vgmcon

Last episode of the year! GameGrooves has been cookin' in 2023 and have even more to look forward to in 2024. We have the found of GameGrooves, Allen Brasch, on to talk about how GameGrooves operates these days and the challeneges of running a video game music netlabel. Also, what are we doing at Super MAGFest 2024? Find out all that and more!

You can follow Game Grooves at gamegrooves.com and gamegrooves.bandcamp.com. 
Follow host Kent Ward at linktr.ee/greatkentward. You can support also our podcast at patreon.com/ongakuoverdrive.

Get tickets to Mega Ran's "Black Materia Live" at Conduit in Winter Park, FL on January 25th at https://ongakuoverdrive.com/blackmateria

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The Keytar Kween Lacey Johnson just played at TwitchCon and now she is back in Orlando this weekend for the OngakuVania II. We talk about that, favorite spooky games, fighting games, playing all over the place, and managing an intense schedule of releasing music, YouTube videos, performing, and even teaching music! How does she do it?

OngakuVania II Halloween Party is October 29th at Conduit in Winter Park, FL. Get tickets at ongakuoverdrive.com.

Check out Lacey Johnson at youtube.com/laceyjohnsonmusic and laceyjohnsonmusic.bandcamp.com.

Follow host Kent Ward at linktr.ee/greatkentward. You can support also our podcast at patreon.com/ongakuoverdrive.

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Back on the show is VGM prog rocker Big Ro Panuganti! His new album "SitarCraft" drops October 20th and will have a heavy amount of Indian music influence. We discuss the album, Indian culture and music in video games, being married to another video game musician, Legend of Zelda, playing more live shows this year, and more.

You can preorder SitarCraft at ropanuganti.bandcamp.com/album/sitarcraft

Get tickets to OngakuVania II in Orlando on October 29t at ongakuoverdrive.com/ongakuvania

Check out Ro Panuganti at ropanu.com. and youtube.com/ropanuganti. Follow Kent Ward at linktr.ee/greatkentward. You can support our podcast at patreon.com/ongakuoverdrive.

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Representing DUUUVAL with pride are Florida fusion rock video game band The Limit Breakers. We have Jisun, Dani, and Lukas on to talk about what the band has been cooking this year. This includes a super successful Twitch fundraiser that got them to VGM CON, how they maintain a band their size, and their upcoming shows in Jacksonville and Orlando. We even talk about the Jax nerd scene!

Follow The Limit Breakers at https://linktr.ee/thelimitbreakers. See them perform soon!

10/4 in Jacksonville, FL: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-limit-breakers-halloween-vgm-show-with-awesomus-prime-and-limo-scene-tickets-696114867307?aff=oddtdtcreator

10/29 in Orlando, FL: https://ongakuoverdrive.com/ongakuvania

Follow Kent Ward at linktr.ee/greatkentward. Support Nerd Music Meltdown at patreon.com/ongakuoverdrive.

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We're back from another hiatus and settled into a new studio! Kent gets everyone caught up and brings on the newest, funky video game duo of Ian Cowell and Carrie Wood, otherwise known as Bi Score, to chat about making music for people to score to from TWO different coasts. And being bisexual while doing it! Their first album, The Hot Light, just dropped and they got more music and shows coming, including this Sunday's Virtua Ongaku 17, LIVE on twitch.tv/ongakuoverdrive.

Follow Bi Score: https://linktr.ee/biscore
Follow Ian Cowell: https://linktr.ee/neoncowell
Follow Carrie Wood: https://twitter.com/supitscarrie
Follow Kent Ward: https://linktr.ee/greatkentward

Support Nerd Music Meltdown at patreon.com/ongakuoverdrive.

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Back on the show is Mustin of The OneUps. He and Kent reflect on being at VGM CON in Minneapolis and what a time it was!

PLUS, Mustin has a new album that he worked on with his 17-year old son called Mario Mixtape. We break that down, give thoughts on The Super Mario Bros Movie, discuss the new generation of VGM and THE FUTURE!

Ongaku Overdrive's 10th Anniversary Show takes place on April 29th in Orlando, FL. Get your tickets at ongakuoverdrive.com!

You can follow Mustin at mustin.net and bit.ly/Mustin. Follow The OneUps at theoneups.com. Follow host Kent Ward at linktr.ee/greatkentward. Support Nerd Music Meltdown at patreon.com/ongakuoverdrive.

