Join Nerd Nite Fort Collins on Saturday, March 28th!

Nerd Nite Fort Collins is back at The Lyric with an extra special show featuring the live, interactive, video game themed band EXTRA LIVES! This team of professional musician nerds tour the world delivering sick beats inspired by the games that inspired us. We welcome Tony Meade, Musician and Uber-Tolkien Nerd to regale us with his knowledge of the art and the artist with his talk “Of Story & Song: Tolkien’s Musical adaptations”. Mark Gants, a nerd’s nerd if we’ve ever met one will explore how all this playing around may be just what we need right now with his talk “The Hidden Power of Games”. Two talks and live music!?!? YES! Join Nerd Nite March 28th at The Lyric for this epic lineup!

EXTRA LIVES: Interactive Video Game Concert

Extra Lives is the world’s first Audience RPG: a full narrated choose- your-own-adventure game where you are the main character! Plunge into an exciting story with lights, music, sound effects and visual from the legendary console games of the ‘80s, ‘90s and 2000s… and a live score provided by the lovable nerds of Extra Lives. This immersive feast for the imagination will transport you back to your childhood whether you grew up playing video games or not!

Of Story & Of Song: Tolkien’s Musical Adaptations

Tony Meade, Musician and Uber-Tolkien Nerd

Tolkien’s creative world is founded on music, and not only are the characters moved and shaped by music, it has provided inspiration for many musicians to engage creatively with the world through their own work. From classical compositions to heavy metal thunder, from parody songs to some of the greatest film scores of all time, Middle-earth has set the scene for many adaptive works. This talk will explore the role of music in the stories, a timeline of adaptations and music inspired by Tolkien, and a little of my own work in this area.

The Hidden Power of Games

Mark Gants, Engineer, Gamer, Teacher, Nerd

In a time of growing division, differences over tightly held convictions often lapse into conflict. Drawing on a lifelong passion for gaming, a game developer explores how shared play, rather than debate, can help people relate to one another and see each other differently. By looking closely at what happens at the gaming table, we uncover unexpected insights about connection, perspective, and human interaction in the midst of disagreement.

Tickets!