Joshua Lyford
It’s the real most wonderful time of the year, ladies and gentlemen. That’s right, it’s spooky season and while the most terrifying thing I see at this stage of life is the weight of my mistakes in the full light of the morning sun, I also enjoy the standard October trappings of horror movies, haunted houses and pumpkin flavored booze (this is standard, yeah?). So put on your fanciest little boy-knight costume and buckle up for a very special haunted edition of THE WORMHOLE.
Let’s set the tone: First, I suggest you read this in your best Orson Welles voice, then put on some John Carpenter (feeling extra mischievous? Keep it area-specific with The Oracle, Mystic Realm or Doriath) to get the vibe right. With that, let’s begin.
Real Old Sturbridge Village freaks know one thing: When OSV hosted “The Sleepy Hollow Experience,” the world was in a better place. Is that correlation or causation? I don’t know, I write a column that revolves around tall cans of beer, I am not a scientist. Luckily, the living history museum heard my groans of agony and are offering a Mary Shelley’s “Frankenstein”-themed “Phantoms by Firelight” experience on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays throughout October. Picture New England gothic à la Robert Eggers’ “The Witch” and the only thing eerier for you and your family is going to be getting back on Route 20.
I had planned on kicking things off with a fawning preview of the Ralph’s Diner haunted house entering its third year, but alas, this is not to be. Fear not, however, because on Thursday, Oct.29, you can celebrate 10 years of High Command with Devil Master, Diabolus and Prayer Position. Given this is a haunted column and not a normal column, I’m afraid you should be extremely afraid … of how long it’s going to take to get a Genesee at what will invariably be a sold-out show.
You know what this list is missing? A horror convention. Luckily, Worcester has that as well, with Silver Scream Con V at the DCU Center from Oct. 2-4. The music component of this event at The Palladium has long been sold out, but features Ice Nine Kills, Twiztid and Millington, but for our purposes, the convention is the center of attention. If you’re unfamiliar with the concept, horror fans get to meet the actors from their favorite horror films, get photos, see cool cosplay, the whole nine and I refuse to blow my entire word count listing them all. If that doesn’t sound like your thing, then I’m sure you tuned out back in the first paragraph and are a coward.
To round things out, we have 1923’s “The Hunchback of Notre Dame” with Lon Chaney at
Mechanics Hall on Oct. 27. If you’re thinking to yourself, Josh isn’t this a silent film? You’d be right, you nerd! But it seems Mechanics Hall considered that, as organist Peter Krasinsky will be accompanying the film on the hall’s organ. I can be a bit tongue-in-cheek here, but I want to be clear: This is awesome.
Well boys and ghouls, that’s all for me, I hope this month’s column didn’t scare your trousers off, and if it did, I hope it happened while you’re skeleton dancing to xylophone music in a graveyard.