As we say our sayonaras to 2011 and wake up groggily from massive hangovers to greet the new year in turn, one of the biggest VGM festivals of the year has arrived to hit Maryland in full force! The 10th Annual Music and Gaming Festival, also known as MAGFest X, has commenced today at Gaylord National Hotel and Convention Center with panels and Q&As from big-wigs such as OverClocked ReMix, Happy Video Game Nerd, Robert V. Aldrich, Ellen McLain (GLaDOS!), Blue Core Studios, and more! Music performances are also top-notch this year, with special appearances from Metroid Metal, The OneUps, Random Encounter, and ultimate Final Fantasy composer Nobuo Uematsu with his new band EARTHBOUND PAPAS.
ThaSauce Meet Up
FRIDAY, 1/6, 10AM-12PM – Panels 3
ThaSauce is a news portal for the video game remix community. Additionally ThaSauce features a “compo” system to encourage users to hone their composition skills in a friendly competitive environment as well as hundreds of video game arrangements not available anywhere else. This year they will be talking about some exciting new features that will hopefully change the way you experience the video game remix scene.
As if shameless self-promotion isn’t enough, all of us at ThaSauce will be making an appearance at our own exclusive panel at MAGFest  X on Friday, January 6th! The panel will showcase some of the finer aspects of ThaSauce, ReMix:ThaSauce, and Compo:ThaSauce, as well as what we have in store for the future of ThaSauce! WE CAN BARELY CONTAIN OURSELVES. Have some questions, concerns, or suggestions for us? Come say hello to some of the best, budding composers of the VGM community and to the ThaSauce staff at the panel. We promise we don’t bite.
If you haven’t had a chance to experience the awesomeness of MAGFest and/or keep putting off this opportunity for VGM overload, tickets at available at the door as single-day passes for $40 or full four-day passes for $55. While MAGFest X will conclude on Sunday, January 8th, a full schedule is up and available for your viewing pleasure.  Did we mention that there’s a giant arcade? If you absolutely can’t make it to what may be one of the best events of the year, we will be posting updates on our Tumblr for all your MAGFest needs.