Symphonic ‘Pokémon’ tribute tour comes to Holmdel

Two seemingly disparate worlds — those of the “Pokémon” video game franchise and live symphonic music — are set to collide Aug. 20 when the “Pokémon: Symphonic Evolutions” tour comes to the PNC Bank Arts Center in Holmdel. Boasting all-new orchestral arrangements and carefully timed visuals drawing on the nearly 20- year history of the series, “Symphonic Evolutions” is the creation of arranger Chad Seiter and producer Jeron Moore.

The two previously worked symphonic magic with the concert series “The Legend of Zelda: Symphony of the Goddesses,” which debuted in 2012.

“What drew me to ‘Zelda’ is I grew up with ‘Zelda’ and I loved it, so did Chad, and we know it like the backs of our hands,” recalled Moore. “ ‘Pokémon’ was a little more challenging because we just barely missed the boat. I had stopped playing my Game Boy (less frequently) when I was a senior in high school and ‘Pokémon’ had just come out then. I toyed around with it, I played it, my younger cousins had it, so I was aware of it and understood it."

“But the thing that drew us to both of these (series) was how unified they were, how strong the brand is, how central the music is to the game and how identifiable and memorable it is. Junichi Masuda, the composer for all the original ‘Pokémon’ games, ... he’s written a multitude of music that, almost moreso than ‘Zelda,’ is just staggering.”

“It was almost impossible to nail down just the program we have,” added Seiter, “there’s so much awesome music.”

Orchestral salutes to video game scores are becoming more common these days, with the comprehensive touring extravaganza “Video Games Live” and the “Final Fantasy” salute “Distant Worlds” bringing gamers to concert halls around the world.

“I think the attendees are just as shocked at how great the orchestra is as the orchestra is shocked at how great the attendees are” said Seiter. “They’ve never had people literally cheer for them.

“We’ll introduce the sections of the orchestra and be like, ‘Bassoons, stand up!’ And everyone goes ‘Woah!’ A bassoonist is not necessarily used to that.”

POKEMON: SYMPHONIC EVOLUTIONS

WHEN: 7:30 p.m. Aug. 20

WHERE: PNC Bank Arts Center, Exit 116 on the Garden State Parkway, Holmdel

TICKETS: $25 to $130.50

INFO: www.pokemon.com/us/pokemon-symphony