Got your New Year’s plans squared away? Well nuts to that! Go to MAGFest instead!
From January 3-6, the Music And Gaming Festival will once again be tearing down the walls of the Gaylord National Hotel in National Harbor, Maryland. Those who have attended past events can’t stop singing its praises, and I doubt its 11th iteration will be any different. Four-day passes start at $40 per person, $30 per person if you are rolling in a crew of eight or more, and hotel rates start at $135 a night.
Last year, extraordinary performances by Nobuo Uematsu’s band Earthbound Papas, live speedrunners / rock collective Bit Brigade, and others left attendees all wet in the pants. On the schedule so far this year, Bit Brigade will return as will my boy Random a.k.a. Mega Ran. Special guests include Arin “Egoraptor” Hanson, the voice of Duke Nukem Jon St. John, and most likely the HAWP crew plus Ashley Davis, though they have yet to be formally announced.
But the headlining guest is none other than Kinuyo Yamashita, famed Japanese composer responsible for the soundtracks of the original Castlevania, Mega Man X3, and a very dear game to my heart called Power Blazer. In fact, I think I’ll have her sign my boxed copy!