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This weekend is VGM CON in Minneapolis and we have featured performer Theology on to talk about the event, the recent Midwest Gaming Classic, applying his club DJ background to VGM, Secret of Mana, and more! His new album, Theology of Mana drops this Friday on all platforms.

You can follow Theology at linktr.ee/theologymusic and youtube.com/theologyofficial. You can find out more about VGM CON at vgmcon.org.

Get your tickets to Ongaku Overdrive's 10th Anniversary Show at ongakuoverdrive.com. Follow host Kent Ward at linktr.ee/greatkentward. Support Nerd Music Meltdown at patreon.com/ongakuoverdrive. “The Meltdown” theme by RoboRob

String Player Gamer and Tiggs are back on the show, offcially teaming up as Scarlet & Violet! We talk about how they got together, performing at MAGFest, the current state of performing on Twitch, Pokémon, World of Warcraft, Zelda, and their Orlando debut at Ongaku Overdrive's 10th Anniversary Show on April 29th! (Tickets at ongaku10th.eventbrite.com)

You can follow Scarlet & Violet at twitter.com/scarvioletVGM. String Player Gamer can be followed at youtube.com/TheStringPlayerGamer and Tiggs can be followed at youtube.com/@TiggsVoice. Follow host Kent Ward at linktr.ee/greatkentward. Support Nerd Music Meltdown at patreon.com/ongakuoverdrive.

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It's a loaded episode with Austin Green, who is the founder of PC-gaming tribute band WASD as well as the site admin for video game remix competion community Dwelling of Duels. Kent and Austin talk about those things, WASD's latest album Escape, performing at MAGFest last month, Steel Samurai, VGM CON, and more!

Find out more about WASD at wasdband.com. Follow host Kent Ward at linktr.ee/greatkentward. Support Nerd Music Meltdown at patreon.com/ongakuoverdrive.

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From a desert in Parts Unknown, The Icarus Kid pops in on the Nerd Music Meltdown to talk about his love for both EDM and video game music, restarting his music career multiple times, his take on making electronic live performances exciting to watch, performing at VGMCon, and mental health coaching.

You can follow The Icarus Kid at https://www.youtube.com/c/TheIcarusKid. Support Nerd Music Meltdown at patreon.com/ongakuoverdrive.

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We got a full event recap of VGMCon: Lift Off, a video game and music convention that took place this past weekend in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Special guests Mahn, Gunderslam, and H808 performed at the event and recap the whole weekend, plus the Game Music Remix Awards and  the big news for VGM coming out of this year's edition of the Grammy's!

Follow Mahn: https://linktr.ee/mahnplaysmusic
Follow Gunderslam: https://linktr.ee/Gunderslam
Follow H808: https://linktr.ee/h808_beats

You can also support Nerd Music Meltdown at patreon.com/ongakuoverdrive.

"The Meltdown" theme by RoboRob

TWO interviews on this edition of Nerd Music Meltdown. VGM CONline is this weekend (April 22nd to 25th) on their Twitch. It will feature a bunch of music, panels, gaming, speedruns, and even an awards show!

In part 1, we have VGM CON operations director Vaughn Rowles (@vaughnyboy8) to talk about the event and how VGM CON came to be in 2018, how things went last year right before the pandemic, and gaming culture in Minneapolis.

In part 2, Kent runs down the Game Music Remix Awards with showrunner Jeff Penny. (@JeffPennyMusic) This awards show will feature musical performances and also be a part of the VGM CON weekend (Friday, April 23rd at 7pm EST) Definitely check that out!

Find out more about VGM CON at vgmcon.org. Want to get future episodes of the Nerd Music Meltdown before anyone else? Subscribe at patreon.com/ongakuoverdrive.

Music used:

Lacey Johnson - Butterfly (from Dance Dance Revolution) Gunderslam - Hornet (from Hollow Knight)
Ro Panuganti - Potion Shop (from Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time)

"The Meltdown" theme by RoboRob

Classic rock about video games?! Crazier things have happened, but The Arkadian shreds and sings some amazing tunes about retro games and arcade culture. We talk to The Arkadian about his rock influences, how meeting Ronnie James Dio changed his life, playing at the last live VGM festival before the pandemic shut everything down, what VGM CON is, and much more!

The Arcadian will be performing on Virtua Ongaku 8 Deluxe, live on March 27th at twitch.tv/ongakuoverdrive. Get more of The Arkadian at arkadianvgrb.bandcamp.com.

Want to get future episodes of the Nerd Music Meltdown before anyone else? Subscribe at patreon.com/ongakuoverdrive.

"The Meltdown" theme by RoboRob