Tag: Seattle

Stay Safe Seattle. Emerald City Comic Con Postponed!

Emerald City Comic ConEmerald City Comic Con wants to make sure attendees stay safe and has finally announced it is postponed. With news of more people being infected by the coronavirus and Seattle perhaps being a hotbed (being part of a major flight route is technically bad), this massive convention will refund everyone who bought tickets.

People who have booked a hotel through the convention’s website are advised to phone them to cancel and don’t wait. Not every accommodation will do this automatically. They have records to see how you’ve booked and edit. Most airlines in affected thoroughfares are either automatically cancelling or will nix the usual fee in light of the global situation.

Continue reading “Stay Safe Seattle. Emerald City Comic Con Postponed!”

Emerald City Comic Con is Back to the Future!

Image result for back to the futureBy Ed Sum
(The Vintage Tempest)

After months of waiting, Emerald City Comic Con is making their huge guest announcements. The gang from Back to the Future is landing in Seattle, Washington! After a nearly steady tour at other shows, the wait for them to arrive in the Pacific Northwest is finally at an end. From the Silicon Valley Comic Convention to Fan Expo Toronto to Calgary, I had the feeling they will eventually hit either the Vancouver show, or Seattle.

If you’re like me, hoping for a commemorative tee, let’s hope the graphic design team will have an image of a DeLorean flying circles around the Needle. I’d get that signed and never worn!

Christopher Lloyd, Lea Thompson and Tom Wilson have visited the Emerald City before, but to see the entire gang together takes planning. Due to the health of Michael J. Fox, some cancellations did occur in the past and all we can do as fans is to wish him the best and hope nothing happens from this announcement to the night of the event.

Continue reading “Emerald City Comic Con is Back to the Future!”

BritCon to Fill the Void & It’s Not Just About Doctor Who!

BritCon is designed to fill the void left behind by the other. Anglicon folded due to many reasons.

BritCon Paul PosterAug 14-16, 2020
Hyatt Regency Bellevue
900 Bellevue Way NE
Seattle, Washington

The popularity of British media in America is at an all time high. It’s not just because of Doctor Who, but also with news of Red Dwarf getting the big screen treatment. And it’s not just about talents from across the pond making that successful transition to Hollywood–namely Karen Gillan. From a companion to leading lady in the upcoming Jumanji: The Next Level, who else can we expect?

To keep up with news leaves fans wondering where can they get the latest updates? The Internet can only offer so much. Not many followers of this world are aware of the importance of PineWood Studios and many British actors played when Star Wars original trilogy was being filmed. Michael Sheard (Admiral Ozzel of Empire Strikes Back) made an appearance in the Pacific Northwest a long time ago, but since then, appearances of these fantastic talents depends–is it even possible to convince John Cleese to appear at a convention? He certainly loves putting on shows in Victoria, BC but that’s besides the point.

Fortunately, in the Pacific Northwest–specifically in Seattle, Washington–we have BritCon to fill the void left behind by the other. Anglicon folded due to many reasons.

After a successful week since BritCon launched on KickStarter to raise funds, I had the opportunity to correspond with Dawn Shaw, one of the co-founders of BritCon. She is part of a very special team whose knowledge goes beyond running a typical sci-fi convention. On this list is Abie Ekenezar (guest relations), Shannon Reagan (Vice-chair . programming). Together, they want attendees to know that their voices are being heard to make this convention the best and most inclusive in the Northwest.

Continue reading “BritCon to Fill the Void & It’s Not Just About Doctor Who!”

[From the Archives] From Baseline to Big in Japan – Tennis Pro, The Interview

Big in Japan
VOD (Amazon link)Big in Japan

By Ed Sum
(The Vintage Tempest)

Originally published in 2015 on Vivascene
This interview I conducted has since disappeared.
Revised edition June 2019

Ask any musician, and you will hear that breaking into the music scene is tough. To get the recognition that matters is even harder. Seattle-based band, Tennis Pro, found that they had to take their act to another country because in the good ol’ United States of America, their local music scene was quite stagnant.

“I think that Seattle, after the 90’s explosion [with grunge music], has struggled to find its identity musically,” said drummer Sean Lowry. In his opinion, the city had fallen into a melancholy folk-rock wasteland.

Continue reading “[From the Archives] From Baseline to Big in Japan – Tennis Pro, The Interview”

Takeaways from this year’s Emerald City Comic Con

Emerald City Comic Con LOGODespite changes which had many fans vocal about the 16th annual Emerald City Comic Con, I found they were not too distracting to the overall experience. Attending the event for all four days than my usual two had me quickly accustomed to the modifications. Walking between hotels was not a big deal. The disabled were able to get around too. Escalators and elevators (twelve of the latter were available) and the slowdown was not completely terrible. Proper planning can allow most to arrive at their respective panel in time.

The added security is a must when considering the climate these days. With more conventions are taking precautions to protect the attendees, they are needed. My pro tip includes having a pouch to keep all items that can set off detectors and staff can see what you have instead of waving a wand.

Continue reading “Takeaways from this year’s Emerald City Comic Con”

A Nerd & Foodie Survivor’s Guide to ECCC (2019 Edition)

Emerald City Comic Con LOGO 2By Ed Sum
(The Vintage Tempest)

Emerald City Comic Con is in full swing and to make the most of the show means strategizing. Honestly, there’s no fun in that, but when some are only attending for a day than all four, to soak in everything is nigh impossible. This event requires at least two days, and whether that’s to shop till you drop, attend industry panels or meet fellow fans or the cast of your favourite television show, planning is required.

Four years ago, I wrote a survival guide to how to best navigate Emerald City Comic Con. Lots have changed since then and that article is a lengthy read. This show will only become bigger and have attendees confused in where to go for specific events. Not everything is happening at the Washington State Convention Center. Thankfully, the major panels will be streamed by SyFy WIRE and become available on YouTube at a later time.

Some points from my lengthy article are still relevant but a revision is in order. Offered in point form are my notes on how to tame, not train, Emerald City Comic Con. These suggestions also apply to any other convention one wishes to attend, as they all share a similar experience.

Continue reading “A Nerd & Foodie Survivor’s Guide to ECCC (2019 Edition)”