Balticon 2014
Home from Balticon, busy doing laundry and catching up on a few things off the TiVO.
It was a good convention. While perhaps an unorthodox choice of Music GOH, Ken Anders did well. He sang us a mix of traditional ballads (including several bawdy ballads), Broadway tunes, and Renaissance Festival-inspired parodies. He made good contributions to panels, was a Masquerade judge, and did hang out with us in open filk.
Concerts included Sarah Pinsker, Darren Zieger (great to hear from again, it's been a while), Devo Spice,
batyatoon (who I played stunt guitarist for on a pair of songs) and a reduced version of the Boogie Knights (Dave, John and Lynn couldn't make the con). Decent open filking, with a couple of promising new voices.
Several nice memorials for Marty Gear, including a couple of video tributes to open the newly-dubbed Marty Gear Memorial Masquerade. I performed "Costumer" twice, once during the main memorial on Sunday afternoon and again during the memorial filk circle I hosted this afternoon.
Best moment of the con: During the Saturday night filk,seishonagon and a friend premiered a new Barrayar song, about Kareen. I grabbed the next turn and asked, "Banquet or Council of Counts?" The latter won. So I sang "In the Council". I broke Irina. Completely. Even worse than I did with "Valancy's Gift" a few years back. I think her jaw left a dent in the Garden Room floor.
Second best moment of the con: Late Sunday night/Monday morning, someone came into the filk wearing a Gizmonics Institute jumpsuit and carrying a Tom Servo. We were doing Bardic. He was going to pass, but I asked if I could take his turn for him. He agreed. I played "The Love Theme from Mystery Science Theater 3000" (i.e. the theme song we all know and love), which someone had posted to RATMM years ago. Hey, when duty calls, I respond (*grin*).
Meanwhile, no rest for the weary. Off to Chicago on business for a couple of days, then the Washington Folk Festival next weekend. (Yay! Free music!) Then a bit of quiet until Contata.
It was a good convention. While perhaps an unorthodox choice of Music GOH, Ken Anders did well. He sang us a mix of traditional ballads (including several bawdy ballads), Broadway tunes, and Renaissance Festival-inspired parodies. He made good contributions to panels, was a Masquerade judge, and did hang out with us in open filk.
Concerts included Sarah Pinsker, Darren Zieger (great to hear from again, it's been a while), Devo Spice,
batyatoon (who I played stunt guitarist for on a pair of songs) and a reduced version of the Boogie Knights (Dave, John and Lynn couldn't make the con). Decent open filking, with a couple of promising new voices.Several nice memorials for Marty Gear, including a couple of video tributes to open the newly-dubbed Marty Gear Memorial Masquerade. I performed "Costumer" twice, once during the main memorial on Sunday afternoon and again during the memorial filk circle I hosted this afternoon.
Best moment of the con: During the Saturday night filk,
seishonagon and a friend premiered a new Barrayar song, about Kareen. I grabbed the next turn and asked, "Banquet or Council of Counts?" The latter won. So I sang "In the Council". I broke Irina. Completely. Even worse than I did with "Valancy's Gift" a few years back. I think her jaw left a dent in the Garden Room floor.Second best moment of the con: Late Sunday night/Monday morning, someone came into the filk wearing a Gizmonics Institute jumpsuit and carrying a Tom Servo. We were doing Bardic. He was going to pass, but I asked if I could take his turn for him. He agreed. I played "The Love Theme from Mystery Science Theater 3000" (i.e. the theme song we all know and love), which someone had posted to RATMM years ago. Hey, when duty calls, I respond (*grin*).
Meanwhile, no rest for the weary. Off to Chicago on business for a couple of days, then the Washington Folk Festival next weekend. (Yay! Free music!) Then a bit of quiet until Contata.
