Let me tell you about my weekend

[ericcoleman]

I left Iowa about 1:30 Thursday, drove to exapno's place up near the Wisconsin border. The idea was to crash out for a few hours, then hit the road about 12:30am. It didn't quite work that way.

I got a call about 9 from devospice asking when I was going to upload Toyboat's Fump song. I had done this Monday, but apparently had done something wrong. There was this bit of panic for about an hour. Xap has web access, but it's one of those systems that insist you use their software to connect. If I could get a connection I could simply re-upload the files, but I don't know if Xap has a computer with a USB port. gundo was already on the road, and while he does have access while on the road, he doesn't have enough bandwidth to be able to transfer large-ish files. There were many phone calls made, at which point Xap got home (about 10) and it turned out she did have a USB port (well, her computer has one, Xap hasn't upgraded to USB yet).

So I got about an hour and a half of nap.

We loaded up my car with the half a buttload (Gundo had the other half buttload, Toyboat does not travel light) of gear and hit the road about 12:30.

The original plan was for me to show up at her place late-ish, then leave in the morning, but having a noon show changed that.

We made great time in spite of the weather and were there in time to get set up and sound check properly AND to get in my room (the hotel were very very nice to a very very tired drummer)

Uplift (Andy Eigel)
Hellraiser (Tom Smith)
Zombie Momma
Sunset Boulevard
Rocket Launcher (Bruce Cockburn)
Gimmie Shelter (Nanker/Phelge) (with special guest villain seanan_mcguire
Poolhall At The End Of The Universe
The Lady (Jodi Krangle) (first performance, we could hear Jodi twitching all the way from Canada)
Banned From Argo
Would You Like To Play A Game?

All songs had special guest villain judifilksign, who might as well be considered an auxiliary member of the band, since we'll pout if she doesn't get on stage with us.

It was a very high energy show, a ton of fun, and the audience made it that much easier.

We had a rapid tear down/get stuff off the stage, and I headed to my room for some sleep.

So I missed everything Friday afternoon, but it was necessary.

That evening we were back up onstage for the Pegasus Awards Concert. We did Jeff and Maya Bohnhoffs Come To Mordor. It went well, but really I wasn't quite there when it happened.

I think it was just before the show that folkmew came up to us and asked us to play in her show. After a short rehearsal with her the circle in the hall started. I was pretty much done already, but we managed a few songs before we all collapsed. I'm trying to remember who all was there. I think it was Ookla, Randy Hoffman, Vixy and Tony (who came later), Brooke was there later as well. And I can't remember who else. My apologies, and my apologies for being too lazy to go get LJ user names.

I crashed out around 1:30 and got up at 9:30 and met up for breakfast with Xap. We all converged at the con suite at 10 and got set up for the CD release party.

It went very well, sold about 18 CDs I think. I need to sit down and work out what went where, but through the course of the weekend, between folks getting them from us, what went to dealers who were at the con, what went to dealers who were not at the con and wanted them sent to them and some given away, we disposed of 85 CDs. With another 10 going to a west coast dealer and a few sold in presale, there are over a 100 out there the first weekend. One dealer at the con sold out of the 10 she bought for the weekend and will need to be restocked and the other will need restock at Windycon. wow. We are all overwhelmed. I'm just hoping that folks like the CD, there have only been a couple (so far positive) comments that I have seen.

I watched some music and chatted with some folks until it was time for Mew's concert. Let's see if I have this right. From stage left to stage right it was Sally Childs Helton, Heather Dale and Ben Deschampes, Gundo, Kathy Mar, Jason Neerenberg, Brooke Lunderville, Kathleen (whose last name I can never remember), Me, Amy McNally and Debbie Gates. And, of course, Mew and Ed front and center. I think I am missing someone, but I can't think of who (was Judi signing?). braider on banjo !!! I am such a gerbil sometimes.

This was, beyond any doubt, one of the most fun musical moments of my life. I will say that Ed's foot was my best friend. Sally was on the opposite side of the stage from Debbie and I, but we still managed to stay together. From where I was, it was a great show, from the audience's reaction, it was a great show.

I went straight from that to the banquet. I commented to catsittingstill that I was still in an after show frenzy. Her comment was "after show?"

That is one of the many reasons I love the filk community, they speak the truth. Oh, and the hugs. Have I mentioned the 1000s of hugs I got this weekend? Well, I should. Yeah, lotsa hugs. Oh, and music ... of course. And family.

The Saturday evening circle was a little more low key. It did contain one of the highlights of the weekend. batyatoon doing her song Creatures of Dream. The best song (of a whole lot of great songs) that I heard all weekend. It was amazing.

I crashed out around 2 and got up in time to get loaded out and there for Whose Line Is It Anyway. I was the MC, and the panel was Tom Smith, Seanan McGuire and Bill and Gretchen Roper and the ever amazing Dr Mary Crowell on the piano and the ever amazing braider making sure that things ran smoothly. I only messed up a little, but I did have the best seat in the house for the insanity. (oh, does anyone have video or a photo of Seanan strangling me?)

After was the jam. I will say that quite possibly the loudest thing in the known universe is having s00j and her drum in your right ear. That said, I was one of the drummers with her, Sally and Debbie. Surrounded by women with drums. Fandom has been very very good to me.

We split about halfway through the jam. I did get to see Debbie and S00j do Come Down (along with others joining in as the song went along). It was an astounding ending for an astounding weekend.

The drive home was a drive home.

I think I remembered everything, and everyone. If I didn't please comment.

Thank you all my family for the amazing weekend. I can't wait till the next one.



In the meantime, take a look at this picture that Adam English drew of the band.



oh, and a CD (mine or the bands) to the first person who gets the music geek joke that is in the text here somewhere and sends the answer to me at ericcoleman at gmail dot com.

Comments

[braider.livejournal.com]

And here is a picture of Adam drawing that picture.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/braider/4048567028/

Edit:

I think I am missing someone, but I can't think of who

*tap tap tap* MEC/Itsy Bitsy Spider, banjo?

ACK !!!

[ericcoleman]

I knew there was one more. Fixed.

Oh, and thank you again.

Oh, and I think that picture caused a rupture somewhere. I'm glad that all of my coworkers have gone home, they'd wonder why I went into a hysterical whoop.

Re: ACK !!!

[braider.livejournal.com]

*grin*