Tag Archives: arcade game

Don’t Be Cruel – Album Review

Posted on by
Reply

Jamie Spilsbury – Don’t Be Cruel

Self released

Every now and again, some thing lands on my desk that I’m compelled to write about. Something out of the ordinary and different. Unexpected, even. And it doesn’t need to be something from a well known artist, or from a genre I’m familiar with. Sometimes, something arrives completely out of the blue and demands attention.

“Don’t Be Cruel” by Jamie Spilsbury is in that category. Jamie is a man of many interests, though I had no idea that he’d made an album. This album, wrenched from Jamie’s creative impulses and filtered through numerous pop culture references and electronica, can only be a document of his journeys through multiple realities and dimensions…

Some of what you will hear is music, some of it spoken word, dramatisations and skits – but all of it is experimental and different. It’s a journey into the abstract that takes in dozens of reference points. Starting with ‘The Letter M Song’ the listener is taken by surprise with a pleasant little tune that sounds like a long lost Sesame Street excerpt, but backwards. ‘Ballroom Memories’ is a delightful, relaxed big band/swing number that’s like a missing Glenn Miller track.

‘Stayin’ Together’ is a clever tribute to 80’s synth pop movie tunes, it’s Debbie Gibson at the Mall playing arcade games. The best song here is no doubt ‘Voidness’, a quite lovely piece of ambient electronica that’s perfect to chill out to.

Surrounding these musical adventures are the comedic skits, which range from spoof news bulletins to a genuinely creepy spoken word Lovecraft piece. There’s weird science fiction, Pulp Fiction style armed robbery, and Indiana Jones – literally nothing can be predicted here, it’s a startlingly varied mix of influences and ideas.

Jamie spent only a small amount of time putting this album together, in what must have been a fever of activity. And it’s the ingenious assortment of thoughts and concepts that really makes an impact here. I’m not sure I understand everything that’s going on (yet), but the sheer exuberance and commitment to create is very impressive. Strap on your ear goggles and get ready for a crazy adventure. You might be inspired to make your own musical journey…

Follow Jamie on X for more info, and a link to “Don’t Be Cruel”.

Comic Con Mania – Chester

Posted on by
1

Comic Con Mania Chester

Saturday 6th July 2024

Chester Racecourse

There nearly wasn’t a Comic Con in Chester at all this year. Then suddenly, Monopoly Events swooped in and saved the day, in true caped crusader style. In the new guise of “Comic Con Mania” – which appears to be a series of smaller conventions across the country – the plans were back on.

With only a handful of celebrity guests and smaller space for merch stalls than some of the bigger cons, Chester was a refined affair. But I felt there was a good atmosphere, a sense of a local event that defied the odds and was determined to put on a good time.

Daughtertron and I decided to venture to Chester Racecourse and check things out. It had been two whole years since we last visited a convention in Chester – with this event happening right on our doorstep, it was a safe bet for an afternoon’s entertainment.

There were guests from Star Wars and Red Dwarf in attendance (and I really should’ve got an autograph from Mike Quinn, aka Nien Nunb in Return of the Jedi). But Daughtertron and I were happy exploring the stalls and finding some bargains to take home. I got a load of Marvel comic books. Now you’d think finding comics at a comic convention would be an easy task, but surprisingly I draw a blank at many cons.

Of course there were some fantastic costumes being worn by talented people, wandering all round the place. The Cosplay on view was really impressive as hopefully you can see from my photos here. Thanks to all of those who allowed me to take their photo, you’re very kind. I hope these pics do some justice to the time you’ve spent creating these outfits.

Comic Con Mania Chester was on a smaller scale than some of the bigger cons we’ve visited recently. Not surprising really, with another event happening not too far away in Aintree the next day – this may have impacted numbers and traders attending.

In my personal view, I had a fun few hours at Chester, it seemed well organised and it was a warm, friendly event. I’m looking forward to more in the future.

Pinball and the Retro Arcade

Posted on by
Reply
Whitby Retro Arcade

Flashing lights, buzzing bumpers, flippers firing, the streaking silver ball ricocheting across the brightly coloured surface – yes, the game of pinball is a particular favourite of mine. Not that I’m any good at it, mind you – I just like to play. There’s something wonderfully hypnotic about those clanging and banging machines that’s otherworldly and magnetic.

Pinball is undeniably cool. It’s rock’n’roll. I mean, The Who didn’t sing a classic rock tune called Playstation Wizard, did they?

The tables are also undeniably a thing from the past, of course. I quite often visit Rhyl, once the arcade capital of North Wales, but sadly the pinball machines in that resort have disappeared over the last several years. Now replaced by modern shoot ’em up video games – or worse, grabber machines – it seems pinball has long since been relegated to history.

Pubs were also a source of pinball fun. Back in the early 90s, The Addams Family machine graced by local boozer. In my student days, we often spent a few quid we couldn’t afford on a pint and some games of Fishy Tales.

Imagine my joy, when on our recent trip to Whitby, a stroll along the harbour front revealed a retro arcade in residence over one of the regular arcades. Up there were numerous old school arcade games from years gone by: Space Invaders, Donkey Kong, Ms Pac Man. And over there, across the room, a row of pinball machines…

There were four: the classic Addams Family and Terminator 2, plus a couple I assume are much more recent, Avengers and Ghostbusters. Over joyed to see them, I happily plugged a few pound coins into each and played some games.

My first attempts at Addams Family and Ghostbusters were pretty enjoyable, successful games. That may have been luck rather than skill though. I fared much worse at Avengers Infinity Quest and Terminator. Repeat games didn’t improve my scores, for the most part!

The skill with pinball always seemed to be learning all about a particular table, studying it’s unique features over several games to increase the players ability. Luck was always a factor, but just a couple of games without exploring the idiosyncrasies of a machine never seemed to deliver much reward.

Playing those pinball tables was fun, though. And ridiculously satisfying when I was able to shoot the ball up a ramp or runner, setting off the lights and unleashing a torrent of noise. Contrasted with the desolation of a ball sinking dead, between the flippers and escaping into oblivion when I hadn’t hit it once.

Whitby is a long trek from home. There must be other pinball tables near…

Indiana Jones Pinball

Posted on by
Reply

I love pinball.  The lights, the sounds, the graphics – all so exciting.  I can take or leave arcade games (and I don’t even own a single home gaming console), but there’s something irresistible about playing pinball.

It’s just so damn cool!  I mean, The Who didn’t write a song called “Space Invaders Wizard”, did they?

Not that I’m any good at it, oh no.  Tommy I ain’t.  But it’s fun to have a game every now and again.

Sadly, however, pinball machines seem to be disappearing from sight.  My usual silver ball haven – Rhyl – which has several amusement arcades, used to have a handful of pinball tables.  Now I don’t know of any pinball machines in the town, and some of the arcades are shutting down too.

It seems that the lure of the table is no match for their more modern arcade game competitors.  Pinball is going the way of What the Butler Saw machines and Punch and Judy.  Though bizarrely, the penny waterfalls and fruit machines are still in rude health.  Why, I just don’t know.

The Indiana Jones table shown here was photographed five years ago, in the amusement arcade at the end of Llandudno pier.  By 2017, it wasn’t even plugged in, it just stood there like the sort of forgotten relic that Indy would go in search of.

This year, it had disappeared altogether.

A real shame – it was a cool game that had great playability, as well as looking fantastic.  Check out the ball launcher for a start – it’s shaped like Indy’s pistol, and when you fire it, it makes a gunshot sound!

My quest for pinball machines will continue.  I know they’re out there, waiting to be rediscovered.