Now, I need to start this blog post with an apology. The last time I went to Liverpool Comic Con in November 2024, I took my trusty Canon camera and took loads of photos of Cosplayers and props etc. But, when I got home, the memory card died on me. Meaning that all of those photos were lost forever before I could back them up. So no November 2024 blog or photos.
This time around, I just used my brand spanking new Samsung phone for the photos, and they turned out pretty good. I’m going to keep the words to the minimum this time around though, and let the pictures fo the talking.
I will mention that there were some big guests again at this event. Star Wars was well represented by Hayden Christensen and the very lovely Rosario Dawson. I may well have a huge crush on Rosario Dawson, but decided not to meet her as autographs cost an absolute fortune. And she would’ve immediately fallen for me and wanted to elope, which would be kind of unfair on our families. So it was for the best.
But yeah, lots of interesting guests including a load of Starship Troopers people (Denise Richards!), Michael Ironside, Dirk Benedict and so on.
As these photos hopefully show, there was a respectable number of amazing Cosplayers frequenting the event. Daugthertron went dressed a Monster High character this time, but again I’m forbidden from sharing the pics. Well done to all the other costumed visitors, you were fantastic. Thanks for letting me take your photo.
Other than that, there were some great props and famous vehicles, plus dozens of stalls selling all manner of wonders. But we’ll cover those in Part 2 – stay tuned!
What an excellent way to spend Star Wars Day. May the Force Be With You!
Tat or treasure? That’s what we’re investigating in this edition of the Tat section, here at Platinum Al’s Virtual Hot Tub. We have an item that could be a genuine piece of history, or it could just be pure junk.
The item in question is a piece of the Berlin Wall. Or at least, it claims to be.
Sometime in October 1990, I was on a school trip to Berlin. The wall separating East and West Germany had come down the year before, a momentous event that heralded the end of the Cold War and huge changes in Europe. Studying the Rise of Fascism in Europe as part of my History A Level, a trip to the once and future German capital was an appropriate field trip.
Most of that visit involved my friends and I drinking lots of German beer rather than any serious historical study, but whatever.
Of course, on trips like these, it was customary to take souvenirs home. And what better souvenir than an actual piece of the Berlin wall? At a stall near the Reichstag building and mere feet away from the wall, I bought the small, plastic box shown here, containing brightly coloured fragments of the infamous construct.
I’ve heard since that visit, that the only way to be sure of owning an actual piece of the wall was to hack some of it off yourself. Pick axes were available to hire at the site for that purpose, and indeed some of my friends tried that approach (with little luck).
So the question remains: although bought at the site, is this an actual piece of Berlin wall – or did some unscrupulous Capitalist scumbag spray some random concrete in lurid colours and pass it off to me as the genuine article?
Somehow, a couple of years ago, I ended up with a spare deck. I was going to put it on the wall as a display item, but recently I changed my mind.
The deck in question was this Death Benson Devil Woman. I think I decided it was too wide and set up a different deck to skate – an 8.25″ Patrick Melcher Mermaid deck. I wouldn’t normally buy a deck just to display, so I must have skated one set up for longer than anticipated to end up with a spare.
Whatever the reason, this 8.5″ Benson was put aside to mount on the wall. Recently, my current set up was starting to get really worn out – I obviously needed a new one. As I’d been considering going wider, this 8.5″ deck was brought out of retirement and set up, ready to go.
I used some older Independent trucks that just about fit OK, and moved my current Slime Balls wheels across to this set up.
The result: a great new skateboard. It has that nice poop that new decks have, it feels awesome. I’ve really enjoyed skating it, slightly wider was a good move.
I’ve had one of these decks previously, though in a smaller width (you can read about it here). I’m still a big fan of Death skateboards, and of course the amazing artwork of Liane Plant!
New wheels may be an option in the near future, and definitely new bearings.
And there you have it: just another little post celebrating these rad skateboards that I’ve had the pleasure to ride over the years.
All of this stuff was bought from the extremely brilliant Native Skate Store.
Following a blinder of an evening’s entertainment for Day the First of North West Doom Fest, I was rested and ready to go for Saturday. Beginning at an earlier time in the afternoon, I unfortunately missed the first band of the bill, Hand of Omega, who played while I was still travelling into town. Sincere apolgies for this to all, I must catch them again sometime.
