HOUSTON -- When you go to the symphony, you expect to see the crowd, the strings and the maestro.

But you don’t expect to see your favorite video game characters.

At the Houston Symphony, however, you’ll see just that.

Instead of Bach and Stravinsky, the musicians of the Houston Symphony are playing the music of technology, the music of now.

“Kind of like opera of the 21^st century, if you will,” Tommy Tallarico said.

And it’s likely the biggest video game concert you’ve ever seen.

The idea for the show is a part of the symphony’s efforts to attract new audiences.

“How do we compete as an arts organization with all of this media out there,” Matthew Van Besien said. “It’s about pushing the envelope a little bit as far as what a symphony orchestra can do as an ensemble.”

Granted, there are plenty of challenges, but Van Besien said it’s really about having fun and getting new people in the door.

And it seems to be working, though sometimes the crowd is more T-shirt than black tie.

“It is my first show, and I will probably come in future years, because I like it so much,” Sam Strum said.

Still, even symphony regulars are impressed with the orchestral experiment.

“Oh my God! It’s wild! Unbelievable,” Nancy Stow said. “It is nothing like I expected. But I heard it was like this, and it is fantastic!”

A room full of empty seats is the biggest fear for any performer, and it’s becoming a reality more and more often across the country for symphony orchestras.

But the Houston Symphony is ready to meet that challenge with a few good video games, a few wild ideas … and more than a few good musicians.