“Anime Night:” A genre-spanning anime & game music event you don’t want to miss!

(Featured Image Source: Photo provided by AnimeNight.co / Credit – Abigail McNatt (FB: Abigail McNatt Photography, IG: @abigailmcnattphotography))

Anime and great music go hand in hand. Iconic openings that get stuck in your head, chill ending themes that you can’t help but hum, and mid-fight songs that excite you (looking at you “Number One” from BLEACH)! The best anime have the best songs. One concert event blends a nerd convention atmosphere with a focus on anime and game music: We are talking about Anime Night!

Anime Night is a touring anime concert event/party started in 2022 by Evan Tuccarello, letting fans rock out to geek songs both new and old while checking out artist vendors or even getting a tattoo! We got to ask Tuccarello questions about Anime Night and their goals.

Nerdier Tides – “A concert mixed with a convention sounds truly unique and fun! What gave you the idea? When did you first start?“

Evan Tuccarello – “Thank you! I started this idea in 2022 after the post-pandemic surge of dance party events like Emo Nite, Gimme Gimme Disco, The Taylor Party, etc. As someone who grew up with a live music background and currently works in the concert industry, I both saw the impact these events were making on people’s lives and how they were both helping keep venues alive in a trying time while also providing safe spaces for different pocket communities to enjoy a night of their favorite music. I originally thought, as a long term anime fan, after doomscrolling Tik Tok and seeing how popular songs like Gurenge and Kakai Kitan were getting on the app, why hasn’t anyone done this with anime music? Anime Night was born out of that idea, and after the first night was a hit, which was only a dance party, I decided to expand onto it as half a full blown concert, and half a scaled down convention to create a niche idea that doesn’t really exist built within something familiar that so many fans of anime and nerd culture already attend. I wanted to create a home for not only the guests, but as well as cosplayers, vendors, artists, musicians, and so much more, and that’s exactly what ended up happening.”

A live music event featuring artists and vendors you would see at your chosen convention, Tuccarello highlights alternative cultures’ relationship with all things nerdy. Retail anime distributors, tattoo artists, and local artists can all appear at Anime Night, turning a music space into a mini-convention.

We attended Anime Night’s first NYC performance, held at the much-loved indie venue The Mercury Lounge in the Lower East Side. The bar was serving up themed drinks as we entered, so we grabbed a couple glasses of “Rock Lee’s Medicine” (an anime-inspired cocktail) before heading deeper in.

As we vibed and talked about all things nerdy/geeky with our fellow attendees, we perused Erza’s Cups & Crafts and their collection of cute and cool anime-themed tumblers and cups with original art based on fan-favorite series and movies.

And of course, we stopped by the Anime Night merch table, offering a selection of shirts, keychains, stickers, and other collectibles adorned with the mascot Tsuki. We did all this while chill Lofi versions of anime and cartoon songs played in the background.

The show began as a DJ called our attention to the stage, talking with the audience while playing a set of music videos filled with nostalgic tunes, new favorites from currently running series, and some AMV surprises. They even played the 4KIDS One Piece opening, and I sang my lungs out. No Shame, no regrets.

As the pre-show ended, The Anime Band, the official Anime Night band, took to the stage with Luke Crouse as lead vocalist/sound designer, Meg Wills as lead vocalist, Brenden Kucik on lead guitar, Sam Quatrini on rhythm guitar/vocals, Zack Bowman on bass guitar/vocals, and Kieffer Kiesewetter on drums. They started STRONG, kicking things into action with an amazing cover of the original Funimation/Saban Dragon Ball Z opening “Rock the Dragon.” It had every otaku jumping and singing along, and it wouldn’t be the only time for the night.

The Anime Band took us on a genre-spanning music journey. We screamed to the metalcore openings of Attack on Titan, cheered for the blue blur during the band’s cover of “City Escape” from Sonic Adventure 2, took a trip back to the 90s with “Smile Bomb” from YuYu Hakusho, went beyond plus ultra when special guest, With Sails Ahead singer Sierra Binondo, performed “Hero Too” from MHA, and more.

We asked Sierra about Anime Night and her connection to anime.

NT – “What’s it like to perform as a part of Anime Nights and for such a passionate fandom that’s filled with so much energy?”

Binondo – “This is my first time performing as a guest for anime night! It’s awesome to be able to sing with (and most of all watch) such a killer band bring these songs we’re so used to hearing through our TVs to life. What’s great about these gigs is that no matter what, the audience is going to be so stoked to hear their favorite openings and classics.”

NT – “What do you think drives anime fans to events like these?”

Binondo – “It’s not just the fun live band, but the space it provides for community. Growing up I definitely felt outcast as an anime fan and it’s only just entered the mainstream in the last few years. It’s nice to go to a show like this and feel like you’re with your people. Music is such an important component of anime and the two have become so meaningfully entwined.”

NT – “What is a song in an anime you really enjoy or has meaning for you?”

Binondo – “Butterfly” by Koji Wada (RIP), as Digimon was my first favorite anime, but I’d like to also mention the Bocchi the Rock/Kessoku band soundtrack, “Distortion” is definitely an emotional standout for me. The music for that show is legitimately so well-written and memorable.”

NT – “Where and how can people see more of you performing?”

