Serving the San Francisco Bay Area New Music Community

Sat, Apr 3 2010 8:00 PM

Flux 53
5306 Foothill Blvd. at Fairfax Oakland
Click for Venue page

Saturday 4/3/10 8PM-12AM
Flux 53 Theater Presents

Modal Kombat
League of Art Game Composers
And
Visionary Instruments

Guitar Hero Is Dead: Guitarists To Play Video Games Using Real Guitars as Controllers.

Forget about using a plastic guitar to mimic your favorite band. What if you could use a real guitar just like any other video game joystick -- and thrash your opponent while you create original music?

Two classically-trained New York City guitarists calling themselves "Modal Kombat" have hacked into classic video games Pong, Tetris, Mortal Kombat and Mario Kart. On April 2 at Oakland's Flux53, they'll make their characters move -- and battle against each other -- with a flurry of guitar-plucking.

The event, part of Modal Kombat's "Guitar Hero is Dead" Tour, is a video-game battle/performance-art hybrid that's open to the public. The goal is to demonstrate that real guitars -- or other musical instruments -- can be viable video game controllers.

LAG, the league of art game composers, is a union of experimental electronic music composers. The music of LAG focuses on utilizing, creating, and fusing games,art and intricate network structures. Active members of LAG include Cole Ingraham, Chad McKinney, Curtis McKinney, and Ben O'Brien.

Visionary Instruments is powered by the creative force and endless inspiration of Ben Lewry - guitar designer, fabricator, and repairman.

Years of experience studying exactly what makes a guitar sing, have led to the formulation of a new breed of instruments. This generation of electric guitars is built with the highest quality woods, carefully thought out designs, and the most modern electronics you'll find anywhere. Not to mention the patented line of video guitars.

Flux 53 Theater (www.flux53.com)
5306 Foothill BLVD

Cost: 5-10