After playing Rock Band 2 for 2 straight hours and struggling though some songs I've never played before, I was worried that when the videos started making their way online, I'd look like an asshole who didn't know how to play fake instruments, and that everyone would laugh at me. But when I watch this video of us doing Livin' on a Prayer, all I see is the evening distilled to its essence: a lot of geeks having a lot of fun pretending to be rock stars on a real stage playing for a real audience, which is exactly what I hoped for when I planned it. I mean, we were up there playing 80s anthems, and there were people dancing in front of the stage. When I sang to a girl in the front row, she screamed like we were at an actual concert. For reals! It was so awesome, it was hard not to get caught up in the fantasy of the thing, and I don't think any of us who played the game spent more than 10 seconds fighting it.
In fact, this was so much fun, I think I may need to figure out a way to make it part of every con I go to … you know, like going on tour. \m/
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watching everyone play rockband was amazing! next year i’m gonna play too, i HAVE to be apart of the fun, not just watch.
That looks like it was as much fun as you said, Wil. Get your geek on. =P
I was literally LOL – not because you looked goofy (well maybe a little) but because you looked like you were having SO much fun! Rock on Dude!
Fantastic!! You guys rock, Wil, fab voice (already said on Twitter) but have listened again and am still amazed (okay okay and more than a touch jealous *g*)
If you are having fun as a geek that’s all that matters. But it was cool that you had a fab audience.
Rock Band is an amazing game. We had such an awesome time playing Fünde Razor last month here in NYC, that I’m thinking of setting something similar up for the cons that we’ll be attending this year (starting with maybe NY Comic Con). I’ll keep you posted, Wil, in case we coincide! Rawk!
Oh, I so hope you can figure out a way to do this at Emerald City! That’s freakin’ awesome.
LOL That was AWESOME! The crowd must really make that game a boost to play!
I am going to kidnap you and keep you in my basement and make you play Rock Band with me!!! (no worries since I live in an apartment and my husband would surely let you go)
Wil, that was absolute genius. I think we’re going to have to assemble something similar on this side of the pond.
Nice job.
Do I smell a new event at PAX 2009? Wil Wheaton presents the PAX 2009 Rock Band Rock-a-thon? It would be glorious.
I’m not going to be able to play in my living room now, know how much more awesome it is with a live audience :-p
I can’t even hear you! 🙁 I’ve never played Rock Band; I thought the vocal part was like karaoke. I didn’t know they played the vocal track itself.
But oh, I loved how RAWKSTAR you were right there. I’m glad you had so much fun.
After Live8, I didn’t think the world would ever see Wheat Floyd again. Thank you for keeping the flame alive.
Brilliant. You look like you might be having the most fun anyone has ever had. I salute you, sir.
I was there and this night was absolutly amazing.
We have rock band parties with a group of friends every now and again, but this deffinatly trumped it. Way to rock it Will
Dude, I so want to run out and buy Rock Band now. I’d figures the game was fun, but I didn’t know it was THAT fun. That was hawesome! It looked like everyone was having a blast and digging it.
Amazingly, I’ve never played RockBand or any of those games. But, man, that looks like fun. Way jealous.
Wil, when you coming to Dublin? Come on, you know you want to. 250th anniv of Guinness this year doncha know.
That filled me with absolute glee. That was my high school class song and every time I hear it it makes me happy, but watching the fun made happiness into pure glee.
I second (or is it third or fourth) the motion: Rock Band at every Con!!!
That is fan-frickin-tastic. I may just go ahead and favorite that on YouTube.
That. Looked. AWESOME!!!!
You should try to ‘go on tour’ it looks like a lot of fun and I so wish I could have been there and join in on the ROCK. 🙂
This is what people who sneer at Rock Band and the Guitar Hero saying “you’re just pretending with plastic instruments” don’t get: it’s just so much fun. Funny thing is you get a lot of pretentious people who’ve played in bands saying that. You never get ex-soldiers feeling the need to say something similar if they see someone playing “Call of Duty” though do you?
Anyway.. Rock band does indeed provide much fun!
That is so awesome, I couldn’t quit grinning!
We’ve had this game one month to the day. My husband and I are both mphh-ty years old and we LOVE it. Our 18 year old daughters rushs home from work so we can all play Rock Band 2. It’s really getting in the way of reality, but is an ohsogood way.
