Genshin Concert Los Angeles highlights the best part of gaming communities

21.11.2023 - 18:06 / destructoid.com / Best

The Genshin Concert came to Los Angeles on Sunday night, attracting thousands of Teyvat’s fans from all over. Online gaming communities can have a bit of a reputation for being toxic, and Genshin Impact’s is no exception. In person, though, that shadowy cloud of internet hostility didn’t hang over the theater as we congregated around our favorite game and an orchestrated celebration of its music.

HoYoverse kindly provided me with a ticket to the concert, so I hurried on over to the Peacock Theater and arrived at the venue about half an hour before the doors opened. This was fairly late, and a sizable crowd had already gathered in a sea of intimidating lines. Some were just here for the merchandise, having waited for hours to buy official concert gear. Many were wearing Genshin-themed clothing or accessories, with some decked out in full cosplay. It may have been a bit chilly, but Yelan fully committed to her cosplay and absolutely rocked it.

I started chatting with the people in front of me in line. They were a group of three, one of whom had traveled all the way from Arizona to be here. They asked me who my main was (Venti), when I started playing (since launch), and whether I was up to date on the Archon Quests (mostly). I overheard similar conversations around me. Concertgoers got to know their neighbors through discussions on favorite characters, events, and other Genshin-related topics.

Once the doors opened, it was a mad dash for two additional merchandise stations set up inside, and the lines filled quickly. Two employees in a sea of cardboard boxes frantically tried to serve as many people as possible before the concert started. I got lucky, barely snagging some merch before I took my seat.

The concert began with pieces from Mondstadt, starting with the main theme and taking us through Dragonspine and Dawn Winery. Scenes from the game flashed on three large screens, punctuated by close-ups of the orchestra as they played. 

After a brief intermission, we moved on to Liyue. The audience yelled when Zhongli appeared on screen for Rex Incognito, a major fan favorite. After another intermission, we heard pieces from Inazuma and Sumeru. Raiden Shogun’s theme was adapted to better suit the orchestra, toning down some of its harsh trap elements but remaining punchy. We didn’t hear much of Sumeru’s music, but the audience roared to life again as Port Ormos’ theme began to play.

Unlike some of the performances in Asia, the Genshin Concert Orchestra didn’t feature many ethnic instruments that are integral to creating the unique sounds for each of Genshin Impact’s nations. The Genshin Concert Orchestra playing for the American and European leg of the tour appears to be much smaller than Shanghai’s