Random Encounter is an

independent Independent or Independents may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Artist groups * Independents (artist group), a group of modernist painters based in Pennsylvania, United States * Independentes (English: Independents), a Portuguese artist ...

American

video game music Video game music (VGM) is the soundtrack that accompanies video games. Early video game music was once limited to sounds of early sound chips, such as programmable sound generators (PSG) or FM synthesis chips. These limitations have led to t ...

cover/inspired band from

Orlando Orlando commonly refers to: * Orlando, Florida, a city in the United States Orlando may also refer to: People * Orlando (given name), a masculine name, includes a list of people with the name * Orlando (surname), includes a list of people wit ...

, Florida, that features an accordion as the lead instrument. Dedicated to the creation and performance of high energy music, they are known for playing songs based on video games and for their covers of songs from popular television shows and movies.

History

Random Encounter originated from chance encounters in 2005 when two friends bonded over their mutual love for video game music. While the band has seen various line-up changes over the years, the current iteration, which solidified in September 2010 with all new members, aims to deliver an energetic performance that is as enjoyable to watch as it is to listen to. Building on their foundation as a video game cover band, Random Encounter began crafting original music inspired by video game culture. These original compositions draw heavily from iconic games such as ''Metroid'', ''Dead Space'', and ''The Legend of Zelda'', aiming to encapsulate the essence of gaming experiences within 3–4 minute songs. During live performances, the band often arranges cover songs into medleys grouped by series, maintaining a rock-oriented environment. Known for their dynamic stage presence and visual antics, Random Encounter frequently incorporates guest musicians into their performances. In a 2012 interview with Powet TV Random Encounter "admitted" that their musical endeavors were a cover for their affiliation with the occult-hunting branch of the Russian military. Interviews, stage banter, and their official website from 2009 to 2012 also suggested that the fictitious mission of the band, and the majority of the band's back story revolved around the elimination of paranormal creatures such as Werewolves, Vampires, Zombies, and Jerks, however the band ceased making this claim in mid-2012 after too many of their fans were confused and genuinely believed them to be from Russia. Random Encounter has gained a fanatical following throughout the Florida nerd-music scene and throughout the east coast by becoming a part of the world's first video game themed band tour, Player Vs Performer. They have performed at venues like

Nerdapalooza Nerdapalooza was an annual nerd music and arts festival in Orlando, Florida, United States, the first of its kind to invite all genres of the nerd music movement under one roof, including geek rock, nerdcore, chiptune, and video game music. The f ...

MAGFest MAGFest (Music and Gaming Festival, originally the Mid-Atlantic Gaming Festival) is a non-profit organization and video game, art, music, and culture festival. They hold multiple events throughout the year, with their flagship event being an an ...

, Gencon,

Otakon Otakon ( ) is an annual three-day anime convention held during July/August. From 1999 to 2016, it took place at the Baltimore Convention Center in Baltimore, Baltimore, Maryland's Inner Harbor district; in 2017, it moved to the Walter E. Washing ...

, SXSW, the Hard Rock Live (Orlando), led a parade of zombies, and have played in practically every major city on the east coast. Random Encounter still frequently performs throughout the Southeast United States. Notably, Random Encounter was selected as the Best Rock Act in Central Florida for 2013, the Best Indie Act in Central Florida for 2012, and the Best Folk Act in Central Florida for 2011. Badassoftheweek.com described Random Encounter as being "like all the awesomeness of playing Castlevania on the NES in Port Royale in the 17th century without all the syphilis or cutlass wounds." During the winter of 2014, Random Encounter went on a 10-day tour of Europe with Video Games Live, traveling through the UK, France, Finland, Sweden, and Spain. Later that same year Random Encounter composed music for the video game, Super Galaxy Squadron. In 2016 the band announced on their social media that it would be on an indefinite hiatus and in a 2017 radio interview they said they had no plans to perform again or release new albums after Lost Frequency. Random Encounter has performed with such acts as

They Might Be Giants They Might Be Giants, often abbreviated as TMBG, is an American alternative rock and Children's music, children's band formed in 1982 by John Flansburgh and John Linnell. During TMBG's early years, Flansburgh and Linnell frequently performed as ...

Nobuo Uematsu is a Japanese composer and keyboardist best known for his contributions to the ''Final Fantasy'' video game series by Square Enix. A self-taught musician, he began playing the piano at the age of twelve, with English singer-songwriter Elton Joh ...

's band the Earthbound Papas,

Less than Jake Less Than Jake is an American ska punk band from Gainesville, Florida, formed in 1992. The band consists of Chris DeMakes (guitars, vocals), Roger Lima (bass, vocals), Buddy Schaub (trombone), Peter "JR" Wasilewski (saxophone) and Matt Yonker ...

, Andrew WK,

Voltaire (musician) Aurelio Voltaire Hernández (born January 25, 1967), professionally known as Aurelio Voltaire or simply Voltaire, is a Cuban-American musician, singer, composer, author, and animator. Known for his gothic style of dress and music, Voltaire is c ...

Steam Powered Giraffe Steam Powered Giraffe is an American musical project formed in San Diego, California in 2008, self-described as "a musical act that combines robot pantomime, puppetry, ballet, comedy, projections, and music". Created and led by twins David Micha ...

