Rhode Island Comic-Con Part 1

Max with Cares O-Lot Cosplay

Welcome to the first episode of Citywide Blackout's podcast series from the Rhode Island Comic-Con. In these interviews Max and Ben talk to the cosplayers, writers, and other creatives that attend this convention to share their art with the public. 

In this episode, Max talks to the cosplay couple Hybrid Brieze (Briezerker and Hybrid Spyder) and learn about some of the duos they've portrayed over the years and some potential future ideas. Later on, Cares O-Lot Cosplay dons her Robin suit and talks about how she got her start in the cosplay world, how she learned to make her costumes, and the wide array of characters she's taken on.

Author Andi O'Connor walks us through the epic fantasy Dragonath Chronicles and other books she's written and talks about her “pantser” style of writing. She's got a new book coming out soon and has an online launch party planned for that.

Nov. 8, 2018: Laurel Ostiguy/Richard Smith/Marie Unanue/Cameron Sutphin

Author Laurel Ostiguy opens the show with a look at her new book, “Lying In Wait.” It's the continuation of her ongoing Onondoga State series. This book looks at the subject of assaults on college campuses and one young woman's attempts to investigate it. Laurel shares the planning process, how she worked on the continuation of the story, and the many characters that have come up. 

Richard Smith was on the show many years back for his last book, “Emergency Deep,” and this week he returns for his new title, “The Priceless Shaman Protocol.” This tale is a sci-fi thriller that begins with a ransom and includes cutting-edge technology way beyond what we know. Richard shares the writing process and also some of the hurdles faced by independent authors.

Marie Unanue's book looks at the topic of bullying through the eyes of two cats. Keep reading, it's a great story! “The Adventures of Phatty and Payaso” follows two felines as they take on a villainous hawk in Central Park, making friends and having a great adventure. She also has a social media campaign using the LetsAllBeKind hashtag to encourage people to do good things for one another.

Singer-songwriter Cameron Sutphin closes out the show with a look at his upcoming Winter Acoustic Tour. Currently living in Nashville, Cameron is a Connecticut native who's planning a move to New Hampshire in February. He's a full-time musician, and shares some tips on how to take music and make it the new 9-5.

Nov. 1, 2018: Arcadio Falcon/Glede Kabongo/Katie Dobbins/Kristian Veech

Katie Dobbins

Arcadio Falcon, who's been on the show in the past for the band Falcon's Bandits, returns to talk about his new single, "Faceless Men." Inspired by the presidential election of 2016, the new song pertains to the folks who seem to run the world. Arcadio talks about this and his recent move to being a solo artist and the changes that comes with it.

Author Glede Kabongo continues our series of Association of Rhode Island Authors interviews. She's got new books out in her Fearless series, and without giving any spoilers, shows how the story has progressed and what her fans can look forward to. She also talks about how she talks to the reading public at conventions and festivals and how she pitches her books.

Cover from one of Glede's new books

Singer-songwriter Katie Dobbins is back on Citywide to tell us all about her new single, "Jeep Song." While the song itself is literally about learning to drive stick, it's a metaphor for not allowing the obstacles of life to slow you down. She's got a great single release show planned for the Burren Backroom. 

Kristian Veech is not only a musician, but he's also a producer, and talks about how he approaches the different projects he's worked on. We also talk about his recent EP release and what's coming up next for him.

Oct. 25, 2018: Chris Paniccia/Corners of Sanctuary/Acursian/PAAFF

Cover art for Acursian

On the second installment of the all-new Citywide Blackout, it's movies, books, and music galore!

Opening the show is Rhode Island author Chris Paniccia, second in our series of interviews with writers who will be at the Rhode Island Author Festival on Dec. 1. Chris has a new book out on his Haven series, “Rise.” Chris goes into detail about how the story has progressed from the first novel and a few hints as to what we can expect in the new one. Chris is an avid convention attendee and shares a few tips on how fellow artists can keep their costs down as they try to make a name for themselves.

