Nerd Up: The Time Capsule: The Returners

We apologize for the lack of recent discussions that resulted from a hectic end of semester and final exam schedule. We’re back with a new entry into The Time Capsule, this time with a post on a double event: the debut performance of video game music cover band The Returners as well as the second show for Gimmick! Video Game Rock Band. The show took place at Genuine Joe’s coffeehouse in Austin on May 11^th, 2013, which is the same location where Gimmick’s debut performance took place roughly four months earlier.

The Returners lineup includes three former members of Descendants of Erdrick – Lauren Leibowitz playing flute and providing vocals (not at the same time, surprisingly), Mike Villalobos playing guitar, and John Pike playing drums – as well as K.C. “Wedge” Hawes-Domingue playing the keyboard and Andrew Dangerfield playing bass guitar. With Lauren’s vocal and instrumental talents, The Returners has a sound that is a bit different from most other VGM cover bands that you may have heard before.

The Returners debut performance (5-11-2013)

Their entire debut performance was recorded and uploaded to Youtube by Robert Swackhamer from the 8bitX Radio Network, this time as individual videos for individual tracks, but with a playlist containing all of the tracks included. There is also a playlist for the individual tracks of the songs performed by Gimmick. Since Gimmick actually played before The Returners, that’s the order that the set lists will appear in. Gimmick plays some tunes from two games that were not in their debut set list, so even if you listened to the first show and are too stretched for time to listen to the entire second show, check out the first and last tracks for the new material.

Unfortunately, Dark Man’s Stage from Mega Man 5 was not in this set list, and neither was any tune from the NES game Gimmick! (that’s Mr. Gimmick! to you, Scandinavia). And even though it was unlikely, I was personally hoping that Lauren would find a way to adequately cover some songs from the Ogre Battle saga without half an orchestra to help (she did record a nice version of Viking Spirits from Ogre Battle: March of the Black Queen as part of the Kickstarter project from the previous Descendants of Erdrick lineup, after all). Oh well, that just leaves something to look forward to later, perhaps. We’re going to keep an eye on both of these bands, as they promise to deliver some great tunes in the future.

Gimmick’s set list for the show is as follows:

1. Shadow of the Ninja (NES) – Prologue Theme

2. Metal Storm (NES) – Stage 1 Theme

3. Yo! Noid (NES) – Stage 1 Theme

4. Rygar (NES) – medley (Guru’s Theme, Primeval Mountain, Garloz, Sagila’s Cave, Palace of Dorago, Door of Peace)

5. Super Mario Bros. 3 (NES) – Overworld 1, Underworld, Course Clear

6. Bubble Bobble (NES) – Level Music (varying speeds)

7. Mega Man 3 (NES) – medley (Top Man’s Stage, Dr. Wily Stage 1-2, Dr. Wily Stage 3-4, Dr. Wily Stage 5-6, Dr. Wily Boss Battle, Continue?)

8. Super Mario Land (GameBoy) – Medley (Oh! Daisy!, Muda Kingdom, Level Complete, Bonus Game, One Up, Overworld Theme, Coin Room, Easton Kingdom, Boss Battle, Mario Down, Chai Kingdom, Submarine Theme, Can Can Invincibility, Evil Alien Tatanga, Rocket Ship Ride, Game Over)

9. Hoops (NES) – Title Screen, Player Select

10. Mega Man X (SNES) – medley (Armored Armadillo, Launch Octopus, Sigma Stage 1, Spark Mandrill)

The Returner’s set list for the show is as follows:

1. Final Fantasy VI (SNES) – medley (Cyan’s Theme, The Unforgiven, The Decisive Battle, Searching For Friends, Battle Theme, Victory Fanfare, Locke’s Theme)