Welcome to the new segment on the 3S Blog — "Why’d We Book it?"
We want to bring our 3S community into the know on the events coming up at 3S that have us shouting from the rooftops: “Hello! Friends! Something super FUN is coming to Portsmouth!”
We know that not all of the acts we book are widely known. This is partly because it is paramount to our vision as a contemporary arts organization to bring up-and-coming acts to our Performance Space stage for all of you culturally curious folks out there.
We don’t want you to miss out on an event that would have been right up your alley just because you had never heard of an act before. That’s why we’re highlighting some of our upcoming events in this segment — to give you a greater understanding into the kind of night you’re in for when you attend.
Bit Brigade on May 8, 2025
“The word “play” is probably an understatement- these guys shred through the games as expertly as the band wails on their instruments.”
-Nintendo Power (6/06)
Calling all Nintendo die-hards! Imagine your friend is on a winning streak on the most intense Super Mario World game of your life. Your eyes are glued to the screen, your adrenaline is pumping, you’re shouting as you watch their fingers fly over the controller.
Now, imagine that experience, but sub your friend for an expert gamer, add an onstage screen, a wildly talented rock band performing live, and an audience cheering on with you.
Yeah — It’s going to be a fun night.
“Combining the dread and daring of a live video game speed run with the spot-on technique of a live band covering the musical accompaniment to everything you're seeing on-screen in real time, Bit Brigade will have you swinging between the two mediums. From thrashing about to live renditions of your favorite stage themes, fingers yearning to the sky in a rock 'n roll parody of sea anemones seeming to silently plead, 'Please, feed us more fretboard pyrotechnics!,' to being locked in stock-still rapture as the infallible maestro of the d-pad, Noah McCarthy, takes on the final boss and risks his video game life under the threat of intense peer scorn (or the reward of night-long glory and a credits score).” - Metalhead Mike of The Shizz, summer 2011
So, why’d we book them at 3S?
Most of us have warm, nostalgic feelings of playing Super Mario World as a kid, and Mario certainly remains relevant in today's gaming landscape. We love the wildly creative mashup of bringing video games from analog into full rock stereo.
By bringing together live music, live gaming, and the colorful, 16-bit world of Mario and F-zero, Bit Brigade is creating something new out of something beloved, something that is a shared experience. The whimsical and fun idea, production value, and the talented artists all came together to make it an event we at 3S couldn’t wait to have on our stage.
Mark your calendars! Bit Brigade will be performing at 3S on 5/8/2025. Doors open at 7pm, show starts at 8pm.