Next up is the Philly band Corners of Sanctuary. They're about to embark on an epic tour of the West Coast in support of their recent release, “The Galloping Hordes.” We hear a few tales from past tours, and the guys give a lesson in what to look for when embarking on a search for a record label.

Corners of Sanctuary

Next up, the author/actor/musician John Barrowman. While he's perhaps best known for his role on the CW's “Arrow,” John's got a new project out, a cool webcomic called Acursian, which you can read for free on Webtoon. The comic is written by John, his sister Carole, and released through Legendary Comics. The story focuses on Charlie Stewart, who John plays, and the curse which has afflicted his entire bloodline for 300 years. The story is a blend of action, mysticism, with a nod to the Scottish and Celtic legends of old. John takes a few fan questions on the characters and music, and as a quiet reminder, it's free to read!

Rounding out the show is Rob Buscher, director of the Philadelphia Asian American Film Festival, which kicks off Nov. 8-18. This festival has featured hundreds of filmmakers over the years, and does so with the goal of educating and exposing the Philadelphia region to films by and about Asian Americans. Rob talks about some of the films, the wide array of genres, and the new ground they're breaking this year.

Citywide Blackout-Webtoon interviews

In this podcast, it's all Webtoon, the popular free app that allows users to check out the best web comics available today.

Max talks to Adam Ellis, the mind behind the Books of Adam series. Adam shares his experience at cons, the ways to monetize a web comic, and the stories that inspire his comics.

Next up it's Mongie, creator of Let's Play, one of Max's favorite web comics. She outlines the many characters in this romantic comedy series, and what makes the main character Sam tick. Mongie also shares her early years making the comic and how the art changed over the years.

 

Keystone Comic-Con, Part Two: Black Sands Entertainment and Dezcreepcore

Max with cosplayer Dezcreepcore

Manuel Godoy, president and author of Black Sands Entertainment, talks about the growth of the comic company, the history intertwined with the story, and how he finds the many talented people that he's worked with on the titles.

Later on, I talk to cosplayer Dexcreepcore about her latest costumes and the work that goes into them. She also goes into how one turns being a cosplayer into a full-time job and the many conventions she's appeared at.

Keystone Comic-Con, Part 1: Storm King Comics/Mega Ran

Max with Mega Ran 

In the first of the Citywide Blackout podcasts of Keystone Comic-Con, I talk to Sandy King Carpenter, founder of Storm King Comics, about the latest releases, artists that she's worked with, and some of her favorite genres.



Later on, I sit down with nerdcore artist Mega Ran, and he shares his early years in Philadelphia, how the nerdcore genre has evolved and become more mainstream, and his latest release, "Heel Turn."

Sept. 20, 2018: Almost Got Caught/N Lawrence Mann/Bones and Everybody Hates Thomas

NOTE: This is the final live show on WEMF Radio as host Max Bowen moves to Philadelphia. In a couple weeks, the show will transition to a podcast that will air on WEMF on Fridays at 6 p.m.

The band Almost Got Caught opens the show with a killer live set. Once that gets finished, they come into the studio to preview their upcoming shows in Lowell and at the Middle East, as well as talk about their new music.

Author N Lawrence Mann is next, and he has a new book out, "Coma Dreams." The second book in his Blue Warp series, this includes the return of Brennen Reynolds. Using his newfound—and unrefined—ability to heal, Brennen Reynolds attempts to revive Air Force Colonel Brett Stafford on the day his life support is to be terminated. Brennen is only partially successful, as the person awoken is not Colonel Stafford.
This book centers on the theme of addiction, and Mann talks about his own experience with addiction and how it factored into his book.

Closing out the program, comedian Everybody Hates Thomas talks about how he got into comedy, his popular Instagram video series and plans for some shows. Right after that, rapper Bones has some great live freestyling to show you.

