The Gargyle Podcast - CONjuration 2017

From mythical creatures, to fantastical worlds, to epic journeys, to endless imagination, the fantasy genre covers such a wide spectrum of topics and interests that it's easy to understand why it is so loved by so many people.  One of the most beloved fantasy series is Harry Potter, due in part to how relatable the characters are and how real J. K. Rowling makes the fantastical elements feel!  And the love of the Harry Potter series, as well as all things magical, is a palpable experience at CONjuration Con!!



Last weekend was the fourth year of CONjuration, and it continues to get better with every single year.  I've been to all four years of CONjuration (links to coverage from previous years below) and I can honestly say that I look forward to it all year long.  Chris and Angela (the founders and headmasters of CONjuration) pour their heart and soul into the con to make sure that it is a magical time for all who attend, and it shows!  There are always so many awesome vendors, thought-provoking panels, engaging workshops, talented musicians, and every single person that I've met there has been a genuinely nice person!

So, join me and Adam as we once again discuss our time at CONjuration, as well as interviews with several vendors, guests, and attendees in which we debate such fantastical topics as what combination of animals makes for the worst possible mythical creature and whether perfection or uncertainty makes for more interesting journeys.  There is no way that my coverage of the con will fully show how awesome it is, but hopefully the podcast (below) and photos (slideshow above - photos have also been posted to Flickr and Facebook) do it justice in at least providing a snippet of how much there was to do and how great everyone there was!



If you enjoy this episode, be sure to check out my coverage of the first three years of CONjuration (year 1 - part 1, year 1 - part 2, year 2, year 3).  And if you enjoy movies, conventions, comics, games, cartoons, Star Wars, horror, or just about anything geeky...be sure to check back soon for all things geekery!!  In the meantime, follow me here, on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Flickr, and YouTube.  And be sure to subscribe to my podcast on iTunes and/or Google Play for more geek coverage!!





Music for The Gargyle Podcast by Bensound

CONjuration 2016

Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter, The Chronicles of Narnia...if you grew up reading these books (or any other fantasy book that transports you to magical new worlds), then you would definitely enjoy going to CONjuration Con in Atlanta, GA!!  The primary theme that you will see at CONjuration is Harry Potter, but it is a con for all things magical and there are an abundance of things to do, no matter what fantasy realm your fanhood is in!

This was the third year of CONjuration and my third year of attendance (check out my coverage of year 1 here and here, and year 2 here).  Each year the con has grown and grown (this year, looking at the programming guide was almost overwhelming because of how many options there were!), but without sacrificing its charm or focus on the fans.  Chris and Angela Seckinger (the headmasters of CONjuration) do an amazing job at making everyone there feel like family.  So, a tremendous thanks goes out to Chris and Angela (and everyone else on their team) for their countless hours of hard work throughout the year to put on such an amazing con!!

There is no way that my coverage of the con will fully show how awesome it is, but hopefully it does justice in at least providing a snippet of how much there was to do and how great everyone there was!  The photos have been uploaded to Facebook as well as Flickr, the podcast is below, and the video is in the works.  So, join me and Adam (as well as interviews from the con with several attendees, vendors, and guests) as we discuss our time at CONjuration and our love of the fantasy genre!

If you enjoy movies, conventions, comics, games, cartoons, Star Wars, horror, or just about anything geeky...be sure to check back soon for all things geekery!!  In the meantime, follow me here, on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Flickr, and YouTube.  And be sure to subscribe to my podcast on iTunes and/or Google Play for more geek coverage!!





Music for The Gargyle Podcast by Bensound

Steampunk Expo and Gothic Con 2016

The Missus and I had a chance to go to the Steampunk Expo and Gothic Con 2016 at the Chattanooga Choo Choo and we had an absolute blast!!  We were able to meet some amazing vendors, see some awesome art and creations, and had an all-around great time!!  We also had a chance to talk to some of the vendors to get to know a little bit more about what steampunk reaaaally is.

So if you love steampunk, or are just curious and want to know more about it, sit back and enjoy!!  And if anything in the video catches your fancy, get out there and support the arts and the artists!!



Thank you to all of the vendors, artists, guests, and volunteers for their talent, their love of steampunk, and for being all-around awesome people!!

