Top times at OG Geeksboro

By: Katei Cranford

Since 2012, Geeksboro Coffeehouse Cinema has promoted their ethos of “you belong here” as a denizen for pop-culture lovers. In a few weeks, owner Joe Scott will pack it up–TARDIS and all–and level-up to a new location a few blocks north as Geeksboro Battle Pub located at 2618 Lawndale Dr.

While Geeksboro Coffeehouse Cinema counts down its final events, here’s countdown of a few good times:

1. Return to Nuke ‘Em High Volume 1 premiere and Q&A with Lloyd Kaufman (June 2, 2014)

Katei Cranford asks Lloyd Kaufman from Troma about the intro song to “Class of Nuke em High Part 2”

It’s not every day you get to meet your heroes and have them tell you that you’re smart. But that totally happened in June of 2014 when Geeksboro celebrated the 40th Anniversary of Troma Entertainment alongside Kaufman (Troma co-founder and director) to host the sequel premiere to Troma’s 1986 hit Class of Nuke ‘Em High.

2. Azkaban: 2015 Harry Potter Yule Ball (Dec. 4-5, 2015)

Yule Ball with Harry and the Potters, 2015

Back in 2015, Wizard Rockers “Harry and the Potters” played three shows over “two days of magic for Wizards and Muggles alike.” The party boasted, sorting hats, wands, and butter-beer as folks reinforced that “Voldemort can’t stop the rock!”

3. Rock ‘n’ Roll High School with The Ramones (June 4, 2016)

Paying a 40th-anniversary tribute to the legendary punk band’s 1976 self-titled debut, Geeksboro screened Roger Corman’s Rock ‘n’ Roll High School followed by a Ramones cover set, comprised heavily of the punkers from Greensboro’s Night Sweats. 

Ramones cover band at GKSO, 2016

4.  Smashing New Year’s Eve

(Dec. 31, 2015)

“In 1995, The Smashing Pumpkins released Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness, a double album celebration of crunchy alternative angst and gloom that partially defined the adolescence of everyone who grew up in the ‘90s.” To close out 2015, Geeksboro threw a smashing party complete with a midnight pumpkin drop and Atlanta-based cover band, Siamese Dream.

5. Zombies, Punk Rock, Love: A Wild Zero Valentine’s Drinking Game (Feb. 14, 2015)

“Love has no borders, nationalities, or genders,” reads the tagline for Wild Zero, (a punk-rock zombie flick starring Japanese rockers, Guitar Wolf). Armed with the fiery power of rock ’n’ roll, they help save the world to the strum of Link Wray’s “Rumble” with so much absurdity, it inspired a drinking game that tanks players before the intro-credits roll.

6. Mad Max: Fury Road Costume Contest Under the Stars

(Sept. 8, 2015)

Lawnchair Drive-In

Warboys and wargirls ascended on the gravel lot behind Geeksboro for one last “Movie Under the Stars” in the Lawnchair Drive-in Movie Series. Attendees were “so shiny, so chrome,” chugging cheap tallboys while dressed to the nines for the apocalypse.

7. Twin Peaks V-Day Costume Dance Party (Feb. 14, 2017.)

Geeksboro went all red and chevron for Valentine’s 2017 for their Twin Peaks pilot screening party, complete with black coffee and cherry pie. The party kicked off a “Hatchet Sequence” presentation of the Twin Peaks series, which ran weekly up to the premiere of The Return, which saw its own run in the Geeksboro theater.

8. Christmas at Pee Wee’s Playhouse Secret Santa (2014-2017)

“Kitschy laughter and holiday cheer” is spread through zany gift share and the star-studded holiday classic: Christmas at Pee Wee’s Playhouse plays as an annual Geeksboro Christmas tradition. Retro commercials run as the audience swaps gifts each time a character says the “secret word.” In the end, everyone opens presents and awards are given for the most peculiar. It’s precious.

Joe Scott with kids at the 2015 Yule Ball

Strolling down memory lane is often bittersweet, even if it’s just a few blocks. Scott is teaming up with Super WaveCast and Dylan McGrath to ensure the final day goes out with a smash–Smash Brothers that is. “The Death of Geeksboro: Melee Tournament” will be the final scene in the OG Geeksboro highlight reel on the last day of the lease: June 30.

On June 9 and 10, Geeksboro will host a special screening for “The Room Trilogy 15th Anniversary” along with guest Greg Sestero, who “collaborated with Tommy Wiseau on a cinematic venture that would take them through the depths of mockery and ridicule all the way to cult celebrity.”

According to the event, “Sestero will return to Geeksboro to host the first ever screening of ‘The Room Trilogy’” with live commentary during the movie (plus a bonus presentation so exclusive Geeksboro can’t legally divulge what it is–though they assure folks it “will be satisfying”).

Geeksboro Coffeehouse Cinema has satiated tastes for movies, caffeine and all things nerdy. Here’s to memories, power-ups, (and the return of the Lawnchair Drive-In!) coming soon at the Battle Pub arcade.

Katei Cranford is a GSO rock ’n’ roller and a total nerd for bad movies, fast songs, and all things Batman. She chats up tunes and towns as hostess of Mostly Local Monday, a radio show that runs like a mixtape of bands playing NC the following week. You can catch her on WUAG 103.1FM every Monday from 5-7pm or via live stream at www.wuag.net.