If there’s one thing 30 years of Pokémon have made clear, it’s that pocket monsters can be anything. No, I’m not talking about how one can be an electric mouse while another is a set of keys to an old Parisian apartment. Rather, the franchise has an incredible ability to adapt to different media and forms of entertainment, including video games, anime, trading cards, and even concerts.

This shouldn’t come as a surprise. Through collaborations with artists like Post Malone and Katy Perry, Pokémon has demonstrated its ability to bring its world into musical experiences. That said, none had reached the same level as Marshmello and Alison Wonderland, who blended their music with the Pokémon universe in a show full of creativity and memorable moments.

Pokémon Night Out

Alison Wonderland Stole the Show as the Opening Act

Personally, the biggest surprise of the night was Alison Wonderland’s performance ahead of Marshmello’s concert. Opening acts can be a double-edged sword: they give artists a chance to win over a new audience, but the reality is that attendees aren’t always willing to listen.

Nevertheless, Alison Wonderland made the most of the opportunity and delivered a performance worthy of the occasion. She not only showcased her talent but also paid tribute to Pokémon music by incorporating it into her mixes. First, she used riffs from the Pokémon theme song as a teaser for an exciting moment, followed by what became the most iconic part of her set: a remix of the Lavender Town theme.

You can listen to a snippet of it below:

The entire performance was accompanied by simple visuals that nevertheless showed an immense love for the series. At the beginning, for example, a countdown featured some of the franchise’s most important creatures. It wasn’t a PokéRap or anything like that, but the visuals had some of that same energy, showcasing Pokémon from Bulbasaur, Squirtle, and Charmander all the way to Mimikyu.

Pokémon Night Out

Marshmello Delivered Visuals, Battles, and Emotional Moments

Marshmello was the headlining act at Pokémon Night Out. As a much bigger-name DJ, he opted for a more traditional EDM show, playing some of his most successful songs and mixes, as well as a few tracks he hadn’t performed in a while.

That said, the familiar musical format didn’t mean this was just another Marshmello concert. In fact, the production was incredible, bringing some of the magic of Pokémon into the real world.

The show featured enormous screens that left only a small opening for Marshmello to perform. This created an immersive experience that placed the DJ in the middle of different Pokémon locations and moments, including a haunted mansion overrun by Gastly, Haunter, and Gengar; an icy field where Lucario and Greninja faced off; and a nighttime forest filled with Pikachu.

While many of the animations were simply there to set the scene, some moments let creativity run wild and delivered truly epic sequences. The legendary battle between Groudon and Kyogre, one of the franchise’s most iconic moments, was brought to life through the visuals, accompanied by a light show that bathed the screens in ruby and sapphire hues. The only thing missing was Rayquaza descending from the skies to stop the pair and their destruction, but it was an epic battle nonetheless.

Near the end of the event, as “Shockwave” played, Mewtwo appeared on the screens and stared intently at Marshmello. Moments later, it used its psychic powers to lift the DJ into the air. Marshmello disappeared from the stage and floated on the screen for a few moments. It was a creative and spectacular sequence that made us feel as though the world of Pokémon had become real, if only for an instant.

It’s still unclear whether The Pokémon Company International plans to do something like this again, but given how successful the event was, I imagine it’s only a matter of time before we see another Pokémon music collaboration. Could it happen for the franchise’s 35th anniversary? Most likely.

Galería

Así se vivió Pokémon Night Out