Tournament Arc

With tunes crammed full of as much panache as possible comes our next main stage act: Tournament Arc! Tournament Arc is a jazzy Boston-based ensemble featuring Mason Lieberman and they're coming into MAGFest Prime to close Thursday night on the back of their album release!

With collaborations between some of the greatest musicians and minds to grace the medium, Tournament Arc promises a live show you won't be able to forget with tracks from and inspired by Final Fantasy, Persona, Chrono Trigger, and more.

Janus Rose

Janus Rose is a NYC-based producer, DJ and synthesist. Utilizing a broad toolset that includes everything from repurposed videogame hardware to modular synthesizers, her musical practice draws heavily from the languages of cyberfeminism and queer rave culture.

As a veteran of New York’s legendary chip music scene, she has performed both live hardware and DJ sets at clubs across the U.S., as well as in Europe, Australia, and Japan. In 2023, she began releasing new music on the LA-based queer imprint Delusional Records, as well as hosting Soft_Reset, a local party for experimental club and bass music.

Website | Instagram

Zaku

Zaku focuses on wind-synthesizer-fronted instrumental tunes inspired by 80s Japanese Jazz Fusion and New Wave of British Heavy Metal.

Website | Instagram | Bandcamp

EyeQ

Alongside performances EyeQ also co-curates the official soundtrack for CEO Gaming one of the more prolific fighting game conventions in the US, and has actively worked to coordinate events for numerous conventions and organizations around the US most notably the Library of Congress. He is the founder of Bytes An Beats and a co-founding member of the Nerdy People of Color Collective, where he works  to advocate and create spaces for marginalized groups in nerd and geek spaces around the country. This year he will be accompanied by the one and only Super soul Bro’s and some amazing special guests.

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

Glorified Magnified

Newly emerged from stasis, 90s electronic music stalwarts Glorified Magnified return to sling industrial rhythm science with abandon.

Twitter | Instagram

Cowabunga Pizza Time

Hailing from the ooze covered gutters of Baltimore, Maryland, Cowabunga Pizza Time is the brainchild of an elite squad of artists, musicians, and creators who joined forces in 2017. Born out of a wild ninja amphibian themed night at a beloved Baltimore music venue, this denim-clad crew delivers a sonic fusion of thrash, punk, melodic metal, and rock 'n' roll, drawing inspiration from the likes of Andrew WK, Turbo Negro, Iron Maiden, and PUP.

Francisco "Foco" Cerda

Chilean composer Francisco "Foco" Cerda started making music for videogames in 1998, when he created the soundtrack for a MS-DOS shmup programmed also by himself. His work can be heard across several titles such as Jamestown, Gunpoint, Save The Date!, Witchmarsh, Frog Fractions 2, After Death, Omen of Sorrow, The Punchuin and ProtoCorgi.

In his live act, Francisco does an energetic performance of his own compositions alongside remixes of iconic videogame music, combining the rawness of 8 bit sounds with other modern electronic genres as well.

Linktree | Twitter | Instagram | Bandcamp | YouTube

Descendants of Erdrick

Descendants of Erdrick chronicles the adventures of classic and retro video games via high-energy prog-rock/metal arrangements. Members include Amanda Lepre on guitars and vocals, Thad Stevens on bass, drummer Jaime Watson, and keyboardist Emily Thompson. In their home state of Texas, Descendants of Erdrick has the honor of being the inaugural video game tribute band where they continue to canonize songs from the games of old.

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

Cyanide Dansen

After stumbling upon LSDJ in 2011, then doing nothing until 2016 because of her studies, Marie started creating hard-hitting, melodic and frantic chiptune with the support of the local DIY/antifascist squat L'Ecluse from her quaint hometown of Rheims.

Since relocating to Paris in 2017, she released breakout EP Zenzoo Pop and started extensively touring across Europe, becoming a mainstay in the European chip scene.

In 2019, she unleashed the catchy and emphatic Do No Harm on Bytedoll Records while receiving high praise for her sets at events such as Square Sounds Melbourne (Australia), Chipwrecked (Denmark), Gleeetch Me Hard + 8bit Breakdown (Germany), I/O (New York City), Hyperwave x Âĩcollective (England)... She is also very active beyond the scenes in the French chip scene, booking local and international acts in Paris with the help of the All You Can Eat collective. (bio written by S.Chibikh)

RivalsSpace | Instagram | Bandcamp | Tumblr

88bit

Rob Kovacs, widely recognized by his stage name 88bit, is a virtuoso pianist and accomplished composer who captivates audiences with his intricate and innovative piano arrangements of iconic video game soundtracks, most notably from the 8-bit era.

Soundtracks he’s arranged include Marble Madness, Final Fantasy, R.C. Pro-am, The Adventures of Lolo, Arkista’s Ring, and more. He has performed for legendary video game composers including David Wise (Donkey Kong Country) and Takashi Tateishi (Mega Man 2).

88bit collaborated with producer, Save Point, to release Video Game LoFi: Super Mario 64 featuring a lo-fi, jazz-adjacent arrangement of “Dire Dire Docks” which won a 2023 Game Audio Network Guild award for “Best Game Music Cover.”