, Vivid, as a part of

Video Games Live Video Games Live (VGL) is a concert series created by Tommy Tallarico and Jack Wall. The concerts consist of segments of video game music performed by a live orchestra with video footage and synchronized lighting and effects, as well as several ...

, and been a TEDxSarasota Speaker and Performer.

Band members

Most recent lineup

The band members of Random Encounter prefer not to go by their real names, and instead have adopted nicknames based on their online gamer tags. *Rook – bass guitar, vocals *Konami – guitar, vocals *Moose – Drums *Kit – guitar *Jackson –

accordion Accordions (from 19th-century German language, German ', from '—"musical chord, concord of sounds") are a family of box-shaped musical instruments of the bellows-driven free reed aerophone type (producing sound as air flows past a Reed (mou ...

, tuba, keyboard

Previous members

* Careless –

, vocals,

Glockenspiel The glockenspiel ( ; or , : bells and : play) or bells is a percussion instrument consisting of pitched aluminum or steel bars arranged in a Musical keyboard, keyboard layout. This makes the glockenspiel a type of metallophone, similar to the v ...

*Helios – keyboard *AdamOne – drums *Luck – guitar *Vanek –

euphonium The euphonium ( ; ; ) is a tenor- and baritone-voiced valved brass instrument. The euphonium is a member of the large family of valved bugles, along with the tuba and flugelhorn, characterised by a wide conical bore. Most instruments have thr ...

*Gigsley – guitar *Niko – guitar *Destiny – guitar *Hiro – trumpet *DemonLord – guitar *Rasputan – guitar *Ven – bass guitar *Legolas –

drum machine A drum machine is an electronic musical instrument that creates percussion sounds, drum beats, and patterns. Drum machines may imitate drum kits or other percussion instruments, or produce unique sounds, such as synthesized electronic tones. A d ...

Random Encounter has also performed with (live): * brentalfloss – vocals *Juja – guitar *Under Polaris – bass guitar *Select Start (the full band) *Lauren "The Flute" Liebowitz – flute *The Descendants of Erdrick (the full band in 2012) *Dr. Wily of The NESkimos – vocals *Steffeny "Steffo" Messinger – vocals *MC Wreckshin – vocals *

– (Orchestra) *

Tommy Tallarico Tommy Tallarico (born 1967 or 1968) is an American video game music composer, sound designer, and television producer. Since the 1990s, his company Tommy Tallarico Studios has produced audio for many video games. He co-hosted the television ser ...

– guitar *Craig Turley Orchestra – (Orchestra) *Santaluces Choir – (Choir) *Stetson Orchestra – (Orchestra) * Gerard Marino – guitar *The Sexy Sax Man – saxophone *Richard DeGrey – drums *Professor Shyguy – drums *

Stemage Grant Henry (born April 3, 1979), better known by his stage name Stemage, is an American guitarist and composer. He is known for his video game and television soundtracks, including Cartoon Network's animated series ''Steven Universe''. He is al ...

of Metroid Metal – guitar *Hungarian Virtuosi Orchestra – (Orchestra) *

Riva Taylor Rebecca Jane Grosvenor Taylor, known professionally as Riva Taylor, is an English singer and actress. Early life and education Taylor was born in Hammersmith, London. She had her first experience on the stage at the age of seven in London's Wes ...

– Vocals *Vantaan Viihdeorkesteri Orchestra – (Orchestra) *Stockholm Concert Orchestra – (Orchestra) *

Orquesta Nacional de España The Orquesta Nacional de España (Spanish National Orchestra) is a Spanish orchestra based in Madrid. History Although the orchestra originated as of 1937, during the Spanish Civil War, it was legally founded in 1940, by the merging of Pérez Casa ...

– (Orchestra)

Discography

*''Neo Symbiance (EP)'' – ShinRa Electric Records (2006) *''Random Encounter (Self Titled) (Demo LP)'' – ShinRa Electric Records (2010) *''

Unavenged ''Unavenged'' is a 2011 album by Random Encounter consisting of 17 songs, contemporary rock arrangements of the music from various video game soundtracks. This represents a fan-made mix between video game covers and original songs inspired by vide ...

'' – ShinRa Electric Records (2011) *''72 Hours in The Ocean with your Mother (Single)'' – ShinRa Electric Records (2012) *''Dead Labs (Single)'' – ShinRa Electric Records (2013) *'' Let Me Tell You a Story'' – ShinRa Electric Records (2013) *''The Big Blue LP (LP)'' – ShinRa Electric Records (2014) *''Super Galaxy Squadron original Soundtrack'' – ShinRa Electric Records (2015) *''Lost Frequency'' – ShinRa Electric Records (2017)

References

2011 Electronic Press Kit
at Sonicbids

External links

Official Random Encounter WebsiteRandom Encounter Facebook page
{{DEFAULTSORT:Random Encounter American progressive rock groups Indie rock musical groups from Florida Music about video games Musical groups established in 2005 Musical groups disestablished in 2017 Musical groups from Orlando, Florida Nintendocore musical groups Video game music cover bands