01.22.2008
Axe-wielding heroes
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As David Bowie once sang, we could be heroes, just for one day.
Well, Guitar Heroes, anyhow.
Since 2005, the video-game series Guitar Hero has been a smash hit, selling about 6 million copies and inspiring a new, 21st-century version of “air guitar” blended with karaoke.
And it has also become a popular bar game, with Guitar Hero nights springing up around the country.
Eddie Garcia from the local band Jew(s) and Catholic(s) has organized a Guitar Hero night at The Werehouse in Winston-Salem. In it, bar patrons can take turns standing in front of a projector screen and playing the game, competing to see who has the chops to be the next computerized rock star. There are no prizes, other than bragging rights.
The first night, back in late November, was a test run, and proved popular enough that they’re doing it again. The next Guitar Hero night will be held Wednesday at The Werehouse, 211 E. Third St. Admission is free.
“I like the game, but I’m not all that great at it,” Garcia said. “Guitarists are not that good at it. It doesn’t always match up with what you’d think.”
In the game, players hold a controller designed to look like a guitar, with colored buttons instead of strings. A scrolling bar on the screen lights up to tell players what buttons to push, and in what sequence. Play along with the music, and you rack up points on your way to stardom; fail, and your buddies make fun of you.
The game can be played solo, but it’s most fun when two guitarists duel against one another.
Guitar Hero III has 71 playable songs, including hits by such bands and musicians as Kiss, The Rolling Stones, Tenacious D, Foghat, Metallica, The Killers, The Who, The Stone Roses, Social Distortion, Pat Benatar, Guns N’ Roses and The Smashing Pumpkins. Some songs are old ("Sunshine of Your Love” by Cream); some are new (Slash, the lead guitarist for Guns N’ Roses and Velvet Revolver, provides an original composition for a round in which people compete against him). Some of the songs are megahits ("School’s Out” by Alice Cooper), and some are really obscure ("Hier Kommt Alex” by German punk band Die Toten Hosen).
To prepare for The Werehouse’s first Guitar Hero night, Garcia and a friend spent part of a weekend playing the game to unlock different songs and create as a long a set list as possible. They are currently using the most recent version of the game, Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock, on PlayStation 2, though they may advance to Xbox 360 for later nights.
Garcia had previously been the host of karaoke nights at The Werehouse, and thought that a Guitar Hero night could have the same appeal.
“Karaoke, as silly as it is, there’s something about it that’s kind of beautiful,” he said. “I hope that’s the feeling people get with this.”
Schedule permitting, he hopes to eventually do monthly Guitar Hero nights at The Werehouse.
That first night drew a small but enthusiastic crowd, many of whom were familiar with the game.
“I think Guitar Hero has revolutionized video gaming,” said Blue Tilley from Germanton. “It’s created a whole new genre.”
He first heard about the game through word-of-mouth from friends. “I knew I had to play it, and once I started, I got addicted,” he said.
It took a while for Charlie Cook to get the hang of the game.
“I was conned into it, and I tried, but I was horrible at it,” he said. Were his friends sympathetic?
“They made a mockery of me,” he said. “That made me practice till I got like 80 times better.... I’m competitive by nature.”
He plays the game at home about two or three times a week, but said that it’s a lot better on a big screen.
“The small screen is boring,” he said. “Here, you can actually see the backgrounds.”
Anna Devoe agreed with that sentiment. “It’s nice having the big screen,” she said. “I like to get into it, so the big screen is great.”
But there is a potential disadvantage to playing the game with a crowd watching, she said. “When you’re in front of people and they’re watching, you get nervous fingers.”
Alanna Meltzer, the other half of Jew(s) and Catholic(s), said that she isn’t much of a video-game player, but Guitar Hero could make her one. “It’s kind of like a gateway drug,” she said. “I got better as it went on.”
Like Garcia, she said being a real-life musician doesn’t help all that much in game play. “But it’s fun.”
Stephen Hudgins plays the game about 30 minutes a day. “It’s an intense workout for the hand, and it helps your dexterity,” he said.
So what are the secrets of winning the game?
“It makes a difference if you know the song very well,” said Adam Duke. “It helps knowing where the bass line comes in.”
“Songs you know the best, you should challenge your opponent on,” Tilley said. “They become your calling card.”
And Garcia pointed out that playing in a venue where you can really crank up the volume helps you get into the game and forget that you’re just clicking buttons on a big plastic toy guitar.
“The main thing is having it loud,” he said.