Freaks in the Parking Lot: Recap of the Cold Cold Coffin Premiere at Chiller Theatre
Cold Cold Coffin was released to the world on October 26, 2019 at the Chiller Theatre Expo in New Jersey to a crowd of monsters, vampires, zombies, and ghouls. The Cold Cold Coffin clown was also lurking about.
Cindy and I spent the bustling three-day weekend meeting hoards of people in the music room, which also hosted John 5 of the Rob Zombie group, Tish and Snooky of Manic Panic, May Pang, Cherie Currie, and Scott Ian of Anthrax.
The show was packed from the get go. We saw familiar faces as well as new ones. I signed quite a few Alice Cooper albums and was pleasantly surprised that the one I saw the most was Pretties For You. Cindy and I heard a billion stories of how people first found out about the Alice Cooper group albums. Many stories had to do with an older sibling playing the records. It was a long but satisfying day.
On day two, the hotel reported a bomb scare, which forced authorities to evacuate thousands of colorful freaks outside into the parking lot. It was a sunny day though, and the Chiller crowd, which is like a very unusual family that gathers twice a year, was having fun complaining about the delay.
Of course safety was the priority. The officials did a great job searching the building in a reasonably short amount of time. All was safe, but our first screening of Cold Cold Coffin had been cancelled and the entire show schedule had been pushed behind. Despite that, the Chiller Staff got the band stage ready and the party room set up while Peter Perenyi, Director of Photography for Cold Cold Coffin, got the screen and the projector in place.
The Snake Charmers featuring Nick Didkovsky on guitar, Russ Wilson on drums, Tish and Snooky on backing vocals, and myself on bass and lead vocals had done a quick sound check and were ready just in time. The doors opened and the crowd flooded into the room.
I announced the film and the house lights dimmed. The sound of a heartbeat filled the room as Cold Cold Coffin flashed onto the large screen. The crowd was attentive as the chilling story began to fold. Everyone watched until the end, and then people started cheering and applauding for various names as the final credits rolled. Of course Calico Cooper’s name got special attention for her portrayal of the gold digging wife, and Cindy Smith Dunaway for the costumes, set décor, and make-up. We were relieved by the response. We had broken the cold cold ice to kick off the party.
The hum of a Marshall amplifier signaled the beginning of the Snake Charmers renditions of “Cold Cold Coffin” and “Black Juju.” Nick’s great guitar playing is always spot on. And Russ Wilson was particularly on fire with his powerfully precise drumming. And the Darlings of The Demented, Tish and Snooky brightened the stage with their great harmonies, their colorful hair, and their mesmerizing stage presence. Nick’s frenzied guitar soloing threatened to raise demons as “Black Juju” built to a thundering crescendo. And then our loud assault came to rest.
We were very happy and appreciative that Mr. Chiller Kevin Clement agreed to let us pave the way for the Dead Elvi’s set with Cherrie Curry who had a debut of their own, a very special rendition of “A Day In The Life.”
The festivities were wild yet friendly and it was a very special celebration for those that love monsters and for the introduction of the Snake Charmers and the Cold Cold Coffin film team.
Like the final scenes of Disney’s Fantasia, where the sinister turmoil of the dark demon of Bald Mountain is calmed by the morning light and the sound of distant church bells, historically, a Sunday at the Chiller Theatre Expo is predominantly in slow motion as people creep back to life with hangovers and stories of the previous night’s adventures, but this time, the morning wasn’t slow, it started in high gear with a lively crowd voicing compliments about Cold Cold Coffin—the film and the song. They wanted the Calico Angel posters, the Cold Cold Coffin T-shirts, and they wanted to know where they could see the film again.
The weekend was very satisfying. Cindy and I drove home knowing the official release was a success.
Cold Cold Coffin is now available to the public.