PAX West 2021 Recap!

Finally taking a moment to reflect on PAX West 2021 and wow, what a blast it has been! I feel so lucky and honored to have been on that stage with the opportunity to share music with you all. So many people showed, many of whom hadn’t even heard of me or my music before. And you all welcomed me whole-heartedly.

I’ve been on some big stages before (even this one! [Thank you, Mega Ran!]) but usually as part of a group or backing someone up and those were all amazing experiences. This time though was the biggest stage and crowd I've played for where it’s just been me up there.

Excitement overshadowed the nerves and I reminded myself several times during the performance to enjoy the moments. “This is it! These are the moments you strive and prepare for.”

I loved everything about it - walking out on stage to a packed room, the eyes and anticipation staring back at me, playing a superb Steinway B piano, the lights changing all around and most of all the energy and applause from all of you, which after a long covid year and a half, meant so much more than I could have realized before.

I loved getting to talk with so many of you after the show and in the following days - hearing about how much the concert moved you, about the nostalgic comfort you felt when hearing Animal Crossing: New Horizons (a game that helped so many of us get through the initial shock and fear of the pandemic), or how tears welled up at the Final Fantasy VII Main Theme.

The music of video games creates a deeper connection within us than we may even realize. We live with these games - these alternate worlds. They get woven into our timeline and attached to milestones in our lives.

I had no idea how many people would show up to the concert. I printed 200 programs thinking that’d be more than enough. Over 450 people came through the door that night.

Thank you everyone who came to the show, who tuned into the livestream, the PAX staff and Paramount staff who made the show run smoothly and for PAX for having me. Special thanks to all the enforcers who were beyond helpful all weekend. And major thanks to Nick, Jenn and Thomas for helping with the merch! (If you missed out, you can still get a shirt at 88bitmusic.com/merch)

Thank you to all the new followers and fans from this weekend, and to those of you who’ve been following me for some time now (especially my Patreon and Twitch subscribers ). Your support and encouragement and enthusiasm is a major reason why I continue to put the time in to transcribe, arrange, record, and perform VGM. Another major reason is I truly love doing all of it. (Well, I’m still learning to enjoy the video editing, ha.)

I’ve got a lot more arrangements, collaborations, sheet music and performances to deliver and can’t wait to get it all out there. Hope to see you all again soon!

- Rob

* And if you're not already jump on in and connect with me in the 88bit discord 88bitmusic.com/88bit