{"id":447685,"date":"2026-08-30T02:08:11","date_gmt":"2026-08-30T02:08:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/447685\/"},"modified":"2026-08-30T02:08:11","modified_gmt":"2026-08-30T02:08:11","slug":"were-gonna-smash-multi-sensory-videogame-tournament-live-band-pushed-all-the-buttons","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/447685\/","title":{"rendered":"‘We’re gonna smash!’ Multi-sensory videogame tournament + live band pushed all the buttons"},"content":{"rendered":"

A player stood in concentration in front of the massive screen as the first Super Smash Bros. match of the tournament got underway on August 13 at The Faight<\/a>, a creative space located on Haight Street near Fillmore. Clad in a Pac-Man shirt, Christopher Cruz\u2014competing under the alias \u201cPastor\u201d\u2014eschewed the front-row couches reserved for competitors in favor of staying on his feet. Behind him, an endearingly earnest crowd leaned in. This wasn\u2019t just a gaming session; it was a spectator sport, complete with live commentary and a jazz quartet providing a real-time score.<\/p>\n

One of the driving forces behind the room\u2019s electric energy was The Faight\u2019s Jesse Orlando, who emceed the evening with the cadence of a heavyweight boxing announcer. Armed with comedic timing and a barrage of quirky gamer tags, Orlando narrated the on-screen action. \u201cWe\u2019re gonna smash!\u201d he declared, right before the opening bracket.<\/p>\n

\"\"At right, Jesse Orlando, The Faight\u2019s skilled emcee. <\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s definitely an untapped community of gamers in San Francisco,\u201d Orlando explained to 48hills. He noted that while gaming tournaments already exist in the city, they are usually held in \u201cplain rooms or just like, on a bunch of screens.\u201d Hosting the bracket at The Faight\u2014which also opens its doors to concerts, magazine launches, dating-themed scavenger hunts, and more\u2014he added, is \u201ca cool way to make it feel homey and vibe-y, like the retro gaming experience\u201d.<\/p>\n

But what elevates this neighborhood tournament is its live accompaniment. As the crowd whooped, the house band\u2014affectionately dubbed the \u201cSmash-holes,\u201d and featuring Josh Yi on drums, Tommy Wong on saxophone, Cobey Gong on bass, and Shang-Yu Hsu on keys\u2014kicked into a syncopated, distinctly modern arrangement of the original Nintendo theme.<\/p>\n

\"\"The venue set up smaller gaming stations at the back of the venue, for those not participating in the tournament.<\/p>\n

Hsu served as the musical backbone of the performance. Playing on a standard keyboard, he used patches that perfectly mirrored the game\u2019s nostalgic, synth-heavy auditory blueprint, looking entirely relaxed while ripping through complex finger work. Wong\u2019s saxophone acted as the catalyst that pulled those pristine, 8-bit melodies into much jazzier territory. At times, their interpretation captured the exact essence of the original tracks; at others, it morphed into a freewheeling composition, brimming with solos.<\/p>\n

Perhaps the most infectious element of the night was the musicians\u2019 evident glee. The Smash-holes were visibly having a great time, radiating a loose, positive energy that spilled over into the audience. Yi beamed behind the kit throughout the set, locking into deep pockets and navigating the erratic, fast-paced tempo changes of the game\u2019s battle music with a smile on his face. Their sheer joy of playing such a zany, high-energy concept was palpable, proving that serious musicianship doesn\u2019t have to take itself too seriously.<\/p>\n

The true brilliance of the Smash-holes, however, was their active participation in the room\u2019s tension. They weren\u2019t merely background accompaniment. At times, the musicians half-watched the screen, reacting to the gameplay as it happened. In moments of sudden-death suspense, the band would hold out on ending a song, resolving at the exact time the game declared a winner\u2014a charming feat of live scoring.<\/p>\n

\"\"Shang-Yu Hsu takes the keys, while Tommy Wong (right) shines on the sax.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re trying to interact with what we see on the screen,\u201d Yi said. He explained that the musicians actively try to sync up their crescendos with hits in the game, to make the set \u201cmore interactive, and more fun.\u201d Impressively, Yi revealed that Hsu transcribed all of the night\u2019s complex musical arrangements completely by ear in a single night.<\/p>\n

The holistic sensory vibe only amplified the delightfully nerdy energy of the room. While eyes were largely glued to the tournament, the visual atmosphere of The Faight collective was accented by striking art wrapped across the walls courtesy of artist _feelings1996<\/a>, cementing the venue as a genuine hub for mixed media.<\/p>\n

Competitors were fully dialed in right out of the gate, fighting hard simply for the pride of the bracket and the sheer thrill of the game. Orlando enthusiastically reminded the players of the grand prizes: a Faight bar tab and the ultimate, comical honor of signing the \u201cgolden smash brick.\u201d <\/p>\n

\"\"The Faight\u2019s Jesse Orlando sets up the game at the beginning of the event. <\/p>\n

Gung-ho players were exactly what organizers anticipated. As Orlando observed, \u201cwith these tournament style events, people come to lock in. So it\u2019s a lot more of Red Bull, and coffee, and caffeine because people want to win.\u201d Even spectators were deeply invested; audience member Justin Bitanga praised the event\u2019s \u201ccozy vibes,\u201d but jokingly pointed out that the band was occasionally \u201cplaying wrong music for the levels.\u201d Bitanga enthusiastically mentioned that he would love to hear a live band play the main theme from Diddy Kong Racing.<\/p>\n

By the end of the night, the player who had been standing on business in round one claimed the ultimate victory, with Cruz battling his way through the bracket to earn his champion\u2019s medal.<\/p>\n

For those wanting to catch the next installment\u2026 keep an eye out. The tournament is a sporadic, recurring series at the venue. <\/p>\n

While there isn\u2019t a current listing for the next tournament, you can find dates for future Super Smash Bros. showdowns\u2014and all other events at The Faight\u2014here<\/a> and on its Instagram<\/a>.<\/p>\n