Special thanks to the following artists, vendors, and guests for taking the time to talk steampunk:
James Neathery:  Starboard Sky Industries
M.N. Henschen
Karianne Gottschalk:  Versidian Treasures
Jennie & Bruce Cole:  Steam Powered Arts
Lizi Campbell:  Geek Needs
Emma Knapp:  The Iron Angel
Larry & Nancy Page:  Nan's Ribbons and More
Rubiee Tallyn Hayes:  Dryad Tea
Amy Huntley:  Le Loup Garou Alchemy
Sydney Enecks:  Tailey Bones
Kat & Dave Helms:  K & D Studios
Kathryn:  Milton's Emporium
Seth Tucker:  Radioactive Rabbit Ink

And a very special thanks to Alan Darr for putting on an awesome show and making the Steampunk Expo and Gothic Con 2016 so much fun!!


If you enjoy movies, conventions, comics, games, cartoons, Star Wars, horror, or just about anything geeky...be sure to check back soon for all things geekery!!  In the meantime, follow me here, on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. 


music:  www.musopen.org

Yama-Con 2015

When I first joined up with my friends at New Monster Project, Yama-Con was the first convention that I attended with them.  Because of that, no matter how many cons I attend, Yama-Con will always have a special place in my heart!

According to their website, Yama-Con is "an organization founded to celebrate everything nerd, geek, and otaku.  [They] operate fully on a volunteer basis to bring our attendees events that are focused around all the entertainment they love, such as anime, manga, comics, video games, and more."  Yama-Con was once again held at the LeConte Center at Pigeon Forge, in Pigeon Forge, TN.  


This was the fourth year that New Monster Project had a presence at Yama-Con, and the third year in a row that I was able to attend.  Unfortunately, not everyone else was able to make it and I wasn't able to get nearly as much footage as we have in the past.  Thankfully, my friends from Mass Listeria Podcast were there to help out and we had a chance to talk to some pretty awesome guests!


New Monster Project - highlights



JR Mounts



Kevin Sharpe (interviewed by Tim, from Mass Listeria)



Haiden Hazard




If you enjoy movies, conventions, comics, games, cartoons, Star Wars, or just about anything geeky...be sure to check back soon for all things geekery!!  In the meantime, follow me here, on Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube.

CONjuration 2015

Back in November, Adam and I went back to Atlanta for CONjuration 2015!  CONjuration is a "fan convention for all things magical" in Atlanta, GA.  Even though this was only the second year of the con, there were amazing costumes, great programming, awesome vendors, and everyone there just seemed to have a blast.  Chris and Angela (the creators of CONjuration) have a tremendous passion for making sure that everyone has the best time they possibly can and they treat everyone who attends as if they are their closest friends and family.  Whether you have been a fan of all things fantasy and magical since you were young, or you have only just recently read your first fantasy book, you will be at home at CONjuration.

Adam and I were not able to spend nearly as much time there as we wanted, but we did manage to pack a ton of footage into a short period of time!  Along with our main video covering our highlights of the weekend, we also put out several full interviews.  There were two other interviews that Adam and I did (with Hogwarts Running Club and County Argyle), but unfortunately the audio messed up and we were not able to put together a video for them.  So, lacking a video, let me take this opportunity to say the following:

If you are a runner (casual, recreational, serious, competitive, etc.), you should definitely check out Hogwarts Running Club.  According to their website, HRC is a "...charitable organization that organizes virtual running events inspired by the wizarding world designed to promote walking/running, provide unique and awesome medals, and, most importantly, raise money for deserving charities in order to accomplish our mission of changing the muggle-world one mile at a time."  Not only is HRC promoting healthy living through exercise, but they are raising money for worthy causes...all through the fun of friendly rivalries between Hogwarts houses.

If you appreciate handmade jewelry, you should definitely check out County Argyle.  According to their website, "for nearly a decade County Argyle has been traveling the southeast, offering the finest in local, handmade and unique accessories.  Our jewelry - all hadmade from vintage silverware and salvaged hardware - can now been seen at festivals and events across the eastern U.S."  Ranging from small, relatively simple pieces to intricate, eclectic pieces, the stuff that County Argyle had at CONjuration was awesome!

If you've not yet had a chance to check out our CONjuration videos, you can find all of them below.  Enjoy!


Highlights



Promo


Draco and the Malfoys


Jonathan French


Hysteria Machines - Persephone Pheonix


Hysteria Machines - Fritz Krieg


John Michael Bond


Ben Herr


KR Morris



If you enjoy movies, conventions, comics, games, cartoons, Star Wars, or just about anything geeky...be sure to check back soon for all things geekery!!  In the meantime, follow me here, on Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube.