Stardew Valley is a beloved game. So beloved, in fact, that despite releasing way back in 2016, the game still gets updates from its developer, often including new in-game content that's usually well-received by players. But the popular farming-sim-meets-mysterious-RPG isn't content to simply sit on the other side of a monitor--Stardew Valley is starting to expand into something a bit more tangible. In April, developer Eric Barone (also know as ConcernedApe) announced he'd be temporarily halting development on his next pixelated playground, Haunted Chocolatier, in favor of giving Stardew Valley a little more TLC. In September, Barone announced he'd be releasing a Stardew Valley cookbook, having clearly pivoted his focus back to the game and its rich lore. But today came some news that players probably didn't see coming: Stardew Valley isn't just getting a cookbook, it's getting a concert.
Stardew Valley's music plays a major part in shaping the game's atmosphere and its massive official soundtrack features a whopping 70 songs--all of which were written and recorded by Barone himself. With the sheer size of the game's soundtrack in mind, the idea of a Stardew Valley concert makes sense--especially considering how much praise Stardew Valley's soundtrack has received from the game's players.
Entitled Stardew Valley: Festival Of Seasons, the tour "brings the sounds of all four seasons to life with a chamber orchestra," with the concert being divided into four separate sections meant to represent the four seasons.
"Transforming the sounds of the beloved game through a chamber orchestra, the concert program will take fans on a musical journey through the four seasons of the valley, its unforgettable festivals, and its beloved villagers," reads a press release from SOHO Live, the Tokyo-based entertainment company Barone has partnered with for the tour.
Of course, there's no way to fit all 70 of the game's songs into a single concert, but Barone and SOHO Live have confirmed that some of of the game's classic songs will always be played at every tour stop. They've also promised the concerts will include "plenty of surprises and fan-favorite deep cuts."
The following songs will be included in the setlist for every performance:
- Stardew Valley Overture
- (Spring) The Valley Comes Alive
- Dance of the Moonlight Jellies
"Music is very important to me, so it's been really wonderful to see Stardew Valley's soundtrack resonate with so many people, Barone said of the upcoming tour. "I'm really looking forward to seeing it performed live in concert in the Festival Of Seasons."
The Stardew Valley: Festival Of Seasons tour will kick off in Los Angeles on February 17. The tour's various venues (and even some show dates) have not yet been announced, the date and location of each tour stop is listed below:
- February 17: Los Angeles, CA
- February 23: Boston, MA
- February 24: Philadelphia, PA
- February 29: New York City, NY
- March 2: Seattle, WA
- March 9: Chicago, IL
- March 10: St. Louis, MO
- March 15: Toronto, Canada
- March 17: Montreal, Canada
- April 5: Melbourne, Australia
- April 20: Sydney, Australia
- April 29: London, UK
- TBD: Seoul, South Korea
- TBD: Bangkok, Thailand
Tickets for each tour stop will become available at 10:00 AM starting this Friday, October 13, and can be purchased from the official Festival Of Seasons website. Exclusive Stardew Valley merchandise will be available at each stop on the tour, and attendees are encouraged to show up in Stardew Valley-themed cosplay.
This isn't the first time Barone has given fans a chance to listen to the game's music in a new way. In 2018, the developer released a more relaxed version of Stardew Valley's soundtrack, with a heavy focus on piano. But the Festival Of Seasons tour is arguably the most ambitious music-related project Barone has ever undertaken (besides writing all 70 of the soundtrack's songs by himself), so it's possible the concerts will go for a slightly more exciting vibe than the pleasant, peaceful piano version of the soundtrack.
The Biggest Game Releases Of October 2023See More