous years have also showcased the likes of Baldur’s Gate III, and Ori and the Will of the Wisps, and one of my favourite soundtracks and games of all time, The Last of Us Part I and Part II. I got to check out the later showing and wrote about it here.
Overall, the GMF has fast become one of the highlight on the gaming calendar, and I look forward to seeing what next years line upbrings. Of course, I have my own wish list of what I’d like to see – Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, Halo, Elder Scrolls, and, of course, a collection of Nintendo store and app music – but I will absolutely be keen to check out whatever is on the line up and perhaps even discover a new favourite soundtrack!
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