Sept. 13, 2018: Edward Reynoso/Houston Bernard/Eddie Japan

Max with Houston Bernard

Edward and Reuben, two of the organizers of Stop the Violence Lawrence, stopped by the studio to talk about this free event aimed at curbing violence and teaching the kids that there are other options. It's a free event for a great cause, and the two share some personal stories of their own time with gangs and how they changed their lives. 

Country artist Houston Bernard has a lot to be happy about. His new music video for the single, "We Made Out" has been picked up by two country music networks and seen tens of thousands of times. In addition, he's got a new album out, and plans for new music in the near future.

The band Eddie Japan closes out this week's show with some great live tunes and a look at the band's history playing shows in the Boston area. We also talk about their new single remix, and the different directions they've taken musically.

Sept. 6, 2018:Avanti Nagral/Remy Flagg/Jimmy Luciano/Miss Genevieve

Max with Avanti Nagral

Avanti Nagral, an international pop star who resides both in Boston and Bombay, talks about her time in both cities and how the music scenes compare. She’s got a new series called Song on the Spot, which features live music and more.

Author Remy Flagg has a new book out in his Children of Nostradamus series, “Night Legions,” and he talks about how the story has progressed, how the series grew from the first book, and fan interaction that influenced the books. He also gives us a look at the next title, set to be released next spring.

Citywide’s production coordinator BADD returns to the studio with Jimmy Luciano, who recently released a new single, “Foreign.” He recently returned to Boston after some time in Memphis and talks about the artists he’s seen and shows he’s been to.

Hip-hop artist Miss Genevieve shares her stories both on stage and booking shows….she even put together BADD’s first show! She talks about her time at the recent Creative Soul Festival and the challenges faced by others in her genre in getting some stage time.

Aug. 30, 2018 Danny Rivera/NoCon/Heidi Barr

Singer-songwriter Danny Rivera opens the show with a look at his recent shows at B3, the release of his new single “Gravity,” and his plans for the Boston music scene.

Horror authors Tony Tremblay and John McIlveen return to WEMF Radio to share the details of NoCon, a low-key gathering of horror writers and fans in a relaxed atmosphere. Tony and John talk about what went into putting this event together and some of the readings and workshops that will be taking place.

Author Heidi Barr closes out the show with her new book, “What Comes Next: Between Beauty and Destruction,” which came about following an unexpected layoff. Through journaling and later by compiling that into a long form essay that will be released via Homebound Publications next spring she was able to come to a place of acceptance and healing around what had come to pass.

Aug. 23, 2018: My Silent Bravery/Blindspot/SnugHouse

My Silent Bravery

My Silent Bravery returns to WEMF and he has some big news! By the time you’re listening to this podcast, he’ll be overseas for his first UK tour with Saving Abel and Psycho Village, and Katie Abendroth. He’s also got a new music video for“Everyday is the Weekend,” and plays some great live tunes for you.

Alexa and Chris of the band Blindspot have some big news too. They just released a new single, “All I Am,” and are planning a tour later this fall for a new EP. The two also talk about their new music video with 41st Casanova Productions.

Nikhil Dasgupta of the band SnugHouse calls in to give the details on their weekend of shows in Maine, New York, and Boston. They’ve been performing in Maine for awhile, and Nikhil talks about the music scene there and some of the venues they’ve played at.

Aug. 16, 2018: Kate Eppers and One Time Mountain/Ladderbird Literary Agency and Greg Adams/Sofia Lee Davis/Matt Zajac

Nina Pickell, Max, Sofia Davis, and Mark

Singer-songwriter Kate Eppers and Brian Murphy of One Time Mountain return, and they’ve got some big news to share. Kate recently released a new music video for her song, “Follow Me,” which depicts a sci-fi/fantasy story shot in this area. Kate takes us through the production process and all the work that went into it.

Brian’s band is among the nominees in the New England Music Awards for Rock Act of the Year. We talk about the year that both he and Kate have had and their goals for this year.

Beth Marshea of the Ladderbird Literary Agency joins me in the studio to talk about this business, how she launched it, and some of the clients she works with. She also offers some advice to those new to the business.
Joining us is author Greg Adams, one of Beth’s clients. Author of “One Day in Hell” and “The River Above,” he has a new novella in the works, a tale of a nightmarish amusement park set in New Hampshire.

