The Ultimate Gamer Experience Comes to Grand Rapids in VIDEO GAMES LIVE!

Playing video games offers some of the most immersive experiences you can have. But unless you're playing with a friend, it's an experience you often have on your own.

Join the Grand Rapids Pops for Video Games Live! and enjoy the fun that comes with seeing some of the most successful video games of all time on the big screen, hearing the original music played live by your Grand Rapids Symphony, and sharing the experience with several hundred of your fellow gamers.

Experience the magic of Mario, Zelda, Halo, Final Fantasy, and more with the Grand Rapids Symphony during Video Games Live!, a must-see for gaming aficionados and music lovers alike.

Guest conductor Emmanuel Fratianni guides the Grand Rapids Pops, plus soloists and electronic percussionists, through the well-known soundtracks of your favorite games, accompanied by images and video from the games.

The show combines the power and emotion of a symphony orchestra plus the energy and excitement of a rock concert on top of the technology and interactivity of a video game.

The show was co-created and produced by Tommy Tallarico, one of the most successful video game composers of all time.

"Music is there to drive the action," said Tallarico's partner, co-founder Jack Wall about music's role in the gaming world, "There are engaging melodies that have a lot of power to them."

When Video Games Live! held its first show in 2005 in Los Angeles, California, a record number of 11,000 people were in the audience, making it the biggest video game concert in the world. Since then, the concert experience has become known worldwide across Europe, Asia, and South America.

The concert not only immerses the audience in electrifying musical compositions, but draws them in with stunning visuals from some of the most beloved games, synced up to lighting effects and live action and unique interactive segments that combine into one captivating entertainment experience.

Tickets for Video Games Live start at $18 and are available at the GRS ticket office, weekdays 9am to 5pm at 300 Ottawa Ave. NW, Suite 100, (located across from the Calder Plaza), or by calling 616.454.9451 x 4. (Phone orders will be charged a $2 per ticket service fee, with a $12 maximum.)

Tickets are available at the DeVos Place box office, weekdays 10am to 6pm or on the day of the concert beginning two hours prior to the performance. Tickets also may be purchased online at GRSymphony.org.