I did think of you the other day when we unlocked the ‘endless set’. Nope, haven’t played that yet!
Wil,
it looked like you were having a blast. It made me want to start going to Science Fiction cons again. I have been doing the gamer con thing forever but don’t ever recall anything
as fun as what you did at any Pacificon, ConQuest or KublaCon.
You Rock!
Dude,
You better bring it to Dragon*Con this year.
That was awesome. The End.
That is so awesome. I hope you make this a convention tradition
Looks to me like everyone there had a big boat-load o’fun with that.
Makes a case for buying a PS3, just to have that game.
Can I make the budget numbers work?
hmmmmmmmm
I can almost see the hair style, it’s THAT CLOSE. If I’d been there, MY underwear would have been on the stage.
What a gig simulator! You certainly have the rock sauce, Wonder Boy Wheaton. Now I understand the secret of your power. Christ, I so need to get my friends together more often to live out the fantasy with RB. Playing Guitar Hero and RB alone screams failure. Thanks for the inspirational shot in the arm, son.
Dio can you hear me?!
Also OH MY GOD PELVIC THRUST AT 2:51
SO NOT COOL
THINK OF WHAT YOU ARE DOING TO YOUR FANGIRLS
That looks like SO MUCH FUN! I would love to do it.
Ok that was great 🙂 but Dood! you gotta try Guitar Hero World Tour… better drums! Geekdom /M\
Now *that* is how you play Rock Band. Giggling in vicarious glee here 😀
Step 1: Go to cons.
Step 2: Charge fans a buck or two per song to play Rock Band with you.
Step 3: Profit!
I know I’d plunk down a 20 to do a whole set with you and bask in the secondhand adulation. And I can play guitar and bass on Expert! Well, okay, not the really hard stuff on guitar, but everything else. Hell, I can even sing if the audience would let me.
This *really* needs to be at PAX this year!
Oh. My. Good. That is Hawesome
made me LOL. That looks like a lot of fun.
We did Rock Band all new years eve, youngest person playing was 34. Lots of fun.
Not bad Wil… 🙂 hehe
I’m thinking of putting the old Band back together, you wanna sing for us???….
Cheers,
Keith
I smell a new career. Because, you know, writer/actor/geek icon isn’t enough.
That night was so amazingly awesome! You definitely need to make this a part of your future con appearances.
My only regret is that I didn’t let my hair loose. 🙂
— Lead Guitar, “Eye of the Tiger”
That was awesome, but I wonder: How many adult beverages were consumed in preparation for that? 🙂
Looked like a good time. You guys (and girl) rocked!
I am adding yet another ‘Awesome’ to the list of existing awesomes. If you ever hit PDX for a Con I’ll come see that! We play Rockband2 all the time @ home. Too much fun.
Man I wish I was there. I second that the thing at 2:51 is so not fair. You got me and I was just watching the video I can’t imagine what those poor girls (and some guys) went through seeing that live!!! My roommate is teasing me and calling me a fan girl from the other room…..it is not my fault…you just have this power!!
Wil, I’ve been a long-time reader of your awesome blog and this is the first time I’ve posted. I just want to tell you that my appreciation of you has reached a new level after seeing the Rock Band video. What Trek star would be cool enough to play video games at a convention? You may not LOOK cool, but you ARE cool. I know you were there for more than Star Trek – congrats on your Batman gig by the way – but that’s why a lot of people come to see you. I was 6 years old when TNG premiered, so I was one of those kids that enjoyed seeing a kid on the show, even though I didn’t start watching until I was like 12. One other thing – you are a great writer. The way your brain works is amazing and strange at the same time. Keep up the good work! By the way, you may already be aware of this, but I found Doug Drexler’s blog a few days ago and I thought you’d might be interested since it’s all about working on the set of TNG and some of the older stuff as well: http://drexfiles.wordpress.com/
Awesome. I’m holding up my virtual lighter for you.
Wow! You are a geek!……..NICE.
Too funny. Looks like everyone was having fun! Makes me actually want to play the game now. Only there are no screaming fans in my living room.
That was fabulous! Wil, you are one in a million, not every actor/writer is as accessible as you are. Rock on dot com – tJR