San Diego International Comic-Con, also known as Comic-Con, is known as the central hub for all things Fandom. From comic books to television to movies to collectibles to anime, Comic-Con has it all. Since the inclusion of major studios and companies, the popular convention’s roster of talent has only increased, becoming part of mainstream Hollywood events.
This also includes musicians and major music acts partnering with companies and productions, releasing their own products or content, or just coming to perform as talent. Back in 2015, Hall H attendees were treated to a Star Wars concert by the San Diego Symphony to celebrate Star Wars: The Force Awakens. In 2022, Atarashii Gakko! performed as part of the Crunchyroll and 88rising concert series. In 2023, the Adult Swim Festival had Flying Lotus & Tyler Bates performing with a live orchestra for the Genndy Tartakovsky Musical Experience. They also had performances by Hemlocke Springs, Ginger Root, DeathbyRomy, and Saba. K-pop group NCT DoJaeJung (DJJ) performed at the annual Fandom Party. In 2024, J-pop star LiSA, experimental artist Alice Longyu Gao, and FAKE STAR USA DJs headlined the Crunchyroll concert. Last year, The All-American Rejects performed at the Fandom Party, SPYAIR and Denzel Curry headlined the Crunchyroll Anime FanFest, and GI Joe’s Cold Slither debuted.
This year, more music acts came out in full force, including legendary bands, an iconic rapper, a rising superstar girl group, a global K-pop group, and more.
Green Day threw a surprise concert for Nimrods
In honor of the release of the Green Day-inspired success story, Nimrods is a coming-of-age road comedy about three teenagers who travel from Kansas to Los Angeles with the belief that their band is opening for Green Day on New Year’s Eve. Directed by Lee Kirk, the film stars Mason Thames, Kylr Coffman, Ryan Foust, Jenna Fischer, Angela Kinsey, and Fred Armisen. It is set to be released by Inaugural Entertainment on August 14.
On Friday, at the Nimrods pop-up at Petco Park, Green Day popped up on the roof of an ice cream truck with Kirk, Thames, and Fischer, and began passing out themed ice cream and movie merchandise. People began to realize Green Day was here, and the crowd grew even larger by the minute.
Green Day then took to the stage and performed a few songs, including “Basket Case” and “One of My Lies.”
The Coverups played the night before at the Z2 Comics x Fandom Party at the Hard Rock Hotel
The night before Green Day performed on an ice cream truck, Billie Joe Armstrong’s cover band The Coverups performed at the annual Fandom party at the Hard Rock Hotel. Their group performed 26 songs, including the cover of Cheap Trick’s “Hello There” and The Ramones’ “I Wanna Be Sedated.” Iron Maiden’s Bruce Dickinson came up as a featured guest and performed with the band, Mott the Hoople’s “All the Young Dudes.” Dickinson had covered the song on his 1990 solo album, Tattooed Millionaire.
Dickinson was attending Comic-Con for his graphic novel series, The Mandrake Project, produced by Z2 Comics. He was signing his latest release of The Mandrake Project, Year 2, at the autograph booth.
BINI performed at Ballroom 20 for DreamWorks Animation’s Forgotten Island Comic-Con Panel
Filipina superstars BINI made a special appearance at DreamWorks Animation’s Forgotten Island panel on Friday morning, and performed their song from the soundtrack, “A Parallel World,” in Ballroom 20. The girls made history as the first to perform in the iconic Comic-Con space. The panelists for the film included stars Liza Soberano, H.E.R., Dave Franco, Januel Mercado, and director Joel Crawford.
In the film, out September 25, best friends Jo (H.E.R.) and Raissa (Soberano), inspired by Filipino culture and traditions, stumble through a portal into the mythical island of Nakali. They must work together to get back home before the island’s magic erases their memories, including each other.
ENHYPEN had their own Comic-Con DARK MOON showcase
K-pop stars ENHYPEN made history at Comic-Con as the first K-pop group to be on a Comic-Con panel, held on Thursday afternoon at Ballroom 20. The members – Jungwon, Heeseung, Jay, Jake, Sunghoon, Sunoo, and Ni-ki – joined Twilight’s director Catherine Hardwicke and actors Peter Facinelli and Ashley Greene, best known for portraying Carlisle Cullen and Alice Cullen in the Twilight saga. The group was promoting HYBE’s most popular webtoon-now-animated series, DARK MOON: The Blood Altar.
