Nerdy New Year!

One of the breakout entertainment success stories of 2015 was a one-day geek-rock festival called NerdCon. Think low-budget Comic-Con with live bands.

The first-ever NerdCon, held in August at Escondido’s Center for Performing Arts, drew more than 3000 fans, many of whom wore costumes and grooved to Green Jello, Doll Skin, and local band Random Gibberish.

“People were fed up with the high cost of Comic-Con,” says promoter Joel Jones. “We wanted a show with the same spirit but where you could still have money left over to buy stuff after you paid admission. And then bring it to life with live music.”

Its success prompted Jones, 30, to walk away from producing bridal trade shows and just focus on his own nerd/music niche.

Jones says news of NerdCon’s success reached the Del Mar Fairgrounds and management has since invited him to move it to Del Mar. He decided instead to return to Escondido next August, expand from one to two days, and also launch a 24-hour, nonstop New Year’s eve event.

“One of the reasons I decided to do the New Year show is because I knew Star Wars would be out,” Jones says. “Us nerds don’t like to leave the house very often, but something like Star Wars definitely brings us out.”

Nerdy New Year, including live-action battles, video-game tournaments, and an appearance by the San Diego Star Wars Society, kicks off at 9 a.m. December 31 at California Center for the Arts, Escondido, and ends 9 a.m. New Year’s day.

Instead of live bands, Jones will rely on EDM artist Mason Entrican (DJ Ntrickn) who will spin electro, pop, and dubstep all 24 hours except from 11 p.m. to 1 a.m., when he will showcase a two-hour music-and-light show created with Star Wars in mind.