Arriving at the Saddle, the festivities were well and truly underway already. A decent sized crowd were in attendance in the rear courtyard, cradling beers and nursing themselves back to full health. There was no downer atmos that I could discern at all however, everyone seemed amped for the music ahead.
Moss Valley were the first band of the day that I actually got to see, and they were pretty damn good. This three piece straddled a retro seventies vibe with added desert rock Kyuss stylings. Great riffs and warm female vocals adding to the melodies, Moss Valley really made a huge impression. It’s tough to pick favourites at an event like this, but MV were definitely contenders.
Up next we had a visit from the Pagan lords of the north, Sabbat Wolf. This Leeds based band featured exemplary musicianship, again with a commanding female vocalist. What I enjoyed here were the Sabbath worshipping riffs augmented by beautifully tuneful, mellow passages that reminded me of Pink Floyd. Sabbat Wolf really stood out with these psychedelic flourishes and their unashamed occult theme – their song ‘Pagan Bloody Pagan’ tells you all you need to know!
Warpstormer had travelled up from Londonium to the ancient, walled city of Chester. These guys mix full throttle Metal with their Doom, think Orange Goblin rocking out at their trippiest. It’s a Stoner Metal attack that could have been related somewhere to Entombed or Motorhead, but had enough power and groove to fit in perfectly at this gig. Warpstomer were real crowd pleasers and also really nice guys.
Get your flat caps on and forget your fear of heights, it’s time for Shred Dibnah! The world’s premier Steeple Jack Rock band graced the stage of NW Doom Fest, amid clouds of smoke and a pummelling performance. With a portable chimney on stage belching out clouds, Shred Dibnah demolished the audience with roaming riffs and contrasting mellow sections that added to the hypnotic drill.
Borehead were the next band of the day, and again a different take on the Doom template. In contrast to other bands, these Londoners were largely instrumental – except for some weird and wonderful samples – with slow, fuzzy riffs more spaced out than Buck Rogers on a Venusian hookah pipe. Cerebral stuff that you’d assume would be better appreciated on headphones with some refreshment, but it went over very well.
I was already familiar with the mighty Deathfiend – I caught them live a while back, and was happily smashed to pieces with their ferocious onslaught. With elements of Death Metal and even Hardcore Punk in the Deathfiend sound, I wasn’t sure if they’d be too damn nasty for this festival, but they slotted right in neatly. Outrageously heavy Doom riffs delivered with a fiery intensity, this band are a force to be reckoned with.
You know how sometimes you see a band that looks so cool, you want to join up? Kill The Witch were that band at NW Doom Fest. These guys meld together the Sludgiest of Stoner and Doom Metal, traversing varying tempos and styles but always remaining true to The Riff. Roaring vocals top off a faster, more furious Sabbath sound that’s not without its clever invention and serpent-like surprises, throwing in some brutal hardcore along the way.
Finishing off NW Doom Fest 2025 were the mighty Amon Acid. Another Yorkshire based band, their distorted Doom Metal was part Electric Wizard style occult Metal, with hypnotic, psychedelic passages added for kicks. Yet again a different take on Doom with Hawkwind Space Rock and amazing Middle Eastern sounding passages seeping through the acid drenched fuzzy guitar, Amon Acid were a thoroughly entertaining musical experience, finishing the event in style.
And that, kids, was your lot. Everything was wrapped up in a timely fashion so that the punters could make buses and trains home, all of us with beaming, happy faces – gorged on the joy of The Riff. North West Doom Fest was a resounding success and I have to say I enjoyed every band I saw. All of them had their own unique identities, whichever winding track they took from the original concept of Doom. Cool venue, too. Now I feel really stupid for not going last year.
The Saddle is the number one – and surely only – Rock based pub in the City of Chester. A town more famed for drunken shenanigans and expensive outfits for the Races, this is the playground of the Cheshire Set and the wannabes. A home of Metal it is not. Not usually, anyway – except for the welcoming haven of The Saddle.
And for one weekend in April, the tiny G21 venue at the back of the pub hosted the second North West Doom Fest: two days of the heaviest, doomiest metal in the land. Absolutely fan-fucking-tabulous!