Kovacs has performed at major music and gaming events including PAX West, Super MAGFest, GDC, The Game Audio Network Guild Awards, the Mensa National Gathering, NeoSonic Fest, Classic Game Fest, VGM CON and many others. He has collaborated with many other artists including Mega Ran, Insaneintherainmusic, Videri String Quartet, 8-Bit Music Theory, EyeQ, The Icarus Kid, and has performed with the Distant Worlds Final Fantasy orchestra. Additionally, he is internationally recognized as the first person to perform a solo version of Steve Reich’s Piano Phase by playing both piano parts on two pianos simultaneously.

Beyond his prowess as a performer, Kovacs has established himself as a skilled composer, crafting original compositions that echo the influence of both classical and gaming realms, including a critically acclaimed score for the award-winning virtual reality game STRAYLIGHT.

Kovacs is a partnered streamer on Twitch where he interacts with viewers, playing not only video game music but a wide variety of genres including his original music.

88bit is supported by members of his Patreon. Learn more at www.88bitmusic.com.

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

Crashfaster

Crashfaster is a San Francisco-based band that combines elements of 8-bit video game music, synth pop, and industrial. Their songs, while bright and effervescent, are often darker and more melancholy than the work of most artists associated with the chiptune scene, reflecting themes of loneliness and disenchantment.

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Bandcamp

Lacey Johnson

"Keytar Kween" Lacey Johnson returns with her keytar in hand to conquer space pirates at MAGfest Prime. Lacey has spent the last few years touring the United States performing for video game fans everywhere! From Metroid to the Persona series, Lacey's energy is palpable in her dynamic music videos on her YouTube channel and on her full-length albums.

Lacey’s live show is packed with your favorite video game tracks from several genres, some serious Keytar shredding, and high-energy good vibes to go around.

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Twitch | Bandcamp | TikTok

Flow Mein

Hailing from Brooklyn, NY, flow mein has been cutting his teeth on the east coast chip scene since 2014. He uses LSDJ to fuse together his influences from house, j-pop and EDM into his own brand of low-level dance music.

Twitter | Instagram | Bandcamp

Super MadNES

Super MadNES is a Los Angeles, CA live tribute to retro video games and classic 80s heavy metal music, creating riff-oriented guitar & synth arrangements to classic NES, SNES and arcade soundtracks.

Along with an action fueled pixelated visual show, Super MadNES brings an intense headbanging experience to Super MAGfest attendees filled with harmonized guitar solos, insane keytar melodies, and soundtracks that have never been heard before.

Let the MadNES begin!

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Bandcamp

GWIZ & RoBKTA

GWIZ

Calling all in the Milky Way, it's time to party with GWIZ of the Stars!
GWIZ is a DJ, music producer & pop star from Los Angeles, CA. Her sets feature a mix of rave music inspired by racing & video game culture. GWIZ has been turning up the speed to 200 bpm/mph with her larger-than-life stage performance. Having performed and toured the convention scene for years, she is known for intense DJ sets blurring the line between 2D and 3D. GWIZ is a Vtuber persona who's quite literally jumping out of the screen to spin on the decks!

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

RoBKTA

Blue Hedgehogs, Ridge racers and groovy cephalopods: RoBKTA's Neo arcade vibes have been known to the VGM scene since 10 years now and even managed to transcend gaming universes with features like Crypt of Necrodancer: Amplified, Super Leap Day and SEGA's Phantasy Star Online 2: New Genesis and now they are coming live on MAG's mainstage

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

Creep-P

Creep-P's been through it all. From their challenging entry into the Vocaloid space - leaving with explosive hits such as "Exorcism," "Karma (with Circus-P)," and "Hyperdontia (with GHOST and PALS)," to their time as a virtual streamer - releasing their sophomore album, TOYBOX, with hits such as "R.I.P (with Jackie Extreme & Chi-Chi)," "DOGWALK," featuring icons such as Projekt Melody, Disko Warp, and Snowblood, and the viral TikTok sensation of their cover of "She's Homeless" by Crystal Waters, as well as performing for MIKUEXPO VR 2023, they come back from the dead with their shadow haunting them to reinvent their sound all over again. Something harder... something faster... something sinister, ready for their next and final project.

Linktree | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

Suzubrah

Born at the intersection of internet and otaku subcultures, Suzubrah creates an energetic dance experience with his genre-defying sets bristling with a vibrant, driving energy, blending tracks from anime, Touhou, and video games to create a sound all his own. A founding member of the Anison Hijack collective, Suzubrah has spun across the US and abroad, including iconic venues such as MOGRA in Akihabara, Japan, crafting unforgettable experiences wherever he goes. Whether it be House or Trance, Drum & Bass or J-Core, feel the sounds of the Tokyo underground empower you on the dance floor!

Twitter | Instagram | Soundcloud | Linktree

SkyBlew

SkyBlew is a ColorfulDreamer who doesn't rap; he Paints The Sky,Blew!!! 🎨⛅ He brings a unique flavor to the hip-hop genre, combining fun, introspective lyrics with infectious beats in his distinctive sound! đŸŽĩđŸŽļ SkyBlew's music has even been featured in multiple video games (such as Bomb Rush Cyberfunk) and on FUNimation/Crunchyroll!! 😎🤙🏾🎮🕹ī¸đŸ“ē💎✨💙✌🏾🎨⛅

Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Twitch | Bandcamp | YouTube

The Video Game Shredventure

Embark upon an adventure with FamilyJules and ToxicxEternity in the first ever fully interactive Heavy Metal Video Game concert, The Video Game Metal Shredventure. Join them in a quest to save video games with blistering solos and earth-shattering riffs by joining the audience to help them charge ancient crystals to harness the power of your favorite video games through their soundtracks.