Walking from the car to the DCU Center in a steady downpour, a huge convention center that looks like the younger brother of NYC’s Javits Center, I was accosted by four 18-wheelers with the faces of the Insane Clown Posse.  As I proceeded inside, I was surrounded by Juggalos, ICP fans who sported their heroes’ face paint.  Later, I would come to realize they made for roughly half the convention’s attendance that day.  Rock and Shock is, as far as I know, unique in that it’s a full weekend of horror signings and concerts.  Certainly the “Rock” had spilled into the “Shock.”

Soon after looking around the vast hall, I went in to the autograph signing section to greet Mike.  He introduced me to Catriona, whom I had met a year earlier.  As it was still early, I offered to come back in 45 minutes.  I was anxious to get the interview I’d travelled so far to get, but it’s always good policy to return kindness with kindness.
 

In the meantime, John and I went to meet America.  Gorgeous and funny, she was a joy.  Jonathan, at the time, was off chatting with his friend P.J. Soles, another really great horror star to meet.   We then went to speak to Adrienne, in order to set up her interview for after Catriona’s.

I realize I’m writing this convention report more about my experience than I am judging whether it was a worthwhile con or not.    Let me take a second here to say that yes, it was a high-quality convention, with a solid group of guests such as Malcolm McDowell, John Landis, Kane Hodder and Derek Mears.  While none of them are rare to the circuit, having them all together in Worcester was a regional treat; and I could tell from the number of fans who suffered hideous weather on a Sunday, when the New England Patriots were playing, that this show was a success.
 

But let me return to Catriona, as I did with eager anticipation.  Mike set us up in the green room, and this should tell you all you know about what a classy lady Catriona MacColl is:  she offered to get me a cup of coffee.  We sat for over a half-hour, and discussed her roles in the three Fulci movies; her work with Christopher George, David Warbeck and Sir Laurence Olivier, among others; the kindness of Mike Baronas; and her great appreciation for what she refers to as the “cult of Fulci.”  I’ve met close to 200 horror celebrities over the last six years, and I can honestly say that Catriona is one of the most gracious I have encountered.  Not only was she kind enough to give a great interview, but she left me feeling high about autograph signings in general.
 

Having ended the interview, I then came over to Adrienne’s table, hoping Jonathan and I could do a joint interview soon after.  I wish I could tell you that I got a second great interview that day, but complications arose as Adrienne left for another interview. In the interim, John had gone off at one point to get Mears to add his signature to the many others on John’s hockey mask;  he came back with the tidbit that Derek is actually not signed to play Jason in the sequel yet.   I spent some time with Jack Ketchum, a great author whose stuff I’d never read before.  I sat and talked with Kane Hodder, who had the day before accidentally asphyxiated a fan while taking a picture with Kane’s favorite chokehold applied.  During our conversation, a certain has-been makeup artist decided to shoot rubber bands at Kane and other guests.  Clearly this was going to be a long afternoon, as I realized when I went to the restroom and noticed that snowflakes the size of silver dollars were coming down.  Fortunately, it was a wet snow, otherwise I’d have been digging my dad’s car out from six inches of it before we embarked for Long Island.
 

When Adrienne returned, she was bogged down with fans.  After she signed for a while, Jonathan got a partial interview with her, before she had accumulated more Juggalos who wanted her to sign stuff.  We’ll attempt to complete the interview at another time, as I know FRIDAY fans want to see what the first film’s survivor has to say.
 

As I almost plowed down 50 Juggalos who refused to move from behind the car, I girded up for a long, dreary trip home.  But I didn’t feel dreary inside.  Rock and Shock had been a whole different convention experience for me from what I was used to, and I thank Mike Baronas for inviting me;  because once I got home and settled in, my first thought was,  “This was well worth the trip.”

--Phil Fasso