Convention Review: Connecticon 2026

Connecticon 2026 is in the books fellow Otaku & Metalheads!

This year’s con was.....conflicting for me. On the one hand, I had a great time like always. This convention holds a special place in my heart, as I’ve been going for nearly 20 years now. It always provide me warmth & comfort, and I never have to travel far from my home to go. However, there was a wrench thrown into my little vacation. A fairly good sized wrench, if I’m being honest. Enough to the point where it ruined things for me a little. How much you might ask? Well, sit back, relax, and look at my review for Connecticon 2026. Let’s begin.

Good Points
The Dealer’s Room & Artist Alley remains a giant fixture of Connecticon, and while I do have some negative things to say, it’s still a massive maze of commerce. Just about anything you can think of that’s associated with con merch, it’s here. The once-a-day merchants also returned, and for the first time this year, I snagged a little bit of merchandise from one of the booths. It is a shame that they don’t set up shop in the main area, because many of they definitely rivals a few of the established booths with how good their stuff is. 

I will always champion the Food Trucks that setup show just outside the convention center. They’ve been an absolute blessing since I started going to them in recent years: They’re not too far away, and are relatively inexpensive when compared to some of the local restaurants. The variety is also fantastic: poutine, pizza, chicken tenders & fries, and plenty of food from other cultures. Not only that, but there are still plenty of vegan options I mentioned about last year, and pricing still continues to be reasonable (Highest priced item I saw was $21.50), so they’re right there if you need them!

Cosplay Championship Wresting’s is a focal point for me when I come to Connecticon. This year is especially important for them, as 2026 marks half a decade since they’ve been coming to Hartford. Every single wrestler that performs for us is phenomenal for a smaller federation, and they also manage to embody the character they play that’s just delightful. They were doing shows the whole weekend (Save for Thursday for obvious reasons), and at no point did it look like they were tired, or if they were they didn’t show it.

Finally, the panels hosted this year were on game as always. As usual I didn’t have time to go to a horde of them, though this year I went to a few more than I normally do. The annual chicken eating contest was hilarious, the AMVs were wonderful, Jon St John’s Sexy Late Night Party is always a must, and the Cosplay Deathmatch provides a bloody good time. This year, I happened to go to a lot of drag queen events that were hosted. Drag Queen D&D, a Cabaret show, and Drag Queen Bingo. I did not know that they’ve been at the con since 2015, and I’m kicking myself for not going for so long!

Btw, this is the only year (so far) that I have not stayed at the Mariott for the convention. As to why.....just look a little further down.

Okay Points
This seems to been a pattern for the past 2 or 3 years (which is something I’ve talked about in the past 2 years I believe), but Connecticon’s dealers room didn’t have as much of an anime & manga selection. Otaku Joe’s was there, and they were fantastic like always, and there was the one normal manga seller & 18+ seller, but it has been odd seeing less of this kind of stuff to purchase. Even the size of the dealer’s room seems to have shrunken a little bit this year, but to play devil’s advocate, the artist’s alley was folded in, and because of that the space still feels pretty big, even if it doesn’t always have what someone is looking for.

Bad Points
This is one of the few times you’ll ever see my blood boil. Connecticon has always been phenomenal in my eyes despite the rating I might give. However, 2026 marks the first time that, to a certain extent, I gotta take a pound of flesh out, so here I go.....

2026 marks the first time that I did not stay in the Marriot. As usual once the rooms were available, everybody swarmed in like Ghengis Khan’s Mongolian Horde, and swiped out all the rooms. My buddy instead got a hotel about 10 minutes away (The name escapes me as I type this), which wasn’t that far away, so I had no issue. This past Wednesday or Thursday, quite frankly at the VERY last minute, they tell my buddy that due to a busted pipe, the room wasn’t available anymore. In a flash, my buddy managed to find one that was 18 minutes away, and required some bus travel. I confessed I huffed for a moment, but still thanked him profusely. However, that all kinda changed once we got there. 

