Eric's House Of Ego

I really should talk about the con ...

We got into the hotel around noon. Soundcheck was at 5 so we had some time to relax, we even got a nap in.

Sunnie came to the room and we ran bits of songs just to make sure we knew what we were doing. The rehearsal was superb and I had no doubts that the show would be as well.

Just before soundcheck Shawna asked us when we were going to head out, someone wanted to see us. I asked who ... she said "someone".

I knew immediatedly who it was. Katie MacDonald had listed herself as a maybe, but had not said that they were or were not coming.

We didn't get as much time hanging out with them as I would have liked, but we still got a lot. I suppose we have to go to a con on their side of the pond next.

I must rant for a brief moment ... I have a few favorite sound crews that I have worked with in fandom. Conflikt has one of the best. Cool toys too, you can run everything remotely from a tablet. Go on, start drooling gundo! Soundcheck was actually fun!

The show was great, Sunnie played like she had been a member of the band for a year, not just an hour. The response seemed to be great. People applauded, we sold CDs.

We watched CD Woodbury's show. I have to be a fan of anyone who covers Blue Oyster Cult (and not Reaper) and Screamin Jay Hawkins in one show. I have to be. He was great.

We didn't stay up for the circles. The train had messed with our sleep schedules pretty badly. We stopped at the con suite for some munchies and then went back and collapsed.

Saturday was spent running around. We went to breakfast with Steve and Katie and Shawna. After Steve, Lizzie and I went to GC. I'll let Lizzie talk about what she got there.

Lizzie and I were on a panel with Jeff and Maya and CD about forming a band.

Seeing as how Jeff and Maya were there, along with Cat and Bari and Steve and Katie, and Lizzie and I ... the solution is obvious. Find your perfect musical partner and marry them and write songs!

The rest of my day was spent listening to music and talking to lots of people. We went to dinner with Autumn and other folk ... yeah, that names thing ... Lizzie will fill this part in in comments (I hope).

The Bohnhoffs tore the place apart with their GOH set that evening. Astounding stuff. Some songs I hadn't heard them do live. They also had Betsy, Sunnie, Vixy and Dr Mary playing with them through much of the show. Jeff continues to astound me as a guitar player and Maya blows me away as a singer. One of the best shows I have ever seen at a con.

Circle that night was a little combative, but only a little. Kathy Mar stepped up and made sure that some of the quieter folks got heard. Two singers in a row, a young man and a young woman, were part of the highlights of the evening. Two amazing voices singing amazing songs acapella. I wish I had gotten their names.

We fell into bed around 2.

I went to Jeff's panel on alternate chord voicings. Wow, tons of new ideas in about 40 minutes.

We went to lunch with Dawn Marie and her fella.

We got back in time to get to sound check with Cat & Bari. We were substitute Unusual Suspects.

The song we helped out on, Wild Magic, IMNSHO, deserves a nod for best filk song.

It was really fun working with them and a great way to end the weekend. We took off right after and headed to the train station.

We sat and watched Puget Sound as the sun went down. We watched the scenery go by as best we could before we finally collapsed and went to bed.

We woke up in the mountains. It was getting toward dawn as we pulled into Whitefish MT. It is on an enormous lake and it is astoundingly beautiful.

Across the way in Glacier Park, was a huge lodge. As with so many things on this trip, I didn't see it in time to get a picture. We're taken very few this trip, mostly because we have been transfixed by the scenery. Just as well that Lizzie fallen asleep, there was a very high bridge that would have freaked her out.

We were back into the Montana scenery. Lovely, austere and quite snowy going this way.

Within an hour or so we were out of the snow. There were menacing looking clouds to the south and crystal clear skies above us and to the north. Taking the train is so much better than driving.

The rest of the ride back was quieter and less spectacular. We did go right through gundo's old neighborhood.

One more night trying to sleep on the train. We pulled into Minneapolis about an hour late, but that's ok. We retrieved our car from Celia's house and drove back home.

This has been the best time. In a lot of ways it was the honeymoon Lizzie and I hadn't gotten around to. It was also filled with great music.

Thank you everyone who made our trip wonderful, there were a lot of you.

I have to get back to Seattle again. Everything about it was amazing and I want to explore it more.

Lizzie and I will be going to Conflikt!

Cheshire Moon will be playing Friday night after opening ceremonies (I think). We will have a special guest fiddler for the show!

The part that is the most fun, we are driving up to Minneapolis earlier in the week and taking the train! 36 hours of travel through the North Dakota, Montana, a teensy bit of Idaho, Oregon and Washington.