Iggy Pop Performs 'Punkrocker' Live First Time Portland

Iggy Pop performed his once-obscure 2006 song "Punkrocker" live for the first time at the Project Pabst Festival in Portland, driven by the track's resurgence after its inclusion in the latest Superman film. The song features prominently in a key scene where Superman tells Lois Lane that "kindness is the real punk rock," echoing the film's core theme of human kindness and immigrant stories as highlighted by director James Gunn. Gunn discovered "Punkrocker" through Spotify’s algorithm and felt it perfectly complemented the film’s ending, which ties the idea of punk rock to Superman and his parents. The renewed popularity of "Punkrocker" was further fueled by its virality on TikTok, connecting new and old audiences to Iggy Pop’s punk legacy. Additionally, the film’s soundtrack includes a punk-inspired song by the fictional band Mighty Crabjoys, co-written by Gunn and Eric Nally, adding to its musical narrative. Iggy Pop dedicated his live performance of "Punkrocker" to Superman, reinforcing the mutual respect between the artist and the film’s themes.