Back to the Gulf Coast or How a horror fan from the country got me back to my old stomping grounds

 Not a review this time folks. And if you don't give a crap about pro wrestling this is one to skip.

A bit over a year and a half ago instead of spending most weekends watching movies and just hanging out I got back into hitting up indie wrestling shows. 

From 2012 until 2017 At least 1 weekend a month if not 2 I would be at a indie wrestling show. Filming and hanging out.

Then I cut back. Various reasons for this. Couple of feds folded. My main ride changed their routine and I was back to just hitting my local indie.

Then 2023 in Feb I learned that a indie wrestler lived not that far from me. Matter of fact we both live right off a major highway. And he has to pass 5 minutes from my home most of his trips to shows. 

He is a huge horror and video game guy. And at shows for a few years we would bullshit those subjects. Plus learned he is one of the few people I know that owns an Evercade we got into the habit of talking Evercade stuff often.

And he hated traveling alone. So learning I lived on his route and was free often I started riding with Nightmare Jeremiah to shows.

Bringing my cameras and tote. Filming the matches selling stuff and just having fun. Went from hitting 6 or so shows a year to hitting 3 or 4 a month.

Now since my paternal grandfather died almost 10 years ago I stopped going to the Gulf Coast. But with Nightmare being booked usually 2 or 3 times a month on  the coast I was heading down that way again.

Here's what a normal Saturday that there is a show is like now.

Try to stay up late Friday so I can sleep in Saturday. Most shows are over at 10pm. By the time we pack up and thank everyone it is close to 11pm before we get on the road. And depending on where on the coast I am it is 2 1/2 to 3 hours before I get home. And rule #1 of wrestling road trips is whoever is in the front passenger seat does not sleep. Their job is to make sure the driver stays awake.

So wake up around 10 or 11am. Make sure camera are charged. Make sure camera gear is packed. Check the fanny pack make sure I got plenty of money to make change with. Thanks to cashapp,Venmo and Paypal if people got cash on them it is a few twenties. Most of the stuff on  my table is 5 or 10 bucks.

After I am sure all is packed. And the tote is checked to make sure all the merch is priced time for breakfast. Need something  filling cause lunch will be snacks grabbed at the gas station.

By 12pm got the tote,camera bag and a 12 pack of Mountain Dew Zero Sugar sitting on  my car port. 

Now got 3 hours to kill. Nightmare can't leave his home until 2pm or a bit after. So will be 3pm before he gets to my place.

Usually Saturdays while killing the 3 hours I try to catch up on Impact and ROH weekly tv shows. IF they aren't finished before I leave I will finish watching them on my phone while riding to the coast.

2pm or 215pm get the messge Nightmare is heading out. Depending on  who all is going I know it will take him 40 minutes to an hour to get to my home.

Once he pulls up,load my stuff in the car and on the road. Once we make a fast stop at the former 84 Chevron,now the 76 station on HWY 84,grab gas and snacks it is normally at least 2 hours 30 minutes of just 2 or 3 guys in a car talking. 

Whatever horror movies we have seen recently gets discussed. Whatever the newest video games are is discussed. Then since Nightmare is a fan of the DC and Marvel TV shows and Movies but hasnt read the comics that much I end up filling in gaps in  his comic book lore.

Now we aren't always headed to the MS gulf coast. But that is where 3 of the locations are.

Speaking of the locations each has it's own unique look and feel.

SWO runs a storm shelter in Poplarville MS. Huge concrete building on the fairgrounds. Been to one of their events and was expecting at most 20 fans. They had 200 and we both did great at our tables. I had gotten in a month before this a pile of Hallmark WWE ornaments. Got like 40 for 20 bucks and was selling them 3 bucks each or 2 for 5. 

Battlezone runs normally Braxton Mississippi. For a bit their main venue was the building where the fire department stored their trucks. No power no water. So they got a generator to run some lights and fans. Got two portapotties out front for the bathroom or "Take a walk down the trail into the woods and watch out for snakes PIMP" I took option 2. And during the main event horseflies attacked the crowd.

The coast venues oh man.

AWA Pro ran Pascagoula MS and Ocean Springs MS. In Pascagoula they ran the VFW Hall ,which is right by the hospital.Small place but has good food that is priced fairly. And cause of the location we have to drive through a part of where I grew up to get there.

There Ocean Springs  main venue is this great civic center. On Highway 90. Decent food. This place has a nice balcony that I will go up and film from sometimes. 

The other main fed on the coast I hit up is The Gulf Coast Wrestling. They always run the same place in Bay St Louis. An old country and western bar that closed years ago. Now it is the GCW Clubhouse. It's dark inside and the  crowd gets rowdy. And it reminds me of going to shows at bars when I was a kid and dad would take me.

After the show ends at 930 or 10pm time to start packing up.

Then normally 2 trips to the car to carry everything  out. Go around thanking everyone. Then back in  the car.

Normally the talk is about the show and matches. A quick stop at the Loves Truck Stop south of McComb MS to get gas and snacks and walk a bit. About 30 minutes later I am home. Unload my stuff and if I'm tired I go crash out. Normally I'm wide awake and I start uploading my footage.


EDIT-This was written back in September 2024. I touched it up some and had I planned to appear near the end of November,and was gonna load it up with pics from some AWA PRO and TGCW shows from that month. 

Then 2nd week of November AWA PRO canceled that weekends show in Ocean Springs and folded. As of right now it appears they are dead.