Happy New Year, everybody! Welcome to 2026.
As is now tradition here at Platinum Al’s Virtual Hot Tub, our first post of the New Year will recap the most popular blog posts of the last twelve months. This Top Ten covers all of the articles posted during 2025 – from day one to the very last – to give an idea of what you, the reader, has enjoyed most:
10. Berlin Wall – A Piece of History?
A school trip in 1990 brought this item into my possession. But is it a genuine piece of European history, or some concrete with paint on it? Read and decide for yourself…
9. Skateboard Museum – Sector 9 Longboard
2025 was a great year for my skateboarding. In this post, I looked at the Rolls Royce of my skate quiver, the trusty Sector 9 longboard.
8. New Deck 2025 – Death Benson
Another skate post, this one a look at my then-new deck and set up. Documented to preserve the memory of how it once looked! This Devil Woman graphic is a bit saucy and very cool.
7. Black Project – Blood Moon Album Review
The only album review to make the Top Ten, this mighty Hard Rock/Metal album by British band Black Project made some fine noise. Also featured on the Ever Metal website.
6. North West Doom Fest – Part 2
A two day festival celebrating the joys of Doom Metal, North West Doom Fest was a fantastic event. This review of the second day, featuring bands from all over, made a healthy showing in the end of year figures.
5. Liverpool Comic Con May 2025 – Part 2
Comic Cons always fare well in these results, though Liverpool was the only one I attended last year. Day two of the convention lands at number 5.
Our family trip to Disneyland Paris in August 2024 made a big splash at number 4. A magical experience, not to be repeated – Star Tours was, of course, the highlight.
3. North West Doom Fest – Part 1
The first day of this amazing Doom Metal festival in Chester certainly pulled in the punters. Loads of awesome bands, great music – I’m looking forward to this years event already!
Well, whaddya know?! Storming in at number 2 on this prestigious list, my review of this local band has proved popular, much like their excellent set. Hope to catch them again soon.
Which leaves us with our top performing blog post of 2025. The one with the most visits since publishing, the one that’s fired up the internet and brought the world wide web to the Virtual Hot tub. But what could it be?
Well I said Comic Cons always do well, didn’t I?! What else could it be than Day one of my visit to Liverpool Comic Con, which included a whole bunch of Cosplay photos too. A great day out, highly recommended!
2025 was an incredibly successful year for the Virtual Hot Tub. We saw the highest number of visitors for years (2016, to be precise). Sometimes I wonder why I bother writing this trove of random nonsense, but last year showed me that it’s worthwhile. We have an audience, and you guys love it just as much as we do.
Thanks for reading Platinum Al’s Virtual Hot Tub. There’s no place else like it!
Platinum Al's Virtual Hot Tub 