The green-masked front goblin of metal band Nekrogoblikon is making his first-ever Omaha appearance Thursday night, bringing a comedy show called Gobliween to the Blackstone District. John Goblikon takes the stage at Jay's Games and Beer Garden at 7:30 p.m., promising spooky games, unpredictable interviews, and a healthy dose of chaos for Halloween week.
The performance was first reported by the Omaha World-Herald, which noted that the event marks Goblikon's debut in the city. Joey Wolfe, head of Day Off Productions, the Omaha-based promotion company behind the booking, told the paper that guests should expect spooky games, unpredictable interviews and lots of audience participation. Day Off Productions was created by Joey Wolfe and Steve Berg to bring comedians to new Omaha venues.
Wolfe also told the World-Herald that bringing the show to Omaha is a thrill, calling it the kind of show that used to “skip Omaha entirely,” and predicted it will be the most fun comedy show in the city this Halloween. The night will also feature a special guest appearance by comedian and podcaster Steve Berg, per the same report.
Who Exactly Is John Goblikon?
Goblikon isn't a brand-new character dreamed up for a Halloween gag. Nekrogoblikon's viral music video No One Survives was released in 2012 and involved director Brandon Dermer and actor Dave Rispoli, according to Outburn Online. The character reportedly started out as an office-worker goblin before evolving into the metal band's official mascot and co-vocalist.
Nekrogoblikon itself formed in Santa Barbara, California, back in 2006 and has since released five full-length studio albums mixing melodic death metal with goblin-themed comedy, per Wikipedia's entry on the band, including titles like Goblin Island, Stench, and Heavy Meta. Hoodline covered the band's May 2025 stop on its Show Me Your Goblin Tour at The Abbey in Orlando, noting the band's death-metal style and other acts on the bill.
Goblikon has also built out a separate comedy career beyond the band. He hosts Right Now with John Goblikon, a comedy podcast.
The Show's Venue
Thursday's show unfolds at Jay's Games and Beer Garden, a venue in the Blackstone District.
A Halloween Show in Blackstone
Blackstone makes a fitting backdrop for a goblin-fronted Halloween comedy show. Thursday's Gobliween event gives Omaha audiences a first look at a character featured in a 2012 viral metal video and associated with a comedy podcast.
