I’m incredibly happy to say I’ll be at Rock and Shock next weekend, October 16-18, in Worcester, Massachusetts. If you’re in the area and are looking to get into the Halloween spirit, I hope you’re planning to stop by.
One of the things I love about Rock and Shock is its location. I’ve lived in New England my whole life, and there wasn’t much of a horror market here growing up. Sure, there might’ve been a Boston-based Fangoria Weekend of Horrors or two, but nothing that lingered in the area long enough to become a mainstay.
We had Spooky World for a good many years, but that was a horror theme park that went the extra mile by placing a few celebrities on hand to create a more robust seasonal experience. If you wanted a bona fide horror convention, you had to travel out of state. And when you’re a kid, it’s hard to convince your parents to drive to New Jersey for the weekend so you can stand in a series of lines to meet the different actors who played Michael Myers.
I know because I tried.
Then Rock and Shock came along and threw a great show in my backyard. I love them for that. There was suddenly a convention just 20 minutes away from me. Once that initial shock wore off, it became something I wouldn’t dream of missing.
I had my first child this year, and I’m already counting down the days until he’s old enough to go with me (only 1,642 of them left). He’s four months old, but has already made a habit of grabbing for my Pumpkinhead figure every time he’s carried into dad’s office. I think he’s going to like this stuff.
I know. Location is nice and all, but does Rock and Shock deliver? Yes. The show consistently puts its money where its mouth is by offering more than just a strong collection of quality guests, but an excellent slew of musicians too. I mean, I saw Rob Zombie and Alice Cooper there a few years back, and it was a total blast. This is good stuff if you’re interested in one side or the other, and probably one of the very best shows you can attend if you’re looking to do both.
And one more thing about their guests. It’s a great mixture of popular folks with some “deep cuts” sprinkled in to keep things interesting. For example, it’s always exciting to see George Romero, there’s no living legend greater, but how cool is it to also have William Sanderson, Stephen Macht, and John Amplas?
Also, these guys:
Hard to get a cut that’s any deeper than this one.
And I’m really excited! It’s always a blast hanging out with my good friend and All-Night Terror co-author Adam Cesare. We’ll be sharing a table, selling our books, and spreading our unique brand of goodwill and cheer to Rock and Shock attendees the convention over. Theres’s actually going to be a whole slew of cool authors on hand, and that’s another reason I love the show so much. It’s friendly and supportive to our kind.
If you’re not all that jazzed about perusing my wares then get the hell off my page. Although people like Joe Knetter, Christophe Paul, MP Johnson, and the New England Horror Writers Association are worth getting excited about. They guarantee that your particular horror itch, whatever it is, will be scratched. Oh yeah, some guy named Jack Ketchum is going to be there too.
Hard to believe this is all going down in one week’s time. Are you planning on going? The answer better be yes, and don’t forget to say hi.