My buddy found the Capital hotel, and by god we all hated it by the end! For starters, it has no-where near as many amenities when compared to the Marriot. The room is smaller, the beds & pillows aren’t as comfortable, and the bathroom was more claustrophobic. This resulted in me having the worst f!@#ing sleep I’ve ever had since my first con in 2009, as I got only a little over 2 hours from Thursday going into Friday. It didn’t help the fact that a guy accidentally opened our room with his key a few hours prior, but thankfully that situation was fixed especially fast, and from Friday into Saturday & Saturday into Sunday, I had considerably better sleep (Probably because I had some liquor on both days). Even the free breakfast, as tasty as it was, did not compare to what the Mariott had. Fortunately, the staff at the Capital were wonderful, and at the very least didn’t make me want to scream. Hopefully when the rooms open up for 2027 at the Marriot, my buddy catches a lucky break.

Final Thoughts & Rating
Connecticon 2026 is one of the rare times I’ve been going for nearly 20 years where I didn’t have a completely great time. Make no mistake: while I was at the convention itself, I was having a great time! It was a blast to see everyone, it was a blast to participate as many events as I did, and it was a blast to escape the horrors of the world. However, what impacted this so much was the damn hotel. My time there was horrible for the most part, and if anyone sees this, then I beg you don’t go to the Capital hotel. Again, there’s good workers there, but even good workers can’t exactly save a busted ship. Still, more often than not, I was smiling the whole time, so I can’t complain too much.

Connecticon 2026 gets a 7.5 out of 10 because of the hotel. Taking the hotel out of the equation? Give it an 8.5 out of 10.

And that was my review for Connecticon 2026. More conflicted that most of the other times I came to Hartford, I still enjoyed the positive energy once I got to the convention center. I can only hope that 2027 & beyond will be fantastic. So with that done, I got 1 last look at Nirvana at the end of the month. See you all on the 31st!




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If you’d like to see what I thought of last year’s con, click on the link below:

Convention Review: Connecticon 2025

Album Review: Nirvana's Nevermind

Part 2 of my look at Nirvana is here fellow Otaku & Metalheads!

At the beginning of July, I examined the band’s first release, Bleach. While it wasn’t perfect by any means, it was obvious that Kurt & the gang had talent, and overtime it did gain a genuinely following. Now, it’s 2 years after, and the trio crafted something nobody was prepared for in 1991. An album that was a nuclear warhead of an emerging genre of music, and would leave an impact so massive it is still being felt almost 3 & a half decades later. So, put on another one of your flannel shirts, let out a sigh, and enjoy my review for Nirvana’s essential album, Nevermind. Let’s begin.

Background
Taken from Wikipedia: 

“In early 1990, Nirvana began planning their second album for their record company Sub Pop, tentatively titled Sheep. At the suggestion of Sub Pop head Bruce Pavitt, Nirvana selected Butch Vig as producer. The band particularly liked Vig's work with Killdozer. They traveled to Vig's Smart Studios in Madison, Wisconsin, and recorded from April 2 to 6, 1990.  Most of the basic arrangements were complete, but songwriter Kurt Cobain was still working on lyrics and the band was unsure of which songs to record. Ultimately, eight were recorded, some of which were later rerecorded for Nevermind: "Imodium" (later renamed "Breed"), "Dive" (later released as the B-side to "Sliver"), "In Bloom", "Pay to Play" (later renamed "Stay Away"), "Sappy", "Lithium", "Here She Comes Now" (released on Heaven & Hell: A Tribute to the Velvet Underground), and "Polly".

On April 6, Nirvana played a local show in Madison with the Seattle band Tad. Vig began to mix the recordings while the band gave an interview to Madison's community radio station WORT on April 7. Cobain strained his voice, forcing Nirvana to end the recording. On April 8, they traveled to Milwaukee to begin an extensive Midwest and East Coast tour of 24 shows in 39 days.

The drummer Chad Channing left after the tour, putting additional recording on hold. During a show by the hardcore punk band Scream, Cobain and the bassist Krist Novoselic were impressed by their drummer Dave Grohl. When Scream unexpectedly disbanded, Grohl contacted Novoselic, traveled to Seattle, and was invited to join the band. Novoselic said in retrospect that, with Grohl, everything "fell into place".

By the 1990s, Sub Pop was having financial problems. With rumors that they would become a subsidiary of a major record label, Nirvana decided to "cut out the middleman" and look for a major record label. Nirvana used the recordings as a demo tape to shop for a new label. Within a few months, the tape was circulating among major labels. A number of labels courted them; Nirvana signed with Geffen Records imprint DGC Records based on recommendations from Kim Gordon of Sonic Youth and their management company. 

