Watching a speedrun is cool. But have you seen a speedrun with a live band providing background music while dozens of people are doing a mosh pit behind?
You see, that actually happened at this year's Awesome Games Done Quick. The annual event reserved one of its most incredible runs for the final day of the 2025 edition, as speedrunner chuckles825 blasted through Crazy Taxi, SEGA's arcade classic released in 1999, with a whole rock band behind providing energetic covers of the game's iconic soundtrack.
If you're out of the loop, Awesome Games Done Quick (AGDQ for short) is an annual week-long speedrunning charity event that raises money for the Prevent Cancer Foundation.
The marathon has seen some crazy runs over the years. Super Mario 64 blindfolded speedruns? You got them. A dog showing NES' Gyromite who's boss? Sure thing.
Having a whole band onstage definitely ranks up high in the list of unique speedrun experiences Games Done Quick has provided.
What made the experience fascinating was that the band wasn't just jamming to the beat of their drum. Everything was in sync with the gameplay provided by chuckles.
As soon as chuckles cleared a stage and changed to another, the band would stop and kick off a new track from Crazy Taxi's original soundtrack, which includes songs from The Offspring and Bad Religion.
Many would see a speedrunning marathon as the perfect place to break world records. But sometimes, it's all about vibing with an entire community—bonus points if it's for a good cause.
If you're worried that Games Done Quick could get hit with a DMCA strike, don't worry. According to the Twitch music guidelines, the platform allows for live music on stream.
You can watch the entire run via the YouTube video below.
AGDQ 2025 ended up raising $2,556,330 for the Prevent Cancer Foundation. A perfect way to celebrate GDQ's 15th anniversary.
If this has piqued your interest in GDQ events and speedrunning, the organization throws smaller events throughout the year so check their schedule. They also host Summer Games Done Quick (SGDQ for short), their second big event of the year that supports Doctors Without Borders.