Video game soundtracks, by their nature, exist in the background. Their job is to give texture to the action and to lull players into the world of the game, without posing a distraction. 

But for Scott Hannay, a musician from Plattsburgh, N.Y., video game music has always been more than a backing track.

“These songs are kind of embedded in my DNA at this point,” Hannay, 40, said in a phone interview.

In two events this week, at the Main Street Museum  and the Fairlee Town Hall, Hannay will re-create soundtracks  from classic video games while graphics from the games run behind him. On the second night, a full band will join him on stage to create a “multiplayer” version of the show.

Hannay has been doing these types of events for a few years, but his fascination with video game music goes back a lot further. In many ways, it was his gateway to becoming a musician.

As a child, Hannay taught himself piano by trying to replicate the soundtracks to his favorite video games. He said he pressed his ear against the TV’s speaker, convinced that there was a full orchestra at work in the soundtrack of Final Fantasy. “This is such moving music,” he remembers thinking.

Unlike the video game music of today, classic games came with a lot of technological limitations, and many of them could only make eight sounds at a time. “I loved those limitations,” Hannay said.

Working within that framework, in 2004, Hannay embarked on a years-long project to convert the music of progressive rock band Umphrey’s McGee into video game music. After the band caught wind of Hannay’s work, they invited him to join them on stage for a couple live shows. That was the first time Hannay felt “taken seriously” for his passion, he said.

Over the years, Hannay joined a series of bands, including Mister F, which he described as a “dance jam fusion band,” and the reggae act Twiddle. Two of Twiddle’s other members, Zdenek Gubb and Adrian Tramonto, will join on guitar and drums in the “Multiplayer” show this Saturday, as will Matt Dempsey of Cosmic Dust Bunnies, Mike Bafundo of Mihali and Connor Dunn of Let’s Be Leonard.

“Those guys are kind of a regional dream team as far as a rhythm section goes,” Hannay said of Gubb and Tramonto.

Shortly after the COVID-19 pandemic, Hannay discovered Bit Brigade, a rock band that performs video game covers while one of the musicians plays the game in real time. The band had found a way to disable the game’s music while retaining the sound effects, “the glue” of the game, as Hannay put it.

With some help from a few internet forums, Hannay was able to mute the music on classic games he loved. From there, he could re-create the soundtrack using programmed drum and bass loops that he plays keyboard on top off during live sets.

While the games’ music was purely electronic and simplistic in sound, Hannay introduces new dimensions to the scores through his addition of real instruments. His versions might get a little jazzier than the originals, but for the most part, he stays true to the source material.

After all, when it comes to video game music “one of the important things is to not get too complicated with it,” Hannay said. “Some of the best video game songs are complex and simple at the same time.” 

Friday and Saturdays’ shows will include music from Super Mario 64, Sonic the Hedgehog, Super Metroid, Mega Man X and Dr. Mario. 

In the second half of Friday’s performance, attendees will have the opportunity to play Dr. Mario, either solo or against one another. 

The shows are produced by Rooted Entertainment, an events company based in Corinth that often host performances at the Fairlee Town Hall.

“It’s a unique night of music and a very unique venue,” said Rooted Entertainment owner Bessie Sandberg.

As for the shows’ audience? “Definitely gamers,” Hannay said.

Scott Hannay will perform at 8 p.m. on Friday, April 25 at the Main Street Museum. The “Multiplayer” performance is scheduled for 7 p.m. in the Fairlee Town Hall. For tickets ($10 on Friday, $25 on Saturday) and more information, visit rootedentertainment.com.

Funny women

This Friday, West Lebanon casual dining spot Bright Side Brewing will host “Ladies Night,” a stand-up comedy show with an all-women lineup (plus male producer, Aaron Richter). Comics include headliner and 2024 Boston Comedy Festival finalist Holly Johnston, former Valley News staff writer Chris Dolan, Burlington comic Amy Leclerc, and newcomer Kaity Tessier, who hails from Hampton, N.H.

Bright Side has been hosting women-only showcases since last August, and the event has been gaining traction since. Friday’s show starts at 8 p.m. For tickets ($15 online; $20 at the door) and more information, visit eventbrite.com/e/ladies-night-stand-up-comedy-show-tickets-1304327040289.

Rhythm in Randolph

Woodstock-based band The Drop Offs will make their debut performance at Chandler Music Hall in Randolph at 7 p.m. on Friday. Named for their rehearsal routine, which typically commences after dropping their kids at school, the cohort includes six musicians, each with musical endeavors of their own. Among them are Avi Salloway of folk-rock group Billy Wylder (and formerly of Avi and Celia with Norwich native Celia Woodsmith) and Michael Calabrese of Lake Street Dive, which got its start in Boston. Steeve Valcourt and Nadine Niles of Haitian roots band Lakou Mizik will join Friday’s lineup as special guests. Tickets, priced at a sliding scale of $10 to $40, can be purchased online at chandler-arts.org or by calling 802-728-9878.

Adios for now

On Saturday, spoken-word “bard band” Los Lorcas will play a final show at Putnam’s Vineyard in White River Junction before embarking on an international tour to promote their upcoming album “What’s Normal.” Comprising poets Partridge Boswell and Peter Money, fiddler Jakob Breitbach and guitarist Nat Williams, Los Lorcas shares the genre-bending impulses of Spanish avant-garde poet Federico Garcia Lorca, after whom the band is named. “What’s Normal” is their second album. The show starts at 6:30 p.m. For more information, visit putnamsvineyard.com.

Learning opportunity

Next Thursday, May 1, the Hood Museum will hold a symposium on the work of indigenous Chemehuevi artist Cara Romero whose photography exhibition “Panûpünüwügai (Living Light)” is on view through Aug. 10. Panelists will include Northern Chumash artist Leah Mata Fragua and the exhibition’s curator, Jami Powell. The symposium starts at 3:30 p.m. Admission is free. For more information, visit hoodmuseum.dartmouth.edu.

Marion Umpleby can be reached at mumpleby@vnews.com or 603-727-3306.