After Nirvana signed to DGC, a number of producers were suggested, including Scott Litt, David Briggs, Don Dixon, and Bob Mould. Novoselic said the band had been nervous about recording under a major label, and the producers suggested by DGC wanted percentage points. Instead, the band held out for Vig, with whom they felt comfortable collaborating.

With a budget of $65,000, Nirvana recorded Nevermind at Sound City Studios in Van Nuys, California, in May and June 1991. To earn gas money to get to Los Angeles, they played a show at Seattle's OK Hotel on April 17, 1991 where they performed "Smells Like Teen Spirit" for the first time. The band sent Vig rehearsal tapes prior to the sessions that featured songs recorded previously at Smart Studios, plus new songs including "Smells Like Teen Spirit" and "Come as You Are".

Nirvana arrived in California and spent a few days rehearsing and working on arrangements. The only recording carried over from the Smart Studios sessions was "Polly", including Channing's cymbal crashes. Once recording commenced, the band worked eight to ten hours a day.

Despite receiving a $287,000 advance upon signing with Geffen, Cobain retained a preference for inexpensive equipment—particularly Japanese-made Fender guitars, due to their skinny necks and wider availability in lefthanded orientation. These included several Stratocasters fitted with humbucker pickups in the bridge positions, as well as a 1965 Jaguar with DiMarzio pickups and a 1969 Mustang, the latter of which Cobain cited as his favorite due to its design flaws. For the album, Cobain bought a rackmount system featuring a Mesa/Boogie Studio preamp, a Crown power amp, and Marshall cabinets. He also used a Vox AC30 and a Fender Bassman. Vig preferred not to use pedals, but he allowed Cobain to use a Boss DS-1 distortion pedal, which Cobain considered a key part of his sound, as well as an Electro-Harmonix Big Muff fuzz pedal and a Small Clone chorus.

Novoselic and Grohl finished their tracks in days, while Cobain worked longer on guitar overdubs, vocals, and lyrics. He sometimes finished lyrics minutes before recording. Vig recalled that Cobain was often reluctant to record overdubs, but he was persuaded to double-track his vocals when Vig told him that John Lennon did it. Though the sessions generally went well, Vig said Cobain would become difficult at times: "He'd be great for an hour, and then he'd sit in a corner and say nothing for an hour."

Vig and the band were unhappy with Vig's initial mixes and decided to bring in someone else to oversee the mixing. DGC supplied a list of options, including Scott Litt, known for his work with R.E.M., and Ed Stasium, known for his work with Ramones and the Smithereens. Cobain was concerned about bringing in well known producers, and instead chose Andy Wallace, who had co-produced Slayer's 1990 album Seasons in the Abyss. Novoselic recalled, "We said, 'Right on,' because those Slayer records were so heavy." 

Wallace's mixes most notably altered the drum and guitar sounds, helping bring a slicker edge to the record. Wallace used kick and snare samples to drive reverb sounds, as opposed to replacing the original sounds. According to Wallace and Vig, the band loved the results. However, they criticized it after the album was released. Steve Albini, who engineered Nirvana's next album, In Utero (1993), said Vig's initial mix "sounded maybe 200 times more ass-kicking" than the final version of Nevermind and that Nirvana referred to it while working on In Utero. He said that Vig was an excellent engineer who "had a good, sympathetic relationship with all the noisy bands he recorded in the 80s", which was why Nirvana had hired him. 

Nevermind was mastered by Howie Weinberg on the afternoon of August 2 at the Mastering Lab in Hollywood, California. Weinberg started working alone when no one else arrived at the appointed time in the studio; by the time Nirvana, Andy Wallace, and Gary Gersh arrived, he had almost finished. A hidden track, "Endless, Nameless", intended to appear at the end of "Something in the Way", was accidentally left off initial pressings of the album. Weinberg recalled, "In the beginning, it was kind of a verbal thing to put that track at the end [...] Maybe I didn't write it down when Nirvana or the record company said to do it. So, when they pressed the first twenty thousand or so CDs, albums, and cassettes, it wasn't on there." Cobain called Weinberg and demanded he rectify the mistake. 