Country artist Sofia Lee Davis is up next, with her new album, "Can't Go Back to Georgia." This recounts the last 10 years of her life, much of which she spent not making any music. She talks about the break and what got her back into writing and her time living in the south. She’s also a nominee for Best Country Act in the New England Music Awards.

Matt Zajac has been performing for the last 20 years, and shares some stories of the venues he’s performed at. He talks about how he made music his full-time job and the work that goes into it. He’s also got a new album in the works and gives some details on the release.

Aug. 2, 2018: Plastic Angels/Polar Soul/Wreckless Wreck Chords

Me and Plastic Angels

Jeff and Bethany Lawson of the band Plastic Angels return to talk about their forthcoming EP, “Wake,” set to be released this fall. The album includes the song “Bloody Sheets,” which the duo hopes raises awareness about recovery after domestic violence and sexual assault.

Hip-hop artist Polar Soul makes his Citywide Blackout debut to tell us all about his debut album, “Polar,” released a week ago. At 17, he only recently decided to make music a career, and has come a long way in a short while, recording and releasing his EP in just six months.

Mike and Tyler of Wreckless Wreck Chords are back! They’ve got a great show happening at the C Note in Hull in just two weeks, and we recap who’s going to be there, but also chat about their plans for a Halloween show.

July 26, 2018: Badd, HK, and Money Mav/Stripe Team/Linda Marks

Max with BADD and Money Mav

I welcome back Citywide's Production Coordinator BADD, who brings with him his manager H K, a well-known name in Boston's music scene and mentor to young talent. Plus, JAMN 94.5 host Money Mav talks about his radio career and his work at one of the city's biggest stations over the last 12 years. He's also got a music career, and we outline his upcoming show at the House of Blues.

Next up is the Stripe Team, back from an adventure in LA. We hear all about that trip, and how the music scene is over there. The team shares some great new music, some of which is being played for the first time on any station.

Singer-songwriter Linda Marks helps me wrap up the show with a listen from her new album "Moments" and her upcoming CD release show at Club Passim. Linda's also well-known at house concerts in this area, and we talk about that experience and how it helps to foster a musical community.

July 19, 2018: Figment/Copperfrog Games/No Hugs/We Are Bullethead

No Hugs

Terry Dovidio of Figment, a longstanding participatory and interactive arts program, joins me to talk about the many varieties of artists that will be at this event, slated for next weekend. Later on, Be of the American Family Happily Institute enters the studio to share what her organization will be doing as part of this great arts showcase.

Michael Epstein of Copperfrog Games is back! He’s in the WEMF studio with a brand new project, The Meeple Machine. These game pieces are hand-crafted from various solid hardwoods in Vermont. They have a custom smooth, rounded shape, and are oiled and sealed with petroleum-free Botanical Polymerized Tung Oil for durability and shine. They make the good addition to any game that uses Meeples, or can be used as a personal cheerleading squad at work, or used to wage massive battles across the tabletop between different factions.

The rock/punk band No Hugs have a lot to share with our listeners, including a new single, “Your Satisfaction is Fake,” and an ongoing tour with a slew of stories. No/Hugs are currently on the third summer tour and are releasing their first single at the Vans Warped Tour on July 27, at the Xfinity Center in Mansfield.

We Are Bullethead are gearing up for their final show….and this time they mean it! They’ll be performing with the Michelle LeClair band, and we talk about the band’s career and hear some great live music.

July 12, 2018: Kim Moberg/Joe Rich/Kerr Griffin/Joe Grizzly

Kim Moberg

Singer-songwriter Kim Moberg is in the studio to talk about her recently-released debut album, “Above Ground.” She’s also an experienced show booker, and has events scheduled through 2019. She talks about the kinds of places she’s played at, including house concerts.