The evening began with Druid’s Cross, from not far away at all Liverpool. I’ve seen this band before, and knew they would be ideal to commence the festivities. Harsh vocals lead relentless, dynamic riffs with a traditional metal feel as well as a slow, doomy pace. There’s a dark, gothic edge to the music as well, resulting in a compelling sound that grabbed everyone’s attention from the start..
Festival organisers Lorraine and Mark were up next, with their amazing three-piece band, Warlockhunt. I’d also seen this band before, and I’m always amazed by the complexity of their dual bass and tribal drums sound. The other worldly female vocals have led to this band being described as Doom Pop (I coined that phrase, actually, thank you very much) and it’s easy to see why. Always different and always captivating.
Grim skeletal figures flanking the stage, inverted crosses and a duo wearing dark cloaks: Tumanduumband aren’t exactly shy of revelling in their ominous personas. What they are, is a West Midlands based Satanic Doom band, and their music is both atmospheric and heavy as hell itself. Fuzzed out, crushing riffs mean that the visuals aren’t inappropriate – this band is growing a cult based on their own dark riff-tuals.
Headlining tonight, and admittedly one of my favourite bands out there these days, the mighty Son of Boar rightfully took their place at the top of the bill. I became a big fan after seeing them play Pentre Fest some years ago. Bass wrangler Gaz is also an Ever Metal scribe, not that I’m biased at all, honest! Son of Boar played a set that was tight and forceful, with ear-worm riffs and thundering rhythms. Tusks up! The boys brought the HEH-VEEE, then slept the night on the floor of the venue, ‘cos they rock that hard.
Back in the very early 70’s, I accidentally missed getting on the bus with Black Sabbath (or was deliberately left behind, you choose), and found myself stranded in Sweden. Luckily, I had a few contacts and was able to get by, eventually meeting up with a couple of young Swedish lads in Stockholm. They were into folk music, but I could tell they were great musicians with an ear for a melody. After some persuasion, they agreed to try something new and join me in a new band, part heavy metal, part rock’n’roll, with a bit of folk thrown in to keep them happy.
Our jam sessions were going really well, with me handling the vocals and devil worshipping lyrics, and the lads on guitar and piano. We had numerous tracks rehearsed, with some killer riffs inspired by my old mentor, Tony Iommi.
Then one day, it was all over. The two lads decided metal wasn’t for them, and they hooked up with two Swedish girls in an attempt to make something more commercial. A great shame, I thought, as we had potential. Never mind, I’d saved up some cash to get back home and off I went. No idea what happened to those Swedes though. I think they could’ve gone far.
All this reminiscing brings me round to discussing the latest Brown Acid compilation from RidingEasy records – the nineteenth, if you can believe it. It’s been a while since I last reviewed one of these releases, so to summarise briefly for any late comers, Brown Acid compiles long lost gems from the late 60s through the early 70s as a document of the early days of hard rock and proto-metal from the time. Most of these tracks – and the groups who performed them – have been lost to mists of time, but it’s always a joy to rediscover them in the 21st century.
Our first song on this volume is “You Come on Like a Train” by the brilliantly named Dick Rabbit. Just under three minutes of Hendrix infused fuzz rock with clattering drums, it’s a high energy opener to get us moving. Next up is Blizzard with “Be Myself”, which has a killer intro riff that then dominates the song. Think Cream or Mountain and you’ll be on the right avenue.
“Sun City – Part II” is a gritty, raw rocker from the less imaginatively named Fox – the catchy riff is a beauty. Next up, Sweet Wine give us “Bringing Me Back Home”, a boogie, rock’n’roll bar-room brawl number that injects some Southern Rock into proceedings. It’s an unusual move for a Brown Acid comp, but it works well. Finishing off Side One is Enoch Smokey and their cover of the Chuck Berry classic, “Roll Over Beethoven”. A cover is also an atypical move for Brown Acid, but this rendition has enough apocalyptic hard rock mayhem to warrant its inclusion.
Side Two commences with “Get You” by Flight, a Grand Funk style rocker that’ll get your head noddin’. “Indian” from Quick Fox offers a more cerebral lyrical approach, lamenting the fate of Native Americans (no surprise there). It does have a late 60s psychedelic shine that gives the song a different feel and identity. Then it’s back to some full-on hard rock with “The Fury in Your Eyes” by Bonjour Aviators – a spectacular band name, great riff and almost punk vocals.
