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I felt old (my age) as soon as I stepped in the queue but I was determined to find out what all the fuss was about.
‘5 years in Bahrain. This is going to be epic!’ was just one of the headlines screaming on social media in the build-up to the event.
My teenage son, Stan Jnr, had left earlier with his pals having secured a two-day pass and amongst the many thousands who had descended on the Sakhir circuit I would guess they were about the average age, although there was a fair sprinkling of young adults too.
Now, I used to dress up as a kid and run around my London council estate like an Action Man soldier or Viking warrior (and sometimes a combination of the two, which at the age of seven I thought was pretty cool).
I’m not sure if I’d have been brave enough to sport the Alien look with full make-up but this is now, and that was then and before ‘cosplay’ came into fashion.
It’s a cute contraction of the words costume play, a hobby in which participants called cosplayers wear costumes and fashion accessories to represent a specific character, mostly from the gaming and comic world. They were out in force at the weekend.
It was described as ‘the biggest pop-culture & video game convention in Bahrain’ and lived up to the billing with challenging video games galore.
It was also a money-spinning business with toys, comics and artwork being snapped up by the hordes of enthusiasts … who then flocked to the numerous food stalls. It’s hungry work this convention-ing.
‘See you all this weekend and feel the ENERGY!!’ was another pre-event notice and the organisers, Tarteeb for Events Production and Services, in partnership with Bahrain Tourism and Exhibitions Authority, certainly got that right, and non-more-so than when veteran WWE wrestler Rey Mysterio and Games of Thrones actor Pilou Asbæk took to the stage for a question-and-answer session.
Mighty Mysterio kept his trademark mask on throughout but showed he was a big softy by having a selfie taken with a fan who was so overcome with emotion he burst into tears.
I was more interested in what the big Dane, who plays Euron Greyjoy in my favourite TV programme, had to say. He didn’t give much away about the next series only to tease that his character would play a more prominent role and when one wag asked him whether he preferred House Stark to House Targaryen, he was less than complimentary, would not sow, and said he’d be happy to stick with House Greyjoy.
There was no rushing these celebrities, who mingled and chatted to fans far beyond any contract obligations.
That’s probably why this convention is such a success. It’s really fun and chilled … just like the generation it serves.
- Stan Szecowka