At the time of writing Nevermind, Cobain was listening to bands such as Melvins, R.E.M., the Smithereens, and Pixies, and was writing songs that were more melodic. A key development was the single "Sliver", released on Sub Pop in 1990 before Grohl joined, which Cobain said "was like a statement in a way. I had to write a pop song and release it on a single to prepare people for the next record. I wanted to write more songs like that." Grohl said that the band at that point likened their music to children's music, in that they tried to make their songs as simple as possible. 

Cobain fashioned chord sequences using primarily power chords and wrote songs that combined pop hooks with dissonant guitar riffs. His aim for Nevermind's material was to sound like "the Knack and the Bay City Rollers getting molested by Black Flag and Black Sabbath". Many songs feature shifts in dynamics, whereby the band changes from quiet verses to loud choruses. Grohl said this approach originated during a four-month period prior to the recording of the album, when the band would experiment with extreme dynamics during regular jam sessions.

Guitar World wrote, "Kurt Cobain's guitar sound on Nirvana's Nevermind set the tone for Nineties rock music." Cobain played a 1960s Fender Mustang, a Fender Jaguar with DiMarzio pickups, and a few Fender Stratocasters with humbucker bridge pickups. He used distortion and chorus pedals as his main effects, the latter used to generate a "watery" sound on "Come as You Are" and the pre-choruses of "Smells Like Teen Spirit". Though the album is considered a cornerstone of the grunge genre, it is noted for its musical diversity, which includes acoustic ballads ("Polly" and "Something in the Way") and punk-influenced hard rock ("Territorial Pissings" and "Stay Away"). 

After the release of Nevermind, members of Nirvana expressed dissatisfaction with the production for its perceived commercial sound. Cobain said, "I'm embarrassed by it now. It's closer to a Mötley Crüe record than it is a punk rock record." In 2011, Vig said that Nirvana had "loved" Nevermind when they finished it. He said Cobain had criticized it in the press "because you can't really go, 'Hey, I love our record and I'm glad it sold 10 million copies.' That's just not cool to do. And I think he felt like he wanted to do something more primal."”

Basic Description
Focused yet raw.

Bleach wasn’t a bad album by any means, but it was obvious that Nirvana were definitely learning as they were going. Nevermind meanwhile, was a considerably more polished & focused record. It’s far more on the train-tracks than their first release, staying more solid in terms of it’s consistency. Everybody in the band seems to be more confident when it comes to their instrumentation, and even Kurt’s vocals appears to have improved somewhat. That being said, Nevermind didn’t lose any of the rawness that Bleach introduced 2 years prior. If anything, it seems like the band picked up a little more in that regard, but didn’t lose any improvement in the process.

Best Track
I think it wouldn’t be right not to say Smells Like Teen Spirit is the best song of the album. Sure, the lyrics are absolute nonsense, and sure it’s actually hard to understand what’s being sung most of the time, but Kurt Cobain’s vocal range goes from soft talk-like singing similar to Jonathon Davis, to semi-wailing that’s highly reminiscent of old-school punk. Instrumentation is damn good too, as it seemingly goes between the same mediums as the vocal work. Kurt’s guitarwork is subperb, Krist’s bass playing is fantastic, and Dave Grohl drumming is raw but skillful. If the album was a spear that pierces the musical landscape of the early 90s, then Smells Like Teen Spirit was the tip of that spear.

Smell Like Teen Spirit

However, my favorite track would have to go to Come As You Are. A more laid back song when compared to Smell Like Teen Spirit, it was actually the 2nd single off of Nevermind, and yet I actually consider it rather underrated (More on that in a bit). Again, it’s more laid back when compared to the album’s opener: sure things can absolutely be intense, but Kurt’s vocal work is much more calm here, and both Krist & Grohl back that up with instrumentation that’s pretty similar. I don’t know if it’s just me, but I swear there’s a thin Blues influence in Come As You Are. Very thin, but it’s there if you know exactly what to listen for. Never skip this song for any reason.

