Winnipeg Comiccon 2026: Galactic Empire

There was no shortage of iconic moments at Winnipeg Comiccon at the RBC Convention Centre on October 30, 2026, but few came with quite as much volume as Galactic Empire. The Star Wars-inspired metal outfit brought its larger-than-life sound to Winnipeg as part of this year's Winnipeg Comiccon, delivering an entertaining, riff-heavy celebration of some of cinema's most recognizable scores.

Naturally, the evening began with the unmistakable "20th Century Fox Fanfare," setting the stage for an appropriately dramatic entrance into John Williams' legendary "Star Wars: Main Title". From there, Galactic Empire wasted little time establishing its dominance, launching into "The Imperial March (Darth Vader's Theme)" and "The Mandalorian". With their elaborate costumes, character-driven stage personas and impressive musicianship, the band transformed familiar orchestral compositions into full-throttle metal anthems.

The Star Wars material remained at the heart of the performance, with "The Force Theme," "March of the Resistance," "Battle of Hoth," "Ben's Death and TIE Fighter Attack," and "Battle of the Heroes" providing plenty of highlights. Each composition offered a different opportunity for the band to showcase its ability to translate sweeping cinematic arrangements into crushing guitar riffs, melodic guitar solos, thunderous percussion, and soaring melodies. Even without the original orchestral instrumentation, the music retained much of its dramatic impact.

There was one noticeable change to the band's usual lineup, as its drummer was absent for the Winnipeg performance, with one of the guitarists stepping in to fill the role. Despite the adjustment, the band kept the momentum moving, delivering a cohesive performance that never lost its sense of fun or theatricality.

The set also ventured beyond the galaxy far, far away. "Cantina Band" brought a playful change of pace before the band shifted into Halloween territory with John Carpenter's "Halloween Theme". Danny Elfman's "Batman" and Brad Fiedel's "The Terminator" continued the cinematic nostalgia, while Williams' "Theme From Jurassic Park" offered another opportunity to revisit one of Hollywood's most beloved musical themes.

The soundtrack celebration continued with Akira Ifukube's "Godzilla" and Klaus Badelt's "Pirates of the Caribbean," demonstrating that Galactic Empire's musical universe extends well beyond Star Wars. Regardless of the source material, the band's approach remained consistent: take a recognizable theme, turn up the distortion and give it a metal makeover without sacrificing the musical identity that made it memorable in the first place.

For the encore, Galactic Empire returned to the Star Wars universe with "Duel of the Fates". One of Williams' most powerful and instantly recognizable compositions, it was an ideal choice to close out the evening, bringing the performance to a suitably epic conclusion.

Galactic Empire's Winnipeg Comiccon appearance was more than a novelty act built around recognizable costumes and familiar movie themes. Beneath the theatrical presentation is a talented group of musicians with a genuine appreciation for the music they're reimagining. Combining cinematic nostalgia, heavy metal energy, and plenty of fan-friendly spectacle, the band delivered an entertaining soundtrack adventure that proved the Force is just as powerful with a wall of distorted guitars behind it.

Photos by Samuel Stevens Photography.