Armageddon 2015: Talking 20 years with organiser Bill Geradts

Armageddon 2015: Talking 20 years with organiser Bill Geradts

With just days to go to the 2015 Armageddon Expo in Auckland, we got the low down from organiser Bill Geradts, on the eve of the show's 20th anniversary.

Congrats on reaching the 20th anniversary of the Expo, did you ever imagine it would get to be here two decades on?
Not at all. Originally, It was just a fun event for fellow fans, something of a sideline. We never dreamed it would grow to the size it has.

Tell us a bit about the first Armageddon at the Avondale raceway back in 1995?
90% Trading Cards, no computer gaming and no anime. Almost totally different from the current event.

What did you think of the event back then and what ambitions did you have for it?
Honestly, I wasn’t thinking beyond the first event, which, while a good show, not very successful for us at all, so much so that we nearly didnt do another one, and when we did it was a lot smaller, only growing in the years that followed.

Dr Who's Karen Gillan looks particularly pleased to see Bill

When you started this, what was the one thing you and the team were determined to do with the expo - and how difficult was it to achieve that?
have fun, which was very easy.

It seems like a fair few guests love coming to these events both here in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch - what's the appeal to them?
New Zealand is the appeal.

The guest list throughout the years has been amazing in terms of the scope of the event - who's been your favourite guest to host and why?

I am a huge Doctor Who fan, so for me, any Who guests are always great.

Who's been the one guest that you had over whose audience reaction surpassed your expectations?
Evanna Lynch from Harry Potter, Really wasnt expecting the incredible response from Potter fans.

What's your favourite part of the event and why?
all of it, its a sum of its parts, with each piece making the whole so much more fun.

Beyond Reality Media does events around the year - and not just Armageddons - what else would you like to be doing?
Building rockets to go to the moon.

Finally, what are the plans for Year 21….?
Bigger, always bigger