The Countdown To Halloween, 2018




With a glance at the calendar, I do a double-take. Somehow, we have already reached the end of September. But how could that be!?!?

Regardless, it means only one thing. OCTOBER!!! And that means only one thing. THE COUNTDOWN TO HALLOWEEN!!!

For the eighth year in a row, Highbury Cemetery will be participating in the annual Countdown To Halloween, a large gathering of like-minded miscreant bloggerss to celebrate everything great about October and the high holiday of All Hallows Eve. 31 posts in 31 days. 

And I've got enough lined up to blow past 31 posts this year! The excitement and anticipation is hitting a fever pitch! But I have so much left to do, so it's back into the Cemetery garage to get as much as I can off of this year's to-do list.

Check back tomorrow (and daily throughout October) to help keep this party going. As with every year, I'll have Halloween music, Halloween reviews, Halloween props, Halloween photos, cemetery photos, pumpkin photos, pumpkin beers, Halloween freebies, Halloween contests, and a massive assortment of other Halloween madness to spread around.

I'll see everyone tomorrow. October is finally here. This is our season. And it's time to celebrate. Let's turn it up to 11 and raise the dead!

  

  

Red Fang, Live In Cleveland 9-24-18




Last night I made it up to the Beachland Ballroom in Cleveland to check out Red Fang, Big Business and Dead Now.

We showed up late and missed Dead Now, caught the first half of the Big Business set from the bar (although we spent the second half glued to the stage - amazing two-man band!) and then planted ourselves at the front of the stage for Red Fang.

Another great set from Red Fang and I was able to snap some great shots. Here's a couple from the ol' Instagram page. Enjoy!



And yes, Red Fang blew the doors off by ending their set with a total classic...




Midnight Syndicate: Conspiracy of Shadows




Ahh, just what I need. Another amazing event to try and get to in an already overstuffed Halloween season! Open every weekend now through October 28th, Midnight Syndicate make their glorious return to Halloweekends at Cedar Point Amusement Park in Sandusky, Ohio.

After a 4 year hiatus, Midnight Syndicate return with their live music stage performance. I was able to see their first show back in 2014, and if this one is anywhere near as cool and entertaining as the original, I will be making room in my schedule to see this one.

And if like me, you live anywhere close to Cedar Point, do yourself a favor and get to the park to see it!

  

Night Of The Living Dead 50th Anniversary Event




Mark your calendars for October 24 and 25! George A. Romero's 1968 iconic zombie masterpiece, Night of the Living Dead, is returning to theaters across the world! With a new, full 4K restoration!

From Fathom Events:
Celebrate 50 years of Living Dead by seeing the completely restored and remastered version of Night of the Living Dead in theaters. The iconic film that started the zombie genre and shaped modern horror movies as we know and love them today. Directed by horror legend, George A. Romero, the film is a great story of independent cinema: a midnight hit turned box-office smash that became one of the most influential films of all time.

A deceptively simple tale of a group of strangers trapped in a farmhouse who find themselves fending off a horde of recently dead, flesh-eating ghouls. Romero's claustrophobic vision of a late-1960s America literally tearing itself apart rewrote the rules of the horror genre, combined gruesome gore with acute social commentary, and quietly broke ground by casting a black actor (Duane Jones) in its lead role.

For this special 50th anniversary event, audiences can see the stunning restoration of Night of the Living Dead, a product of the original filmmakers' collaborating with the Museum of Modern Art and the George Lucas Family Foundation to restore the film from the original camera negative. The remastered version is more visually striking and terrifying than ever.

If you haven't seen this film in theaters, you haven't truly seen Night of the Living Dead as it was intended: in a dark theater, on the big screen.

You know I'm all over this and I've already got the plans set with the rest of the AARGH crew for this mandatory event. But get your tickets now, because this one is sure to sell out!

Get tickets to your local theater showings at Fathom Events.




  

Haunted Schoolhouse and Laboratory 2018


The Legendary Akron Haunted Schoolhouse and Haunted Laboratory consists of seven total floors of complete terror and is northeast Ohio’s only multi-story haunted attraction.  The haunts feature the demented librarian Mrs. Alvah, tempting you to go through her horrifying book of stories, and the deranged Dr. Guttenheim, feverishly taunting you to venture through his lab and escape his mutations along with the virus that will likely infect you. Check out our new midway and experience the atmosphere and activities which includes photo ops, characters on the loose, seasonal vendors, games, merchandise, delicious concessions, and alcoholic beverages. Our newest event “Beer before Fear” lets you sip on an ice-cold beer before the attraction opens. The last two years the attractions and entire property have received an extensive overhaul and update. This massive attraction has been scaring millions for over four decades. Get your tickets now and let the nightmares begin.

It's nice to see the Haunted Schoolhouse and Laboratory, located a mere 10 minutes from Highbury Cemetery, continue its new rebirth. I have been going to this haunted house for 3 of its 4 decades (yes, that's 30 years!) in existence and has become my "official haunt." So much history and so many great memories.

And it's nice to see friends like Dave from Closed Casket Studios doing makeup and Katie Lane scare acting. Keep up the good work and carry on the legacy of the legendary Haunted Schoolhouse and Laboratory for the next 4 decades.

And you better believe that the local haunt crew and I will be in line and ready to go on September 21st, opening night! Gonna be in the northern Ohio area? Come down to Akron and have a few beverages with us and let's get down!





Thom Yorke - "Suspirium"


Today, Thom Yorke, front man for mega indie legends Radiohead, released the first track to his film score for the upcoming Suspiria remake. Although I've been fairly neutral with all things Radiohead, I was actually quite interested to hear what a Yorke-penned film score would sound like.

And upon first listen, it sounds pretty much like a Radiohead song. But that may not be a bad thing. The track itself is hauntingly melancholic, with minimal piano and flute tracks to support Yorke's signature lyrical sound.




After a few listens, I began to wonder how this track would fit into what looks like an incredibly dark, tense and muted film. It should be very interesting to see how this helps set the tone, and I'm really interested to hear more.

Yorke's Suspiria (Music For The Luca Guadagnino Film) is available for pre-order now at XL Recordings.

  

The Cramps - "Garbage Man"


We're at the start of a three-day holiday weekend. Time to get crankin' on my next Halloween project. The motivation is finally hitting hard and it's time to fill my days with orange and black, leading up to the big night.

Now I just need some killer music to REALLY get me into the mood...

Take it away, Lux!