Cedric delivers “I’m Leaving” next, which is lo-fi garage rock that’s simple but damn effective – like The Kinks covering The White Stripes in a Detroit dive bar. Finally, we have the brain destroying proto–Space Rock of Zane with “Step Aside”, which sounds like Hawkwind sound tracking classic 70s dystopian sci-fi movie, Logan’s Run. If you don’t think that sounds cool, your life clock must’ve already died.
And that’s that: another ten songs saved from the wilderness and given a new lease of life, a second chance of glory thanks to the caring curatorship of RidingEasy records. And all the bands get paid, which is super cool. Brown Acid: the Nineteenth Trip is very much recommended for anyone who worships at the altar of early 70s rock – and also a great soundtrack to any party. Get it on!
It’s that time again – Singles Night! Yes, the night at my Virtual Hot Tub where we play a variety of 7 inch singles and have a few beverages. A record listening party, if you will, but only involving 45 rpm discs.
There’s a huge stack of unplayed singles lurking round the Hot Tub. Some old, some new, some that have been given to me as a gift. They’ve collected together over time from all manner of different sources, and they need to be played.
So play them I will, A side first then flip ’em over for the B side – playing through the stack for the sheer fun of it.
Pour yourself a drink and join me, who knows what we’ll hear?
Here’s the playlist:
Chafed GBI – “The Regulator”
Jim Jones & The Righteous Mind – “Get Down Get With It” / “Ace of Spades”
Elvis Presley – “Are You Lonesome Tonight? (The Laughing Version)” / “From a Jack to a King”
Bad Company – “Feel Like Makin’ Love” / “Wild Fire Woman”
The Alarm – “Absolute Reality” / “Blaze of Glory”
INXS – “Need You Tonight” / “Move On”
Vapors – “News at Ten” / “Wasted” / “Talk Talk”
Lita Ford – “Kiss Me Deadly” / “Broken Dreams”
Depeche Mode – “Just Can’t Get Enough” / “Any Second Now”
Shakin’ Stevens – “Green Door” / “Don’t Turn Your Back”
Simple Minds – “Ghostdancing” / “Jungleland”
Duran Duran – “The Reflex” / “Make Me Smile (Come Up and See Me”
The Motors – “Forget About You” / “Picturama”
Chic – “I Want Your Love” / “(Funny) Bone”
Slade – “Know Who You Are” / “Dapple Rose”
Thin Lizzy – “Killer On The Loose” / “Don’t Play Around”
Roxy Music – “Over You” / “Manifesto”
Madonna – “Material Girl” / “Pretender”
AC/DC – “Heatseeker” / “Go Zone”
David Bowie – “Fashion” / “Scream Like a Baby”
The Alarm – “Rescue Me” / “The Hurricane Sessions (My Land Your Land)”
ABBA – “Gimme, Gimme, Gimme” / “The King Has Lost His Crown”
Twenty two songs this week, and some real beauties in that session. From great classic rock (Bad Company, Thin Lizzy, AC/DC) to 80’s pop (Depeche Mode, Madonna, ABBA) to punk/new wave (Vapors, The Motors) there’s a wide spread of awesome songs.
Some notes:
Chafed GBI is a “supergroup” comprising Scott Ian and Charlie Benante of Anthrax, with Dave Grohl on drums. It’s a single sided, colour vinyl 7 inch of the classic Bad Brains song released for Record Store Day.
The Jim Jones & The Righteous Mind single is on coloured vinyl. While it does contain a cover of the Slade song on the A-side (though that was a cover of an earlier tune), the B-side is not the song made famous by Motorhead! Still great though.
In previous editions of my Toys blog, we’ve already had a look at some of the original Masters of the Universe action figures that I own. Most were bought back in the 1980s. But I never had any of the playsets for this line of toys, so their adventures were a bit limited. Niver had any playsets until recently, that is…
Castle Grayskull was re-released by Mattel a while back, to act as the perfect environment for their re-issued and re-vamped line of Origins figures. The toy itself appears to be an almost exact replica of the one released back in the 80s – though I’m not enough of an expert to confirm. However, it’s close enough to do the job.
