Goblins, Chaos, and Heavy Riffs: Nekrogoblikon Takes Over Cargo Concert Hall
The Reno heavy music scene gathered at Cargo Concert Hall inside the Whitney Peak Hotel for an unforgettable night of metal. Kickoff duties went to Cyanate, a local favorite who started their year strong at InFERNo Fest opening for Drowning Pool before embarking on the Inferno to Hell tour and hitting the Loud as Hell Festival. Releasing multiple videos along the way, it’s been a busy year for Cyanate, and they brought that relentless momentum right to the stage.
Following them, Cyborg Octopus delivered a remarkably clean, tight, and technical set that kept the momentum building.
Next up were Rivers of Nihil, who brought massive sonic weight, progressive precision, and heavy atmosphere to round out an exceptional opening lineup.
When Nekrogoblikon took the stage, it was my first time seeing them live, and the overall stage presence was fantastic right from the start. The goblin concept—complete with their full mascot running around, engaging the crowd, and taking over vocals—was wildly creative and unbelievably fun.
From the second the intro wrapped and they kicked into "Fiend" and "Show Me Your Goblin", the crowd went wild. A pit opened up immediately and kept going strong pretty much throughout the whole show. Mid-set tracks like "Dressed as Goblins" and "Goblins Are Better Than Trolls" had everyone shouting along, while "Magic Spider" brought heavy grooves mixed with signature goblin humor.
What makes Nekrogoblikon’s performance so captivating isn't just the humor—it's how effortlessly they balance theatrical comedy with razor-sharp musical performance. As the set progressed through tracks like "The Many Faces of Dr. Hubert" and "Bones", the band never let the energy dip for a single second. John Goblikon kept the crowd constantly on their toes, trading antics with the band members while the floor remained a non-stop wave of body-surfers and moshers.
They ended the night with an explosive encore of "Powercore" and "No One Survives", leaving the entire floor completely spent.
If you haven't seen Nekrogoblikon yet, make sure to catch them next time they come through town—between the wild pit energy, killer musicianship, and unbeatable stage antics, it’s a show you don't want to miss.
