Citywide Blackout

Citywide Bytes: NecronomiCon—the home of weird fiction literature

Who here likes weird fiction? Wow, that’s a lot of hands. Ok then, listen up, because NecronomiCon Providence is the place for you!

In this episode of Citywide Bytes, Ken Vaughn, director of core programming for this bi-annual showcase, talks about the panels, guest speakers, special events and much more that await those eager to check out this weird and fun convention. We spotlight the guests of honor and Ken talks about the work to bring them all together.

We also look at how this event has grown over the years from its inception in the 90s to what it has become today. NeconomiCon takes place from August 15-18 in Providence, Rhode Island at the Omni Hotel.

“Hard Style Juice” tells a murder mystery through a wrestling lens

I’ve been a fan of both professional wrestling and comics for many years, so getting to talk about both for this interview was just perfect.

Writer Clay McCormack, artist Ricardo Lopez Ortiz and I dive into “Hard Style Juice,” a new series that you can only see on Comixology Originals. Here’s a look at the story for those new to it:

Wrestling is big business in arenas across the country, and for the Castros, it’s the family business. "King" Castro is the patriarch of the family, he’s also the manager, booker, promotor, MC, and owner of the local independent wrestling promotion KCPW, King Castro Pro Wrestling.

His daughter, Ramonita "Mona" Castro, has dreams of going to business school, but also has a penchant for wrestling. And his son, Rey Castro, is the star. A real showman, Rey is known as the "King of the Death Match," and he's on the verge of getting a contract to go pro.

Pro wrestling built the Castro family, and now it’s about to tear it apart. A shocking in-ring death sends the family spiraling out of control, and down the path of revenge as one big question rears its head: was it an accident? Or was it murder?

 

We talk about the series origins, and how Clay and Ricardo’s interest in wrestling played a role in shaping it. Clay talks about working with murder mysteries and how he paces the story, while Ricardo shares how he captured the feel of the wrestling world and his favorite parts to draw.

The series is now three issues in, with the fourth to be dropped on July 16, and we go into where the story is now and a few hints as to what we can expect in future issues. 

Citywide Bytes-New on the music scene, Abijah Perry is making her mark

Since 2022, singer/songwriter Abijah Perry has been making some amazing music, including our personal favorite, “Love Overnight.”

In the newest episode of Citywide Bytes, she and Max talk about what got her into music, how she landed her mellow folk-infused style and how she’s defining and refining her sound. She shares how she fell in love with music and her choice to pursue it as a career.

Abijah also talks about the stories she’s sharing through her songs, future projects and the family influence that inspired her love of all things music.

Opening this episode is an excerpt from her single “Color Theory” and closing the show is the complete “Love Overnight.”

Tom of The Midnight Wrens soars through a seven-year band history

It was in 2017 when the original six members of The Midnight Wrens came together, and since that time, they’ve made some amazing music in the New England area. In this episode, band songwriter/guitarist Tom Powley joins us to talk about how the Wrens came together and their journey over the years.

Tom goes into their new EP, “The Songbird Collection,” a five-track EP that touches on different aspects with each song, and shares some of the stories behind the music. We also look at the band’s upcoming show on July 25 at The Word Barn and the release of a band-inspired IPA with Exeter Brewing Co.

Big thanks go to Sarah Blacker, who made the introductions that led to this interview. 

Opening the episode is an excerpt from “Come Home” and closing things out is the full track “Mona Lisa,” both of which you can find on “The Songbird Collection.”

Citywide Bytes—Perdys member talks working with the greats and creating new music

It was back in March that I first heard “I Know” by Perdys and since then, it’s been a blast exploring this work of Scandinavian producer/songwriters Nalle Ahlstedt and Anders Borgius.

In the newest episode of Citywide Bytes, Max and Anders talk about how he and Nalle first met and the choice to form Perdys. Of course, that wasn’t the band’s first name, and we go into how they went form Perk to Perkless and how they landed on Perdys. We also talk about the story behind “I Know,” the cool cover art, and what we can expect later this year.

Closing out the episode is “I Know.” 

Thomas Smith takes on an imaginative journey with “Other Places”

Horror author Thomas Smith has written some wildly terrifying tales over the years, and in his new horror collection, “Other Places” (Cemetery Dance), he brings us 16 different stories, all in his signature style.

In this interview, Thomas talks about the phone call from friend of the show Kevin Lucia that got this book rolling, and how he created each story. We learn which was the most fun to write, and get a peek at some of the themes and ideas he incorporated.

We look at the dedication to fellow horror writer Joe Cherkes and the history between the two that led to Thomas choosing Joe for this honor. Thomas talks about his own type of writing and what he hopes the reader gets out of it—and you may be surprised by what he has to say.

Citywide Bytes-Matthew Daddona dives into his own backstory for new book

Our next guest for the Citywide Bytes interviews has just dropped his first novel, “The Longitude of Grief,” a coming of age story about a boy named Henry and his attempts to escape a world of betrayal.

But for author Matthew Daddona, it’s far from his first foray into the literary world—in fact, he’s been working in the publishing world for years for such companies as Penguin Random House and Dey Street Books/Harper Collins, so he knows a thing or three about getting a book out there.

In this interview, Matthew shares what inspired this book, which he worked on for six years. We go into how it changed over that time and what’s different in the final version. We also talk about how working as a book editor helped him during the writing process and get the story behind his main character, Nick Manero.

This interview comes to us through the good folks at Books Forward PR, and you can learn more at www.booksforward.com.

Songwriter and producer Kenny J shares stories of love and positivity in his new album

Calling Kenny J a positive individual would be a massive understatement. This South Carolina-based songwriter and producer is hoping to spread such a message through his new music, which culminates in a summer album release.

Originally slated to be our new Citywide Bytes interview, some connection issues arose and we decided “hell with it, the show must go on!”

So, we dove into the meaning behind Kenny’s upbeat outlook on life. He also shares the sad news of his wife’s passing last year and how this inspired him to write “You’re a Woman.” Kenny talks about his late wife and it becomes clear that she is a part of what makes him the person he is today.

Kenny’s not just a songwriter—he’s worked as a producer since the 1990s and we learn how he got into that industry and his current projects.

Book, author, horror, zombie, dead, undead, love, romance, fight

Richard Farren Barber is the author of dozens of books, novellas and short stories over 30 years, and in this episode, we see his creative spirit at work in “One of the Dead,” released through Crystal Lake Entertainment. 

In this episode, Curtis and Max talk with Richard about what inspired a story wherein the undead look just like us and spread, not through devouring the living, but by stealing their life force by touch. We meet Nick, the protagonist and learn how he must fight the living dead when they go after his girlfriend Abby, a task that he is wholly unprepared for.

Richard shares the inspiration for the creepy-as-hell cover for “One of the Dead,” which features a figure in yellow wandering through a graveyard. Speaking of settings, the locations for the book came from Nottingham, where Richard has lived for many years and he talks about how they influence the story. 

Citywide Bytes-Sydney

16-year-old pop artist Sydney <3 joins the newest Citywide Bytes episode to share the backstory for her two singles, “Picture Perfect” and “Anywhere But Here.” Both songs were recently released, marking her debut as an artist.

Sydney <3 talks about what inspired her to go into music, including working with industry greats like Adam Hurstfield and Orlando Calzada. She also shares her memories of being in the recording studio for the first time. Her music includes both English and Korean lyrics and she shares about why this was done and what it adds to the music. And of course, I ask about the symbol after her name.

Opening the song is an excerpt from “Picture Perfect,” and “Anywhere But Here” closes out the episode.