Joe Rich has a new EP out, “Suddenly Summer,” and we learn about the story behind this new release and the process of getting it together. Joe’s got a lot of shows happening, and jokes about the “Joe Rich Curse.” He’s also got a new Spotify channel, and we talk about some of the artists we’ve discovered through it.

Last year, singer-songwriter Kerr Griffin released a new EP, “Rust and Bone.” It’s a self-produced album, and Kerr talks about this and how he made the switch from band performer to a solo act.

The hip-hop group Joe Grizzly has a lot to share after their last appearance on the show a few years ago, including a new album, “The Future,” and shows both in Boston and beyond.

July 5, 2018: Walter Sickert and the Army of Broken Toys/Mary George/Wreckless Wreck Chords/Sour Grapes

Army of Broken Toys

Walter Sickert and the Army of Broken Toys return to talk about their upcoming shows at Alchemy and Once Somerville, which feature some amazing bands performing with them. We also look to the kinds of movies they’d like to do tribute shows for.

Jazz musician Mary George calls in to give us the background of a new show she has this weekend entitled “Love You Forever: A Celebration of Mothers In Music” at the Burren Backroom at 7:30 p.m. on Sunday.
“Love You Forever” is a show about motherhood. Hearkening back to the title of the popular children’s book, this show illuminates the idea that motherhood is not an impediment to creating music, but a source of deep inspiration.

Mike and Tyler from the band Worm continue the show previews with an event at the C Note in Hull in August. Featuring Gang Green, The Dogmatics, Diablogato, Antibodies, Hardwired, and Worm, the show has a lot of local businesses sponsoring it. We talk about the art of show booking, what do be wary for and how to secure support of local businesses.

Comic creator Tim Jones wraps up the show with a look at his comic strip Sour Grapes, which is now available in 20 newspapers in Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Rhode Island. Tim talks about the characters and how they’ve grown beyond what he originally envisioned. He shares some tips on pitching comics to newspapers and the best ways to get people’s attention.

 

June 28, 2018: Secret Police/Laren Taylor/Amy Kucharik

Me and Laren Taylor

Director Michael Z. Atrata and actor Paul Held have a new movie in the works, “Secret Police,” which touches on the current political and cultural climate. Michael has a lot to say about how current events have influenced a lot of artists to speak in their unique way on what’s going on. We also talk about how the newest tech has changed the film industry, both for good and ill.

Singer-songwriter Laren Taylor joins me to talk about her upcoming move to the West Coast, her musical experience there as well as a huge upcoming project. At 17, Laren is already laying the groundwork for her musical career, both in the classroom and on stage.

Amy Kucharik returns to the show after a couple yeas to talk about her new album, “Until the Words are Gone.” It’s a tremendous collection of music, and Amy also did the cover art. We dive into the creative process for both, as well as the tour she has ongoing for the new album.

June 21, 2018: Shaded Glitch/Genie Santiago/Stories in Motion/Ryan Pinette

Max and Shaded Glitch

EDM artist Shaded Glitch is in to talk about his recent release, “Starving Artist,” and the struggle of making a career in the music industry. He also shares his musical theater background and how that’s come into play with his music.

Hip-hop/R&B artist Genie Santiago is back with her recently-released debut album, “Know Your Worth.” This EP has been in the making for awhile, and Genie talks about the response since it came out, and the process of putting it together. She also talks about the upcoming Femme Fatale show that she’ a part of, and how the role of women in entertainment has changed.

Chris Esper of the production company Stories in Motion has two new short films hitting the festival circuit and gives us the info on these new projects, a silent film which explores anxiety, and a drama on the subject of corrupt police officers. We learn about the actors and actresses he worked with, and how he balances this which his day job making videos for weddings, businesses, and musicians.

Singer-songwriter Ryan Pinette closes out the show with some live songs, one of which is a world exclusive. He’s got a lot of shows coming up and along with sharing that info, he’s played at some of the biggest venues in Boston. He also has a band, Ryan Pinette and the Baystaters, and he gives the history of the group.