The Belvedere Lounge is one of my absolute favorite places in MAGFest. If the main concert hall is the house party, then the Belvedere Lounge is movie night with a few friends. It’s more relaxed, there are plenty of drinks to be shared (Manhattans, for example), and plenty of comfortable seats. I had the great pleasure of witnessing several bands in this space, including the Wind Brigade, DS Music, and The Game Brass. Carlos Eiene aka insaneintherainmusic put on a magnificent one-man-band performance with live drums, a keyboard, a sax (of course), and an EWI. I also had one of the most rewarding conversations at MAGFest with a certain art director, but I’ll have more on that later ;)

As for the side stage, I was able to witness the pure awesomeness of Lame Genie VGM with several of my friends. Having seen them on the main stage at a previous MAGFest, I actually preferred them in a smaller, rowdier setting that was perfect for moshing. Being a metal fan that I am, I had to partake in the moshing, and was delighted to see how respectful everyone was (even the guy in a hockey mask with a fake chainsaw). For a band with only three members, Lame Genie VGM certainly knows how to bring down the house.

Finally, I was able to catch a late night jam space show for Family Jules (sorry ToxicxEternity for missing your set). On one half of the stage stood the VGM godfather, Family Jules, and on the other, a massive projector screen playing videos that matched the music. The highlight of the set had to be a 19-minute medley dedicated to the history of video game music, complete with video game footage. Despite the late hour (2 am to be exact), plenty of fans poured in to the jam space to show their support for a VGM icon.