By the power of Graskull!I have the power!
I waited quite a while, watching Castle Grayskull’s price online. Eventually, this open but complete version turned up for a good price on eBay, so I snapped it up. It’s in great condition – I suspect it may have only been used for display and then sold on.
The castle looks pretty awesome: that formidable skull-like façade looms out, just like in the cartoon. The playset opens in half to reveal the inner sections, with the mouth drawbridge opening to permit access. This can be done by using a power sword as a key – nice touch.
InsideTurret
Inside, the hybrid of magic and technology that was the hallmark of the original MOTU line is clearly visible – computer consoles and laser guns sit alongside a throne and ancient weapons.
Throne roomHelp on the way!Watch out!Battle for Eternia
It was great fun setting up the figures and recreating a few scenes with them. The action included Skeletor and his band of evil henchmen capturing Castle Grayskull and imprisoning the Sorceress. Then Skeletor was free was to claim the throne, and subdue Eternia under his vile command! But wait…
Here comes He-Man and Battle Cat to save the day! They confront Skeletor in the throne room.
Look out He-Man! There’s a trap door!
Here come Teela and Man-at-Arms via the elevator – but will they be too late?
Look out for Trap Jaw up on the turret!
With reinforcements at hand, a historic battle ensues between good and evil!
Finally, Skeletor and his evil warriors are defeated and Castle Grayskull is returned to normal…
Till next time, that is!
This Castle Grayskull playset may be modern, but it ticks all the right nostalgia boxes. It seems to have all the accessories and features that I remember seeing as a kid (though this includes a limited edition Sorceress figure). Loads of fun and a fantastic way to display my action figures. But where to display them??!!
Here we go with another Pentre Fest, the absolute highlight of my musical calendar! This is the crowning glory of North East Wales Metal Productions‘ festivals – and a huge deal to both the bands and the fans. I couldn’t wait to get to Mclean’s in Deeside and enjoy the music!
This year, another stellar line-up of bands from both near and far, with a good spread of genres. Ever Metal was in full force, with Beth and Mare joining myself for the festivities. With all of us in attendance, we split reporting duties to cover as much as possible as easily as we could.
And so, here are the reviews I composed all by my lonesome, concentrating on musicians that I wanted to contribute to (rather than all of them).
If you want to read the full review, try this here link to Ever Metal.
Friday
Mother Thunder
I saw Mother Thunder play in Pentre a few months back, they were superb. This time around, they were even better. MT play a hard hitting, groove laden take on classic rock/metal – think Thin Lizzy twin guitars with a bit of Maiden chug – and sublime female vocals. Heavy rock with irresistible riffs, Mother Thunder lit up the room and could’ve (should’ve) been higher up the bill.
Apollyon Rising
Filling in last minute, Apollyon Rising were a man down as their bass player was on holiday in Morocco. The selfish git. But with a bit of soundboard wizardry, the remainder of the band confidently gave us a set of prime thrash metal that didn’t shame their reputation one iota. I knew they could pull it off. As a wise man once said, never doubt a band with a killer logo (and the talent to match).
Saturday
DXRK Winter
Thankfully, I managed to catch the latter half of DXRK Winter’s set and I glad I did. They were on first on the main stage in the afternoon, their brutal metal attack was brilliantly performed and went down really well with a crowd that could’ve been chilling, but didn’t. A worthy act to play higher up the bill.
Cry for Mercy
You can’t go wrong with the blues based classic rock swagger of Cry for Mercy. Great tunes, all built around the majesty of the riff and a persuasive groove. I loved every second, it’s a shame they were on so early. Never miss a chance to see Cry For Mercy if you get it. Their new songs were just as good as old, new album is out soon!
Victim of Damp
Frank Williams, aka Victim of Damp, is becoming a popular mainstay of Pentre gigs. His bipolar set comprises one half of mellow, hangover curing melody followed by a series of playful, Pythonesque parodies. And he gets more confident every time.
Bad Earth
It just wouldn’t be Pentre Fest without these guys! Bad Earth delivered a reliably ferocious set of raucous biker rock and despite sound hiccups on the first couple of songs, soldiered on admirably. This was take-no-prisoners rock’n’roll to make Lemmy proud. Their acoustic set was also a blinder, cooking up some awesome sing-a-long responses from the crowd outside.
