PopHorror Let's Get Scared
For the past twelve years, WAAF alum Kevin Barbare has put on Rock and Shock, one of New England’s best horror and music conventions, and 2016’s show was no exception. Held at the DCU Center and the Palladium over the October 14, 15 and 16, 2016 weekend, the 13th Annual Rock and Shock offered local genre fans a chance to meet their favorite horror and rock celebrities with meet and greets, autographs, photo ops and discussion panels, as well as premiering movie and TV shows, tons of vendors selling their horror and music swag, kids’ crafts and costume contests, tattoo artists, comic book illustrators, authors, FX booths and even a timed Escape Room Game… All things devoted to horror fans and good ol’ Rock and Roll.
Let’s start with the panels. The celebrity panels are one of my favorite things to do at Rock and Shock. Unlike many of the other cons I’ve been to, the atmosphere in the panel room is always laid back and relaxing. It’s more like hanging out in your living room with your celebrity best friends, chatting about random things and hearing stories about their days at work. This weekend, guests were treated to quite a few panel discussions, including Icons of Horror with Halloween‘s Danielle Harris, Gremlin‘s Zach Galligan, I Spit On Your Grave‘s Camille Keaton, and Phantasm‘s Reggie Bannister. Just days before announcing her pregnancy, Danielle had this to say on her character’s death in Rob Zombie’s reboot.
There was also a 31 panel at Rock and Shock this year with six actors from Rob Zombie’s newest project: Jeffrey Daniel Phillips, Pancho Moler, Meg Foster, Judy Geeson, David Ury and Ginger Lynn. Hear what they have to say about the making of this long-awaited slashfest.
On the last day of Rock and Shock, the Killers panel had Derek Mears, Tyler Mane and Kane Hodder – two Jason Voorhees, a Michael Myers and a Victor Crowley – taking the stage to answer questions about their own lives and the roles they’ve played over the years.
Matthew Lillard and Skeet Ulrich sat down to talk about the 20th anniversary of Scream. As you can see, Skeet is still handsome and Matthew is still hilarious. Here they’re talking about the good-looking guys getting the backend (ahem) and how everyone tries to make a great movie every time they work.
Reggie Banister talked Phantasm and let Rock and Shockers know what he was working on now. To celebrate the 30th anniversary of Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2, Bill Moseley and Caroline Williams chatted with fans. Both Courtney Gains and John Franklin talked about filming the iconic Children of the Corn. The Woman author Jack Ketchum joined up with Joe Knetter and the New England Horror Writer’s Association to talk books and writing. Unfortunately, The Devil’s Reject‘s William Forsythe had to cancel his appearance at Rock and Shock due to filming a new project.
As they have in previous years, horror rap group Twiztid also sat down for some question and answer time with members of their fam. Jeremy Saffer’s The Rocking Dead (this year made up of Ace Von Johnson from Faster Pussycat, Alan Robert from Life of Agony, Headbanger’s Ball VJ Riki Rachtman, Sepultra’s Max and Iggor Cavalera, Kriz Dk of Genitorturers, Brent Ashley of Combichrist and That Metal Show VJ Don Jamieson) talked about their one and only show that Saturday night at the Palladium and what it was like to play with this eclectic band.
Over in the autograph area, even more celebs were hanging out, waiting to meet anxious fans. Besides the ones mentioned above, there were plenty more people to meet and talk to. Horror icon Malcolm McDowell’s line was steady and long all weekend. Fright Night‘s Chris Sarandon rubbed shoulders with Pantera’s Phil Anselmo. Up and comers James Balsamo (I Spill Your Guts 2012), Sarah French (Monsterland 2016) and Brian Paulin (Bone Sickness 2006) signed DVDs right next to comic book artists Derek Rook (Lucio Fulci’s Zombie, The Dead Omnibus), Joel Robinson (Nightbreed), Christopher Ott (NECA), and Rough House Publishing’s Stuart Kerr and Mark Bloodworth. Ash vs. Evil Dead’s Ray Santiago and Dana DeLorenzo hung out on Saturday, showed the first three episodes of the new season of the show and gave a few interviews – including one with PopHorror!
On Saturday night, Zach Galligan introduced Rock and Shock to the world premiere of his newest film, The Chair, which was directed by Chad Ferrin and also stars American Horror Story‘s Noami Grossman, the late wrestler Roddy Piper, The Neverending Story’s Noah Hathaway, and Heir‘s Bill Oberst, Jr. The movie is based on the eponymous graphic novel, a story about a man being tortured beyond his breaking point as he waits for his own deadly end on Death Row. It’s a dark, depressing and twisted movie. However, if you can make it past the 45 minute mark, you’ll be in for a twisty treat!
Let’s not forget the cosplay! People were dressed up as everything from the Tooth Fairy to Dr. Satan. Between the costume contests and people wanting to show off their spectacular outfits, there was plenty to look at this year.
To top the weekend off, there were tattoo artists of every make and model bent over their buzzing instruments as Rock and Shock patrons added more ink to their body art. Cameras flashed and pens scribbled as fans met their favorite celebrities. People waited in line for their turn at the Escape Room Game, where up to six victims spent 15 minutes inside a locked shack, trying to solve puzzles and unlock doors before the psychotic killer found them first. Horror fans found booths where they could get realistic looking zombie bites, vampire teeth and angel wings. As in every year before, the 13th Annual Rock and Shock horror and music convention was a hit, and everyone went home with a few more horrific treasures to add to their collections.
