We're long used to music supporting video games, serving on the soundtrack or score, but what about the other way around? MTV2 is going to be doing just such a thing, sponsoring the just-beginning tour (April 8, today) by artists Flyleaf and Seether. The first date is in Denver, CO. And for those who avoid television almost like the plague (like myself), MTV2 is the channel that actually plays music.

While the MTV folks seem a little...out of touch, perhaps, they do also seem genuinely supportive of such a relationship:

“Sponsoring the Seether and Flyleaf tour is another way for us to give Rock Band fans the opportunity to connect with the bands they love and provide a stage for them to live out their rock fantasies,” said Paul DeGooyer, Senior Vice President of DVD, Gaming and Audio, MTV. “By supporting this tour, it allows us to expose great young talent like Flyleaf, who are a true Rock Band success story. The inclusion of their single “I’m So Sick” in Rock Band has helped propel them from gold to platinum selling artists.”

Andy Hunter, SVP of MTV2 says them supporting the bands in this way makes perfect sense:

“Seether and Flyleaf are some of the most requested bands in rotation on MTV2. Bringing together Rock Band and MTV2 to support these popular rock artists, hits home with our audience by bringing them bands they want to see in concert and the music video game they want to rock with.”

So, what is sponsoring the tour actually going to consist of? Presumably they'll be paying for it, but aside from that, get this, fans who attend the shows will be given a chance to play against the members in Rock Band. Oh man. The way it'll work is that contest winners will get to either play against them, receive copies of the game, "create a hot MTV2 video playlist" (why is it always these networks run by middle-aged white dudes always use words and phrases like "hot", "edgy" and "cool"? Just be yourself, middle-aged white dudes), or co-host "Saturday Rock the Deuce" on MTV2 with the bands. So, for anyone interested, the tour ends May 21, during which time MTV2 will be chronicling events as they happen. The groups will also be hosting the All That Rocks program for two whole months (two months with MTV, egads!). More details can be found through the source on that one.

Personally, I'm not really a fan of either of these bands (while I enjoyed the Flyleaf single, everything else I heard by them just sounded glossy and boring, and Seether, well, no thanks), but it is certainly bringing something new to both the music and video game arenas, and the more mutual relationships we see in these industries the better I think, provided it's not just a big scam (I don't think this one is).