Come As You Are

Worst Track
As much as Smells Like Teen Spirit deserves rightfully deserves it’s praise, I’d be lying if I said I don’t find it at least somewhat overrated. It was EVERYWHERE when it got put out on radio & TV back in 1991, and it was overplayed quite a bit. Even the 3 other singles of the album (Come As You Are, Lithium, In Bloom) didn’t seem to get as much playtime as the record’s opener, but I’ll chalk that up to being over 4 years old at the time, and not really remembering much from then. Even so, because of it being played so much, Smells Like Teen Spirit overshadowed most of the music on Nevermind in my view. It’s a shame, since practically every track here is wonderful.

Other
If you’re curious about listening to this album, click on the link below:

Nevermind

Overall Impression & Rating
Nevermind truly was a musical colossal in 1991. Metalheads at the time (and some today tragically) placed the blame of the so-called “Death” of classic metal right at this album’s feet. Truth be told, the musical landscape was changing at the dawn of the last decade that made sense, and this release was an unfortunately easy scapegoat. If they even remotely tried to get past their biases, they’d find that Nevermind is one of the most musicallly inventive albums of the 1990s. Maybe it could be considered overrated in some aspects, but all of the musical influences of the genre are on this record in force, and it all stays with you long after you’re done listening to it. In short, Nevermind rules.

Through sheer cultural impact, Nevermind is easily a well-deserved 10 out of 10. Practically? Screw it, just to piss off the anti-grunge people again it also deserves a 10 out of 10!

And that was my review of Nevermind. An icon of the era of Grunge, it has stood the test of time for nearly 3 & a half decades, and continues to be a great album & a wonder record to represent the 1990s. Well, I’ll be away for the rest of this week for Connecticon tomorrow, so see you all in a few days for that, and see you all at the end of the month for Nirvana’s final release. Until then, take care!

Album Review: Nirvana's Bleach

It wouldn’t be right to NOT talk about Nirvana during the Summer Of Grunge fellow Otaku & Metalheads!

That’s right, Nirvana. The band that became one of the biggest faces of Grunge, if not THE face of the genre, Nirvana has been praised by fans, and villainized by elitists who claim that the band helped “kill” classic heavy metal. Truth be told, Nirvana & by extent Grunge were more metallic than their detractors will ever admit during their lifetime, and that’s just laughable if you ask me! Regardless, the band would become pretty significant quick, but before that their start would stumble a little. So, get on your best flannel shirt, find the right pair of ripped jeans, and take a look at my review for Nirvana’s first ever album, Bleach. Let’s begin!

Background
Taken from Wikipedia: 

“Singer and guitarist Kurt Cobain and bassist Krist Novoselic met while attending Aberdeen High School in Washington state. The pair became friends while frequenting the practice space of the Melvins. Cobain wanted to form a band with Novoselic, but Novoselic did not respond for a long period. Cobain gave him a demo tape of his project Fecal Matter. Three years after the two first met, Novoselic notified Cobain that he had finally listened to the Fecal Matter demo and suggested they start a group. Their first band, the Sellouts, was a Creedence Clearwater Revival tribute band. The project featured Novoselic on guitar and vocals, Cobain on drums, and Steve Newman on bass but only lasted a short time. Another project, this time featuring originals, was also attempted in late 1986. Bob McFadden was enlisted to play drums, but after a month this project also fell through. In early 1987, Cobain and Novoselic recruited drummer Aaron Burckhard. They practiced material from Cobain's Fecal Matter tape but started writing new material soon after forming.

During its initial months, the band went through a series of names, including Skid Row, Pen Cap Chew, Bliss, and Ted Ed Fred. The band played under the name Nirvana for the first time on March 19, 1988, at Community World Theater, Tacoma, Washington, together with the bands Lush and Vampire Lezbos. This concert's flyer, designed by Kurt Cobain, also mentioned all of the previous band names: "Nirvana (also known as... Skid Row, Ted Ed Fred, Pen Cap Chew, Bliss)". The group settled on Nirvana because, according to Cobain, "I wanted a name that was kind of beautiful or nice and pretty instead of a mean, raunchy punk name like the Angry Samoans." The band were initially sued by the British band Nirvana over the usage of the name, reaching an out-of-court settlement. Novoselic moved to Tacoma and Cobain to Olympia, Washington. They temporarily lost contact with Burckhard, and instead practiced with Dale Crover of the Melvins, with whom Nirvana recorded its first demos in January 1988.

