TOSS or Toxicity Over Simple Subjects

Do you like watching petty feuds among Equestria's elite? Then we have a treat for you! Also called Toxic Opinions, Simple Subjects, this is a new monthly feature we hope you'll enjoy.

Convention report, Hop's Feather Fest 2024...

Apologies for using screenshots but the blogger site is playing up. This was the first con in Austria for a good while so naturally I went see it. It did not turn out great, but hopefully in will be better this year. See more after the jump. 

Some brief updates from Ponyville Ciderfest 2024

Anthology 8 confirmed.

You might have seen the news that Anthology 8 is finally coming. What the twitter feeds didn't tell you is that this new installment will focus on the last Bronycon because that was the jumping off point psychologically for the staff, at least in the opinions given at the panel on Saturday night.This is because they want to pick up where they left off. More to follow in the write up. But expect lots of retrospective based running joke threads this time. 

Stephen Wintre spoke to me briefly, and discussed the footage gap, as he calls it, from the side panels at BABS. I have quite a bit of footage that I plan to get to him soon so watch this space.

We spoke to Twitch Trot, a twitch streaming coalition of pony enthusiasts. They got over 300 members inside of two years, which is impressive. More to follow. 

Elley Ray has considered going to the third BronUKon which will be based in Ukraine again. According to the chair of Camp Equestria Elley was unaware of it and immediately wanted to go when they mentioned it,and the event has between 80 to 100 people so I will be keen to see how this inflates things.

There is also a new con to start in Syracuse NY next year, Hearth's Warming Club, but rumours are this will have 100 spots max.  Small cons are one thing but you never see a limit like this usually, at least in my experience. More to follow but I have to leave for now. 

 

Everfree Encore 2024 Despatches

EE 2024 a roaring success. Excellent line up drawing performers from as far as Australia such as L Train. Excellent use of visuals, slighty odd line up of musicians e.g. Blackicemusic at the start, when slower and newer musicians would benefit and audience get a halfway boost from having faster act at that point. Koran Korak from German metal act Stable Two Stallion considering another collab with metal DJ Thrasher. PegaSYS confirmed for performance at Camp Equestria in UK, September. Many batponies, all mangoes under threat. Not repeat NOT the ketamine. Send help.

Recap: Festival of Friendship 2023

 

From Brony to Bronte – Festival of Friendship 2023

Hoarse News Convention Report 2

Dr. Foal Duke, Basingstoke, Saturday 18^th March 2023. Note: In 2024 the con moved to Southampton and expanded to two days; would it hold up?Stay tuned to find out.

Small, but ambitious That's how I'd describe this particular convention.

This was a one day event out in the suburbs of Basingstoke, in the midst of the old stately manor of Downton Abbey and the classical redbrick home of Emily Bronte. This was my first time to this part of the world and while I expected it to be a bit off the beaten track, I certainly didn't expect it to be this far off; train strikes were planned for today, and appeared to follow me everywhere, from EponaFest in Milan last May to Nottingham and now here. Or should have been.

As I nursed a headache on Sunday's replacement bus with the smell of vomit on the other seat and the alarm threatening to pound my skull and stomach until their contents oozed from their holes, I reflected upon how lucky this convention was, in a country where even delays are delayed. It first started as a meet up for fans in the countryside in 2019, and thanks to having almost no budget, was able to come back in 2022 as a very small convention. This year attendance was actually up by about 20 percent and despite its location being a little difficult, the thing went ahead without a hitch. There's not much to say so I'll keep it brief.