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Silver Scream Con 3 took place at the DCU Center in Worcester, MA, from Friday, September 13th, to Sunday the 15th, and what a weekend it was! From the guests to the vendors to the cosplayers, it was a huge success!
For the uninitiated, Silver Scream Con is an annual horror and heavy metal convention, founded by Ice Nine Kills singer Spencer Charnas. This year marked the first time the convention took place at the DCU Center, a larger venue than the previous two years. The extra space was definitely needed, considering how quickly everything sold out last year. Even with the larger venue, it was packed all weekend long with horror and metal fanatics eager to mingle, celebrate the fandom, and meet some of their favorite celebs.
Having covered many conventions over the years, what stands out about Silver Scream Con is its strong sense of community. Yes, you can buy merch and autographs, and yes, you can even grab a selfie with a celeb. But the main draw? That would be the vibe. Some of my favorite memories from the three years this convention has been running have been meeting fellow horror geeks and having awesome conversations with people who are as passionate as I am. Horror isn’t just a hobby; it’s a lifestyle. And it’s amazing to meet people who share that mindset.
To perfectly describe Silver Scream Con, allow me to paint you a picture. Walking through the crowded convention area, between packed rows of vendors, was an almost 9-foot-tall Grim Reaper. This thing was terrifyingly detailed and awe-inspiring. As it made its way toward us, eyes glowing a deep red and a bloodied scythe slung over its enormous shoulders, I saw a little boy, about five years old, stop dead in his tracks. His eyes were frozen on the towering figure. I waited for the kid to freak out.
At the very last moment, as the child stood completely still—whether in fear or fascination—the Grim Reaper gently bent down and offered out his hand. With a comically large grin, the kid eagerly fist-bumped the gigantic creature, who stood back up and went about his business. I couldn’t catch up with them to get their names, but that’s the kind of thing that happens all weekend at Silver Scream Con. Everyone who saw it cheered.
This little kid wasn’t alone either. There were several children in attendance, most of them less freaked out than my own fiancé! It was truly a wondrous and beautiful sight. People of all ages, from all walks of life, gathered in one place for a common purpose: to celebrate horror and heavy metal. The two go together so perfectly, it feels natural.
Friday night after the con was the R.I.P. party, which we were invited to. It was a blast! The highlight was “Scary-oke,” and Spencer Charnas (INK) himself was there, meeting fans and hanging out. I’m sure that made a lot of fans very happy. The party took place at Off the Rails, a grill/bar just across the street from the venue.
Saturday night after the con was the concert. Held outdoors at The Palladium, the lineup was incredible. Ari Lehman’s band, First Jason, opened the show, followed by TX2. The crowd was warmed up by the time Avatar slaughtered the stage. In This Moment came next, and by the time Ice Nine Kills took the stage, the crowd was at fever pitch.
With lights on surrounding buildings, fireworks in the sky, and an insane theatrical performance full of pyro, spark-shooting chainsaws, and even a fire-spewing Freddy glove, INK did not disappoint. If you’ve never seen Spencer chop off someone’s arms and head on stage, you need to add that to your bucket list immediately. Even those unfamiliar with their music couldn’t stop raving about their performance.
Silver Scream Con was once again hosted by the “Metal Ambassador” himself, Jose Mangin from Octane and Liquid Metal on Sirius XM. He’s one of the most enthusiastic and genuinely positive people I’ve ever met. It’s not an act—Jose is the real deal. He eats, sleeps, and breathes heavy metal and horror, making him the perfect host for the event.
We attended the first horror trivia competition at Silver Scream, and Jose had some awesome trophies made for the winners. The winning team of seven took them home (sadly, I wasn’t on that team—but congrats to the winners!). It was so much fun! Normally, I’m not one to mingle with strangers, but at this convention, it just felt right—not cringy or awkward. A big part of that is thanks to Jose’s hosting skills. When you laugh, you have fun. It’s that simple.
The guest list was absolutely stacked this year. Spencer Charnas (INK) had a booth, and the line to meet him was insanely long. He stayed until the last minute each day, leaving only just before the concert on Saturday night and the INK panel on Sunday.
Eli Roth was also in attendance all three days. He wasn’t doing any press, though. David Howard Thornton, known for playing Art the Clown in the Terrifier series, was there all weekend, and his line was crazy! Lauren LaVera from Terrifier 2 also attended, along with several other members of the cast and crew. Ari Lehman, who played the original boy version of Jason Voorhees, was in attendance too. There were just so many guests, far too many to name them all, but you can check out the full guest list below!
We also stopped by Danielle Harris’ booth to say hello! Danielle is always awesome!
Bill Moseley was there too, chatting with fans and signing autographs!
David Arquette, a.k.a. Deputy Dewey from the Scream franchise, was also in attendance.
Derek Mears? Easily one of the nicest people on the planet. Seriously.
Quinn Lord, who plays Sam in Trick ‘r Treat, was all smiles! No news on part 2 yet, though. Quinn, you know who to contact!
Bonnie Aarons, who plays Valak in The Nun, was an absolute riot. I had to stop laughing before I could snap a picture!
Elden Henson, known as Pnub in Idle Hands and Foggy in Netflix’s Daredevil, was also there.
Doctor Loomis’ actual station wagon from Halloween was parked inside, too! So cool!
You can check out all the amazing vendors who attended here, but one standout was DementedFX from Holyoke, MA. They run an interactive haunted house, and they brought a little taste of it to the con with “The Cube.” You had to sign a waiver to enter this box, where up to four people experience an interactive scare. Without giving too much away, let’s just say the experience gets intense—it even feels like a real sting on your leg. If you see DementedFX, sign the waiver and jump into “The Cube.” It’s worth it!
Major news was announced at the Ice Nine Kills panel on Sunday: the band will provide the song for Terrifier 3! A video will play after the film’s credits, starring Jose Mangin. This is huge, and we couldn’t be more excited!
We had a blast at Silver Scream Con 3 and are already looking forward to what Spencer Charnas and the crew have in store for next year! Whatever it is, we’re sure it will be killer! Huge shoutout to everyone who worked hard to make this year happen. See you next year!