In early 1988, Crover moved to San Francisco but recommended Dave Foster as his replacement on drums. Foster's tenure with Nirvana was a rocky one; during a stint in jail, he was replaced by Burckhard, who again departed after telling Cobain he was too hungover to practice one day. Foster would rejoin the band, but after Cobain and Novoselic were introduced to drummer Chad Channing, the band would permanently dismiss him (although not before Foster witnessed the group play live without him). Channing continued to jam with Cobain and Novoselic; however, by Channing's account, "They never actually said 'okay, you're in.'" Channing played his first show with Nirvana in late May 1988. 

Nirvana released its first single, a cover of Shocking Blue's "Love Buzz", in November 1988 on the Seattle independent record label Sub Pop. They did their first interview with John Robb in Sounds, which made their release its single of the week. The following month, the band began recording its debut album, Bleach, with local producer Jack Endino. Bleach was influenced by the heavy dirge-rock of the Melvins, the 1980s punk rock of Mudhoney, and the 1970s heavy metal of Black Sabbath. The money for the recording sessions for Bleach, listed as $606.17 on the album sleeve, was supplied by Jason Everman, who was subsequently brought into the band as the second guitarist. Though Everman did not play on the album, he received a credit on Bleach because, according to Novoselic, they "wanted to make him feel more at home in the band". Prior to the album's release, Nirvana became the first band to sign an extended contract with Sub Pop. 

Bleach was released in June 1989, and became a favorite of college radio stations. Nirvana embarked on its first national tour,  but canceled the last few dates and returned to Washington state due to increasing differences with Everman. No one told Everman he was fired; Everman later said he had quit. Although Sub Pop did not promote Bleach as much as other releases, it was a steady seller, and had initial sales of 40,000 copies. However, Cobain was upset by the label's lack of promotion and distribution. In late 1989, Nirvana recorded the Blew EP with producer Steve Fisk. In an interview with Robb, Cobain said the band's music was changing: "The early songs were really angry... But as time goes on the songs are getting poppier and poppier as I get happier and happier. The songs are now about conflicts in relationships, emotional things with other human beings."”

Basic Description
Rough & Tumble.

Nirvana’s first release is certainly a messy affair, but that’s not to say it’s bad either. Kurt Cobain’s harsh vocals match with the atmosphere & his guitar work equally so, Krist Novoselic kills it on bass, and Chad Channing takes it to the drums like no tomorrow (Also plays the tambourine on the best track of the album). Jason Everman was pictured on the album’s cover & credited in the liner, but didn’t play on the album proper. The rough & tumble nature of Bleach comes from the punk attitude and atmosphere, and while it potentially harms the identity of the album (More on that a little later), it also is a statement from the band as well. 

Best Track
Long before I ever listened to this album, there was always one track I definitely remember listening to on the radio, but I had never remembered the name of it.....until now. About A Girl is about as grungy as one could get, yet there’s a little bit of refinement here as well. You got the raw instrumentation, and you have Kurt’s patented vocals, but the recording & production gives the song a little bit of clarity. The end result is a dirty little tune, that none the less is mildly crystal clear. Definitely a great tune!

About A Girl

Worst Track
While an absolutely awesome album from top to bottom quality-wise, it doesn’t have a solid identity in a sense. Now, this could be due to the intense punk atmosphere, and in which case I’ll let it slide. However, I was oddly reminded of Motorhead’s 1998 release Snake Bite Love as I listened to this: malleable when it comes to identity, but rock solid with everything else.

Other
If you’re curious about listening to this album, then click on the link below: 

Bleach

Overall Impression & Rating
Bleach is definitely a rough start, but it’s not a bad start either. Again, it’s identity is all over the place, but Kurt Cobain & the rest of the band show they’ve got the instrumental & vocal talent to make things work. It may not have been a giant upon initial release, but over time has become quite beloved by many people and is considered a Grunge classic. It might not be the most essential Nirvana album to listen to, but it’s certainly not horrible either.

Bleach gets a 7.5 out of 10.

And that was my look at Bleach. It stumbles here & there because of it’s identity, but when it manages to get some solid footing it’s delightful. Like I said above, it’s not the record you absolutely have to listen to from Nirvana, but it’s certainly not a bad one to listen to either. However, come around 1991, and not only would they release their most important album in the band’s entire career, but the album that would become the face of Grunge itself. See you all around the middle of the month!