LISA DENTON: Barry, I’ve never been much of a gamer – a player, maybe, if you know what I mean – but I have to say I’m intrigued by the Video Games Live show coming to Memorial Auditorium on Thursday. Have you heard about this? It has the Chattanooga Symphony & Opera playing music from popular video games combined with synchronized lighting, video, live action and audience interaction. It sounds like this generation’s laser light shows.
BARRY COURTER: It does sound almost perfect, doesn’t it? It’s one of those things you wonder why someone didn’t think of it a long time ago. Video games have some of the most dynamic music around today, and some folks think it might be a good entry point to more traditional classical music for younger people.
You do have to wonder though if the young’uns will look up from their phones long enough to see the light show.
LISA: Good point. It wouldn’t be so bad if they’re actually playing video games. There’s kind of a synchronicity to that. It’s still rude, of course, but better than texts that go: “What are you doing?” “Nothing. What are you doing?” “Nothing.” (The texts would be much shorter — “What r u doin” — but I’m too anal-retentive to deviate from AP style, even in a text message.)
BARRY: I could probably respond with a LOL or a ROTFL, but I just can’t make myself do it. Wait, I just did.