Tommy Tallarico

02/18/2026

🎂

07/06/2025

On this date 20 years ago we performed our very first Video Games Live! It took place at the Hollywood Bowl! We had game industry luminaries and celebrities from around the world who showed up to see this most groundbreaking event. The weight of the world was on our shoulders that day. Our goal was to prove to the world how culturally significant and artistic video games and their music had become. As with most goals and dreams, there were many doubters, but the massive success of that day helped to catapult game music into the mainstream and start us on a 20 year journey to 42 countries and 550 performances!

So many people to thank for helping to get that first performance off the ground, but without the help of co-creator Jack Wall & our agent Marc Geiger, Video Games Live would NOT exist! Special thanks to folks like head of EA music Steve Schnur who believed in us enough to give us our first license from EA (which in turn helped us to get many more after they saw EA involved!). Russell Brower, Jason Hayes, Joeyray Hall & Mike Morhaime for being so involved in supporting us with the best Blizzard stuff. Victor Lucas who helped to create a lot of our first videos. Academy Award Winning composer Michael Giacchino for his epic help. Perrin Kaplan-Zenk for securing Nintendo. God of War creator David Jaffe and composer Gerard Marino for helping with the segment and supporting us throughout the way. Richard Jacques for his epic talent in helping us to arrange and orchestrate a lot of the music including his own Headhunter segment. Original Castlevania composer Kinuyo Yamash*ta for her amazing work on Castlevania. Ross DeRoche for handling all the sheet music! Arrangers & orchestrators Lennie Moore, Bill Brown & Benoit Grey. Thanks to all the support from Tom Salta who I still feel awful because his great piece had to get cut for time. Tomb Raider creator Toby Gard & composer Nathan McCree for being such a special part of it. Laura Karpman for her amazing talent and support with her awesome EverQuest II music. Mark Watters for being our first conductor! Martin Leung for his epic piano performance, Steve Vai for whaling on guitar on Halo with me. Marty O'Donnell & Mike Salvatori for getting Halo there in the first place. Stan Lee, Elijah Wood and other big celebrities who helped make it a red carpet night to remember. Vince Desi for always believing and supporting me and for bringing Gary Coleman with him to the show! Ted Price was there and helping to promote the industry on the red carpet. Tim Larkin who helped us greatly with Myst. Metal Gear Solid creator Hideo Kojima and Sonic the Hedgehog creator Yuji Naka for traveling all the way from Japan to be there. David Hayter (voice of Solid Snake) providing the intros! Nolan Bushnell for attending and being a great part of the Meet & Greet. Tron creator Steven Lisberger & Visual Effects Supervisor Richard Taylor for supporting and helping with the Tron segment. Jeremy Railton for helping us to create the amazing stage! Emmanuel Fratianni & Laurie Robinson for helping to compose, arrange and orchestrate the amazing Advent Rising with me. All the fine folks at Clear Channel who believed in us enough to give us a shot. Jose Sanchez who was always there to help with whatever we needed. And my best bud David Perry for always believing in me. My brother Michael Tallarico for also always helping us throughout the process. My proud mom Pauline Tallarico and Jack Swan for coming all the way out west to support me. And of course, my beloved father who was also so proud and who handled all the merch money that day. Before I went on stage he gave me a long hug with tears in his eyes and wanted to remind me that he will always be my biggest fan.

Thank you everyone for your support then... and now! ❤

05/30/2025

Tonight will be my 550th performance of Video Games Live! What a journey! Thank you to all the game music fans from around the world that have supported us. Big announcement coming on July 6th, the 20 year anniversary of our first performance (which took place at the legendary Hollywood Bowl!) Stay tuned! ❤️

Our show tonight in Hamilton, ON Canada with the Hamilton Philharmonic Orchestra at the FirstOntario Concert Hall will be our 550th show!! WOW! What an incredible journey it's been. And it wouldn't be possible without all of the incredible support from game music fans around the world! July 6th will mark the 20th Anniversary of our first performance (that took place at the legendary Hollywood Bowl) and we'll have a big announcement on that date. Thank you all for your continued support! ❤️

09/18/2024

I haven't posted on social media in about 2 1/2 years. The loss of my father sent me into a downward spiral of crippling depression. First time I've ever experienced anything like that. I didn't think something like that could ever get a hold of me. But it did. It took me almost 2 years to recover and I still feel like I'm in a healing stage.

Since my fathers passing I started religiously studying backgammon to take my mind out of the dark state it was in. My father and I played throughout my life and we played together in his final months when he couldn't get out of bed anymore. Some of his final words to me were reminding me what a wonderful life we've both had and that I can do ANYTHING I put my mind to. We had just finished playing a game of backgammon and he said "Take backgammon for example, I know that if you really put your mind to it, you could be World Champion some day!"

After his passing, I made it my mission to study as hard as possible. Every day. Sometimes 8 to 10 hours a day. It was at times, the only thing helping to keep me alive.

Last month, in Monte Carlo, Monaco I attended the Backgammon World Championship. Most of the greatest players in the world were there. I am a Division II player and play in the Advanced/Intermediate division. I've won a total of 8 trophies in national tournaments over the past two years, but Monte Carlo and the World Championship is a whole other level. There were 72 players in my division from all over the world. I made it all the way to the CHAMPIONSHIP FINAL! The match was streamed live with commentators. I rented a tux for the occasion. The 15 point match lasted over 2 hours. You can view the last few minutes of the match cued up below. It was a very exciting ending to say the least.

After the match, I did a post-match interview, which is also shown. My fathers final words of encouragement are now complete. World Champion. Wow. It still hasn't fully sunk in. I know my dad is looking down proudly.

For anyone out there currently suffering from depression or loss of a loved one, I hope my experience can bring you hope or encouragement. Message me if you'd like to talk.

A special thank you to all of the incredible, supportive and amazing people I have met throughout the backgammon community over the past 2 years. You gave me help, support and friendship when I needed it the most. I'm forever grateful. Each and every one of you share in this. ❤

Love & Gratitude.

- Tommy

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