Binonda – “I play in a post-hardcore band called With Sails Ahead! We dropped our debut record ‘Infinite Void’ earlier this year and we also have a cover of “Gurenge”. Please follow us on social media at @withsailsahead and look out for tour dates there and on our website withsailsahead.com – we head out on tour early September in the Southeast with more tour dates to come after that. Thank you so much!”

Oh, and the feels were felt when they sang “Brand New Day” from One Piece.

Tuccarello speaking about the genre range:

Tuccarello – “There isn’t really a “limit” to genres, per se. I think, if The Anime Band has any identity, they’re at their roots an emo band similar in the vein of Taking Back Sunday, Jimmy Eat World, Anberlin, etc, but ultimately, between a rotating set of vocalists plus some of the songs we cover, the genres of music range from funk/dance-pop with stuff like YuYu Hakusho’s “Smile Bomb” to metalcore with Attack on Titan’s “The Rumbling”. Most of the music we perform is very j-rock heavy, and is comparable to a lot of alternative rock/emo bands of the 2000’s and 2010’s here in the states, and largely that sound is adapted similarly.”

Each song was also highlighted by cosplay changes, with the performers switching their cosplays/outfits to match the song.

“Speaking of cosplay, the crowd matched the energy and understood the assignment”

@viktoryxiii as Tifa Lockhart

Speaking of cosplay, the crowd matched the energy and understood the assignment, with plenty of cosplayers in the audience. Anime Night at the Mercury Lounge featured a special appearance by Gijinka Ghoul Cosplay.

Gijinka Ghoul Cosplay (GGCosplay.com) as Yakumo Oomori and Tori (@earthtotorii) as Inosuke Hashibara.

Nerdier Tides – “What makes this event fun as a cosplayer?”

Ginjika Ghoul Cosplay – “As a cosplayer, it’s nice to be able to just relax and have fun in a casual environment rather than how overwhelming conventions can be. Music has always been an important part of my life, and the Anime Night helps me connect with that!”

NT – “What would you say to an anime fan or cosplayer thinking about attending Anime Night?”

GGCosplay – “I think you should definitely go for it! It is an incredible supportive environment, and incredibly inexpensive as well! Conventions can be expensive but the Anime Night is a great way to enjoy a fun time with fellow nerds without breaking the bank!”

NT – “What song featured in an anime do you really enjoy?”

GGCosplay – “Tokyo ghoul is one of my favorite anime’s, due to my deep personal connection with the main character, Kaneki. Due to my love for Tokyo Ghoul, the first opening, Unravel, is incredibly iconic and my favorite anime song of all time!”

NT – “Where can people see more of your cosplays?”

GGCosplay – “My cosplay work mainly focuses on Tokyo Ghoul and Gijinkas, or humanized Pokemon, hence my username Gijinka Ghoul. If people are interested in seeing more of my work, they can check out my website ggcosplay.com!”

An ABSOLUTELY amazing night of music, cosplay, great crowd banter, and terrific performances, closed out with a song ingrained in the heart of every nerd who ever dreamed of  being “the very best like no one ever was.”

Tuccarello – “Anime Night is for the kid who grew up shopping at Hot Topic back when the logo was still red and the store was dark inside, and wasn’t afraid to shop at both sections of the store. It’s for the kid who road the bus to school listening to bands like A Day To Remember, My Chemical Romance, and Blink-182 on their iPod Shuffle or MP3 player in the morning, and got home and put Toonami on their television back when cable TV was still a thing, and fell asleep watching Naruto and Bleach, and woke in the middle of the night to the Inuyasha ending. Anime Night is for the kid who got into Linkin Park through watching Naruto and Sonic The Hedgehog AMV’s on YouTube. Anime Night is for the real one’s who know that Smash Mouth’s All-Star isn’t just from Shrek, and that Digimon did it first.

I know that sounds like an incredibly specific experience, but I am certain the very person reading this now is the same person who experienced that firsthand. We all lived the same life, and this event is dedicated to each and every one of you who share that experience.”

The Anime Band and special guest Sierra Binondo from With Sails Ahead

Anime Night is a can’t miss anime music experience. It has officially become a staple in my event calendar and I can’t wait till they return to NYC! BUT, you don’t have to wait that long as they currently touring in the U.S.

NT – “You hold Anime Night across the U.S. What are some cities where people can attend your event?”

Tuccarello – “That’s correct! So far out of markets we have done or have been previously announced consists of:

•Pittsburgh
•Columbus
•Cleveland
•Buffalo
•Rochester
•Syracuse
•Corning
•New York City
•Hartford
•Asbury Park
•Harrisburg
•Richmond

But we’re constantly working on getting dates in markets across the midwest, and east coast regions, both north and south. So if your city isn’t on here, that doesn’t mean it won’t be soon!”

Check the official site to see where Anime Night is heading next, get your tickets, and browse their collection of merch and collectibles.

To give some love to the talented Sierra Binondo and to hear her perform alongside her band With Sails Ahead, following them at @withsailsahead on instagram and on the official website Withsailsahead.com.

See more cosplays from Gijinka Ghoul Cosplay over at ggcosplay.com!

Anime NYC 2025 has wrapped up, so make sure to check out our coverage to see what happened at NYC’s largest anime convention! And stay tuned! Anime NYC 2026 is set for August 20-23! We will keep you up to date as they announce their special guests, event lineup, and when badge sales go live!