Mike West & the Missing Links
It’s been a good few years since I saw Mike West play a solo acoustic show at Pentre. Mike’s brand of dark country and bluegrass is now augmented by a band of drums and fiddle, adding a certain folky, Levellers feel to the tracks. A brilliant diversion under the surprisingly blue skies of the late afternoon, this set was further proof that a metal festival can experiment with genres.
The Raging Mables
Now I was really looking forward to seeing this band. I’d enjoyed viewing their Pentre Fest pre-event interview with Beany, plus they have one of the best band names ever. No arguments. The Raging Mables were like the Ramones playing ZZ Top, a 200mph Zeke-like melodic explosion of punk’n’roll. One of the most perfect bands ever.
Toranaga
Back to some welcome thrash metal, it was indeed a huge bonus to get to witness the power of Toranaga at Pentre. These guys are exceptional musicians, their shredding guitars creating a sound akin to classic Bay Area Thrash from the likes of Exodus and Testament. And that is very, very good. Their cover of ‘Mad House’ by Anthrax warmed my ancient heart, too.
Stuntface
Stuntface hail from just up the road in Wrexham, and it was great to see them finally bring their brand of flat-out, relentless hardcore punk to Pentre Fest. Their songs are furious yet melodic, played super-fast and with a huge grin on bass player/vocalist Wayne’s face. An absolute treat – Stuntface must play here again!
What a blast that was! The guys at NEW Metal Productions always put on a heck of a show and this was no exception. Didn’t get tickets for the Black Sabbath gig this summer? Get yourselves out there and support underground metal, you’ll feel better.
My favourite Pentre Fest so far? Only time will tell…
Two years ago, the album “This Sceptred Veil” by Sergeant Thunderhoof made such an impression on me that it topped my end of year Top 10 for Ever Metal. So this latest release has some pretty big boots to fill. The pressure is on, for the band and also for your friendly scribe: I’m gonna need some new adjectives in my arsenal to do this work justice.
A mellow guitar and whistle intro brings the listener into the world of “The Ghost of Badon Hill”. First track ‘Badon’ opens with an almost Folky feel, and in true Thunderhoof style, takes it’s time to grow and breathe. We’re nearly halfway through before the delicate, introspective section explodes into something epic, and the hairs on the back of your neck reach for the sky.
‘Blood Moon’ tricks the listener with a melodic intro, before a truly classic mega-riff gets the heart pounding. The guitars of Mark Sayer and new member Josh Gallup (who also recorded the album with the band) are multi textured throughout the album, expertly ranging from the mighty to the fragile. A pseudo-Blues introduces ‘The Orb of Octavia’, before settling on a melancholy, gentle feel. Augmented by Daniel Flitcroft’s soaring vocals (surely amongst the best in the UK), it’s not long before the heavy is unleashed.
‘Salvation for the Soul’ is the most immediate and Stoner/Doom related of this collection, and it quickly became a personal favourite. “For tonight, we ride!” – trust me, kids: THAT is a chorus!
I’ve favourably compared Sergeant Thunderhoof to Soundgarden previously – which holds true with ‘Sentinel’ – and there’s also a strong Floydian feel here too. The changes of pace on all the tracks ably demonstrate the expertise of the rhythm section, Jim Camp on bass and Darren Ashman on drums. Both are confident and play with finesse. All good things come to an end though, and our final song here, ‘Beyond the Hill’, is a ten-minute plus opus that builds through several stages on a monumental journey.
One element of this recording that’s obvious from the start, is the length of the album. The band made a conscious decision to lay down some boundaries and write a record that would fit on a single, rather than double, vinyl album. Whereas I could lament the shorter running time, it does make sense to condense what the band do best. And there’s still a cornucopia of sonic delights to enjoy regardless. I mean, I haven’t even discussed the lyric content of the record yet! There’s plenty enough folklore, legend and mystery to keep the audience engaged and coming back for more and more.
“The Ghost of Badon Hill” is mission accomplished for Sergeant Thunderhoof. A great new album, reigned in a little timewise, but sonically still delivering a cerebral and visceral punch. Another Top 10 contender, no problem.
Platinum Al's Virtual Hot Tub 