Official Pokémon rave events, such as the recent Pokémon Night Out at the Intuit Dome in Los Angeles, have drawn criticism from attendees who reported paying up to $300 for general admission tickets only to find minimal Pokémon music and few themed elements.
What happened at the Los Angeles Pokémon Night Out?
Pokémon fans gathered at the Intuit Dome in Los Angeles for an official Pokémon rave titled Pokémon Night Out. The concert promised an evening of electronic dance music by Marshmello and Alison Wonderland designed to immerse the audience in the Pokémon world. However, attendees quickly took to social media to voice their frustrations regarding the execution of the event.
“I paid $300+ for an early-bird GA ticket expecting an actual Pokémon x EDM experience,” Reddit user yingtaohua77 wrote. “Instead, it felt like a couple of DJs playing their regular sets while VJs threw some Pokémon visuals on the screens.” Another attendee, ZackMcCool, posted on Reddit asking why they spent $300 on general admission tickets for a Pokémon rave where only a couple of Pokémon songs were played.
How did the DJs divide audience opinion?
Attendee reactions varied significantly depending on which artist was performing. According to reports from the venue, Marshmello did not incorporate Pokémon music into his set, relying instead on standard performance tracks paired with on-screen visuals. While some visual effects drew praise—such as a projection of Mewtwo making Marshmello appear to float above the crowd—viewers noted that the overall performance lacked a cohesive connection to the brand.
In contrast, Alison Wonderland received a warmer reception for her incorporation of franchise music. Footage from the event showed her performing the anime theme song and delivering a remix of the Lavender Town theme, which drew enthusiastic responses from the crowd.
“This was a Marshmello show that was Pokémon-themed, not the other way around,” Reddit user plzadyse wrote, noting that the visuals lacked cohesive creative direction despite occasional highlights like a lighting-synchronized fight between Groudon and Kyogre.
When and where is the next Pokémon rave scheduled?
The tour continues internationally with an upcoming performance scheduled in London on November 10. Tickets for the London show on November 10 are currently available on the floor for £38.35, offering a lower price point than the general admission tickets sold for the Los Angeles event.
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