Liverpool Horror Fest 2015 Review

by Cara

Saturday marked Popcorn Horror’s first festival appearance as part of the indie horror panel at the Liverpool Horror Fest 2015. The event saw a diverse group of horror fans gather in Liverpool’s The Kazimier alternative club. Although the sun was shining, the venue was suitably transformed into a combination of gothic cathedral and grindhouse theatre. Organised by Chris Fairrie (aka Zombieking) and Ilan Sheady’s Uncle Frank Productions, the festival featured a fantastic dark marketplace of stalls including Hellbound Media and Damaged Comics.

The afternoon kicked off with the panels, including discussions on horror comics, horror writing and independent horror filmmaking –  our first appearance at this kind of event. The organisers had created a great opportunity for horror enthusiasts to come together, network and share ideas – and the atmosphere was extremely welcoming. Guests included Liverpool writer Ramsey Campbell, female cenobite Barbie Wilde, Laurence Harvey aka Martin Lomax from The Human Centipede II and FX artist Anna Lovatt. 

The evening catered to a more adult horror audience, with hilarious slasher-inspired erotic poetry reading (find out more about that here), circus-style acts involving nails and fire spinning before the music portion of the event kicked off. DJ Benny Maths and Beef Diamond played a set, followed by the awesome Tommy Creep who creates spooky dance tracks using a Gameboy. Headlining the evening was Liverpool horror-punk icons Zombina and the Skeletones who’s songs feature references to classic horror movies and spooky culture.

The event was a unique and welcoming gathering for those in the indie horror industry and fans – with a wide range of appropriately alternative entertainment. It was also a stunning showcase of what horror has to offer outwith mainstream releases.

Find out more about future events from the organisers on Facebook.

Photos by Amanda Norman and Get Into This.