The following day, the group held a special “wave” event with select fans, who also received an autographed DARK MOON: The Blood Altar poster. That Friday night, ENHYPEN held a hour-long show “DARK MOON BLOOD NIGHT” at the House of Blues, performing their hit songs, “Bite Me,” “Karma,” “Moonstruck,” “Drunk-Dazed,” “Criminal Love,” and “Brought The Heat Back.”
Inspired by the members, DARK MOON: The Blood Altar was released in 2022 as a webcomic on Naver and LINE Webtoon. It is the first story in the DARK MOON series, depicting the chemistry between vampire boys and a superpowered heroine, and their need to protect each other from outside forces trying to separate them.
Common threw a special performance at Apple TV+’s Silo Comic-Con activation
As one of the stars of Apple TV+’s Silo, Common was already there to attend the panel for the popular sci-fi series. He then threw a special performance on Saturday evening at Apple TV+’s activation site, which included a dance-off with a Lorax cosplayer. The actor and iconic rapper performed a few songs, including “The Light,” “U.M.C,” and other of his hit medleys.
The Apple TV+ dystopian drama Silo centers on the thousands of people living in a giant underground bunker designed to protect them from the toxic world above. Starring Rebecca Ferguson, Common, Tim Robbins, Jessica Henwick, and Ashley Zuckerman, Silo is now in its third season.
Knights of the Unicorn, Composer Vince DiCola, Stan Bush, Sebastian Bach, Cold Slither, and Britta Phillips perform for the Transformers 40th Anniversary Event at the House of Blues
On Thursday evening, hosts Hasbro and Reigning Phoenix Music brought out massive rock stars: Knights of the Unicorn, Transformers’ composer Vince DiCola, Stan Bush, Sebastian Bach, Cold Slither, and Britta Phillips, as they all took to the stage at the House of Blues in honor of Transformers’ 40th Anniversary (since the 1986 animated film): THE TRANSFORMERS: THE MOVIE 40th Anniversary Celebration of Life Concert.
Those who have seen the 1986 animated film, THE TRANSFORMERS: THE MOVIE, know Optimus Prime tragically dies, causing emotional damage to viewers who have grown to love the fearless leader. Hasbro has issued this concert as an “Apology Tour” for the 1986 film. Hasbro also took this opportunity to promote their collectibles: THE TRANSFORMERS: THE MOVIE: Reformatted Edition album and action figures. Fathom Entertainment is taking the anniversary a step further, and plans to bring the film back to the theaters on September 17.
Bowling For Soup performed the Phineas and Ferb theme song for Thrilljoy’s Rock the Block Party
Collectibles company Thrilljoy threw their block party, “Rock the Block,” on Saturday night at the InterContinental San Diego, and had rock group Bowling for Soup as the headliners. The group has had many hits, but their biggest crowd-pleaser for the night was their song for the Disney Channel animated series Phineas and Ferb, “Today Is Gonna Be A Great Day.”
Special Comic-Con Appearances By Blink-182, Shaboozey, Pearl Jam, and More
Though these artists did not perform at Comic-Con, they each had a project for the major convention. Blink-182 partnered with PAC-MAN for their special booth at the expo to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the rock group’s album, Take Off Your Pants and Jacket, which member Tom DeLonge surprised fans with an autograph signing on Thursday.
Grammy Award-winning hip-hop and country artist Shaboozey made his Comic-Con debut with his graphic novel, The Outlaw Cherie Lee, out August 18. He had a Friday comic book signing at the Funko booth and a panel, moderated by Juju Green. The comic book from Range Comics expands Shaboozy’s music storytelling. It serves as a supplement for his upcoming album, The Outlaw Cherie Lee & Other Western Tales, which releases on July 31.
Z2 Comics brought out the big guns with their Musician x Graphic Novel collaborations. Not only did they help these artists bring their stories to life in comic books and graphic novels, but Z2 Comics also brought these rockstars to Comic-Con so fans could have them signed. Grunge rocker Mike McCready of Pearl Jam debuted his graphic novel, “Mike McCready’s Farewell to Seasons.” Other music artists include Anthrax and Pantera’s Charlie Benante, Lord of Acid and the Violent Hour’s Carla Harvey, Spencer Charnas of Ice Nine Kills, and more.
San Diego International Comic-Con was held at the San Diego Convention Center from July 23 to July 26.
