Review—<i>Video Games Live</i> and Performance

This review aims to demonstrate the role of Video Games Live within video game music culture. To achieve this, I will provide a commented description of an event held by the Video Games Live group in 2012 in the city of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The presented material is an excerpt from a field notebook produced during an ethnography conducted at this event, chosen for being the first and most impactful. Despite the concise nature of the presented excerpt, the goal is to share field sensitivities, encouraging reflection on issues associated with video game music. This includes examining practices occurring outside of the gaming moment, serving as extensions of the gaming experience. In this context, the article will descriptively showcase some moments from the event and address social issues illustrating how music produced and consumed beyond the gaming moment plays a crucial role in shaping cultural practices related to this genre of music. The review will delve into aspects such as the relationship between the artist and the audience, emphasizing how everyone involved in the show contributes to the artistic performance. It highlights the significance of communication between the audience and the artist in shaping the event and demonstrates how social value positions are reproduced in these moments. However, as will be evident, I also point out the consciously planned intention in the production of values and ideologies related to this music.