The Phantom Thieves and S.E.E.S. have taken L.A. by storm! Sega Atlus put on an once-in-a-lifetime event with amazing performances by Lyn, Lotus Juice and Azumi Takahashi at the Persona Live 2026 Awakenings Concert.
As a fan of the Persona series, the concert itself was an absolutely amazing experience! Many fans were decked out in Persona apparel, cosplay, and concert merch. Some fans were even handing out freebie crafts at the concert, whether it be stickers or bracelets.
Inside the venue, fans could take photos against a backdrop featuring the concert’s promo artwork. Aside from buying more merch at the merch stand, attendees could also buy specialty cocktails based on the Phantom Thieves and S.E.E.S. I tried the Phantom Thieves cocktail, which featured tequila, pomegranate liqueur and ginger ale. Aside from a little too much tequila, the cocktail was delicious. But once inside, having gotten more merch and a drink, it was time for the show!
It’s Showtime!
Once it was time to take our seats for the concert to start, the feeling was electric even before the first performance. The event began with a montage, reminiscent of a scene from Persona 5, of a character making a pact with their Persona before awakening. Then began a countdown which led into the first performance of the night with Lyn putting on an amazing showing of “Colors Flying High,” the opening for Persona 5 Royal. Watching Lyn perform her set for the concert was truly a dream come true and she didn’t disappoint! It was amazing seeing dancers join her on stage dressed as Joker, Ryuji Sakamoto and Ann Takamaki. Lyn’s set ended with an emotional performance of “Hoshi To Bokura To,” the end credits theme for Persona 5. The second half of the concert began with the music of Persona 3 Reload as its focus!
Lotus Juice and Azumi Takahashi took to the stage in style as they started their set with “Color Your Night.” It was a beautiful sight to see everyone change their concert light sticks from red to blue, transitioning almost like a wave of color. Both performers worked in perfect harmony as they commanded the stage and Lotus Juice is amazing at crowd control, hyping up the audience whenever he could.
Favorite Moments
My favorite performance from this half of the concert was of “Full Moon Full Life,” the opening for Persona 3 Reload. Just like Lyn’s set, there were dancers dressed as the protagonist, Yukari Takeba, and Junpei Iori. The dancer portraying the protagonist was a personal highlight as he danced while also portraying the character’s apathetic and uninterested nature. The Persona 3 Reload portion then ended with an unparalleled performance of Changing Seasons -Reload-. But this was not the event’s final performance.
All three singers joined together on stage to thank the audience for making the first Persona Live event in North America a huge success, having sold out 3 shows, one of which was added due to the first two selling out very quickly. They were then joined by all six dancers and their guitarist as they performed “Deep Breath Deep Breath -Reincarnation-.”
Overall Thoughts
The concert was truly an amazing experience and an absolute highlight for me as a Persona fan. Persona 5 was my entry point in the series, so the first half of the concert was truly my favorite part, specifically “Colors Flying High” and “Rivers in the Desert.” The audience was truly fired up from beginning to end, me included, and it was truly special to be in a room full of fans of the franchise, as well as accomplishing a personal goal of seeing Lyn perform live. It is gonna take a lot to top this experience, and I have my fingers crossed for more chances at Persona Live events in the U.S. again!
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