It’s a sunny Saturday afternoon in San Francisco, a few blocks away from where the Lunar New Year Parade would later be held. It’s two days after the release of the cautiously anticipated Netflix live-action adaptation of Avatar: The Last Airbender, and three days since the beloved Nickelodeon animated series turned 19.
Fans of the franchise — some in their finest threads, some decked in merch repping nations like Earth and Water — descended onto the Golden Gate Theatre that afternoon for the second of three sold out performances of Avatar: The Last Airbender In Concert. In an over two-hour performance, the audience went on a trip through the series’ three seasons (or for the real ones, books), experiencing poignant moments from the episodes, with its score — composed and arranged by Jeremy Zuckerman — performed by a live orchestra.
It’s the music that is one of many components of why the series is so beloved. Whether it be to encapsulate on a funny moment or bring out the emotional resonance of a really heavy one, it all shares the commonality of remaining just as memorable as the characters and stories it accompanies. To hear these familiar themes live escalated them.
That was indicative of the reactions from the audience whenever the title card for the next song would come up. A surge of enthusiasm emerged when “Kyoshi Warriors” and “Agni Kai” popped up from Book One, bringing the epic-ness of both pieces of music to new heights. A feeling of somberness was felt when the score for Iroh’s story from the Book Two episode, “The Tales of Ba Sing Se,” arrived, knowing that the tear jerker that is “Little Soldier Boy” would eventually be sung, the orchestra accompanying the vocals of the character’s late voice actor, Mako. The grand scale of the four-part finale in Book Three was sonically summoned to unimaginable epic proportions, the orchestra soaring as Aang at last defeats the Fire Lord, in a way that still aligns with his values as an Air Nomad.
There was no explanation needed for any of what was happening, even for the surprise at the end. It especially was poignant that a majority of the audience was mainly made up of Millennials and Gen Zers; the target audience of the series. Normally when in spaces like the Golden Gate Theatre, the audience is much more mixed as far as generations go. To be amongst people who grew up watching the show as I did was all the more special, and not only reinforces its longevity, but also speaks to the cultural moment.
Beyond its recent anniversary and its retelling from Netflix, the results that have come from these generations who’ve watched the show are panning out into fruition; largely in the form of taking a stand for making the world a better place for everyone living in it. From the demands for an end to gun violence, to the protests for an end to the genocide in Gaza and the occupation of Palestine, it’s not a surprise that we’re the ones leading the ways. While we may not have the ability to bend the elements or have an Avatar to rely on, we have ourselves, our resources, and our truths available to us to bring balance to the world. Is it really a surprise that the show experienced a renaissance during the early months of the pandemic?
Avatar: The Last Airbender In Concert is a must for those who love the show, and in these constantly trying times we are living through, a sonic reminder as to why it is.
