Geeks Galore: the Zelda Symphony of the Goddesses Concert, Los Angeles, CA, USA

On a balmy Los Angeles night, we drove up the winding path to the Greek Theater for what promised to be a unique combination of geekdom and high culture: the Zelda Symphony of the Goddesses concert.  Rick, a big fan of the Zelda franchise, having played many of the Nintendo console games while growing up, was super excited when he heard there was to be a one-night-only concert of Zelda music in Los Angeles.  Before the concert began, we sat outside at a picnic table chowing down on crisp Chinese chicken salad and sweet teriyaki buffalo wings, watching clumps of people make their way towards the theater.  It was an unusual mix of clothing choices: suits & little black dresses, jeans & t-shirts, and self-conscious cosplayers. The cosplayers, dressed up as Links in his signature green and pointy ears or Zeldas with her elaborate gowns or other minor characters, preened and posed in the crowd of people milling about, eyeing each other’s costumes and taking pictures with the rest of us without the inclination or courage to dress the same. 

A hush settled over the seas of bobbing heads as the lights dimmed.  When the first notes sparked and the first image of the familiar games seeped onscreen, a ragged cheer rang out.  The night grew cold and damp.  Rick’s white teeth flashed in the dark as he nudged me whenever a familiar melody wrapped around the rapt audience.  Laughter, smatters of applause, the constant electricity of anticipation permeated the air as we shared not only in lush instrumental music but that particular almost-smug feeling of being able to share an inside joke as members of a secret society. 

As wave after wave of standing ovations elicited three encores, Rick turned to me, the corners of his eyes crinkled up into a grin, rolled-up poster clutched in one hand, small binoculars nestled in the other, and declared, "Best concert ever."

**This Travel Tale is part of the Summer California Series, where we try to enjoy all the goodies Southern California has to offer before we take off on our trip.