Lynn Does London, Day 4

[figmo]

[The reason for the much earlier date is this is the only entry I did on the plane that was properly saved.]

Impressions:

• The British filk con doesn't have a Toastmaster. They need one. There were times when acts didn't know who was supposed to introduce them, and there was no clean way to get them to end on time. Having a designated MC would fix this. If they don't have one the next time I'm there, I will happily volunteer for this job, as I've got a nationwide reputation for making programming tracks run on time.
• The Brits start their cons way earlier than we do. This also meant the open filking was sparsely attended. Too bad.

This time I had a hard time getting up. I barely made it to breakfast in time to get enough to eat. I sat with auntie_marion, Donna, and a bunch of other folks whose names I couldn't read but who were fascinating. I tried black pudding and discovered I like it. There were "religious" arguments as to whether Scottish or English black pudding is better, the Fair Isles vs. the SCA, and some surprise on their part that I wasn't involved in the latter at all. Truth be told, I once went to an SCA campout and didn't fit in. Some folks are cut out for camping; I'm not one of them...but I digress. Anyhow, I really enjoyed the tangents they were going off onto. We also compared notes regarding what people yell at "Rocky Horror Picture Show."

The group "Chimes" needed the main room to set up for their concert, so there was no way to go over my sound requirements, so instead we rehearsed for my concert. I had Kate Soley Barton on soprano, Valerie on alto, highstone on tenor, and hrrunka on bass for "Winter on My System." It was cool to do it with a real vocal group for the first time. Next Valerie, Rhodri, and I rehearsed "He's Not On The Net."

I was able to catch a little bit of Chimes before I had to move out of my room. They were also amazing. little_cinnamon is an amazing musician. It seemed like she was switching instruments every time I blinked my eyes. She also has a lovely voice, and this time I got to hear more of it. The rest of the group was also excellent.

I missed Songbird's concert altogether because I was moving out of my room. I had to exit the room while waiting for the bellhop because it was time for my concert. I arrived with computer, guitar, synth, and music in tow. keristor reminded me I "only have 15 minutes." I really had 45 minutes, but he was tired, too. I had allowed for setup time and ended just before 1pm. The choral numbers seemed to go well, and I was amazed at what folks did and didn't laugh at. Some of the biggest laughs came during "Grandma's Training Bra" and the "Aquarius" segment of "Poetry's Greatest Hits," while the "Casey at the Bat" segment fell flat (another case of different reference points; kids in the US are force-fed that poem), and Edgar Allen Poe got some laughs but not as many. I'm guessing Brits don't read as many American poets in school as we do in the US.

I ended with me being backed by a rough cut of my recording of "I Lost My Baby On The Information Highway." I could tell the geeks in the crowd because they got more of the jokes in it. Afterwards folks told me they'd already heard the song. I'm told bardiclug has done it there. (I have yet to hear his version and want to!) Much to the surprise of the tech crew, my concert ended just before 1pm as I'd intended it to. (A lot of concerts ran late this weekend, so they naturally expected mine to do so. I reminded them I've run a few cons in my time....)

After that I tucked away my computer, got some soup for lunch, managed to introduce myself to pbristow, and just hung out till the Sams (their at-con awards) and "Brownie Queen" awards were given out. I wish the rules for the Sams had been better deliniated so those of us not familiar with them could understand how they worked. Again, another example of how folks take for granted everyone knows everyone and how everything works.

The con officially ended with "Sam's Song," and I was amazed at how nearly everyone there knew all the words to all the verses without having lyrics in front of them. I can't even do that with Hope Eyrie!

Immediately after closing, the Maughans and I had to whisk off because grey_lady had a business trip and I had an Internet to catch. I teased them about how they were doing the con a favor by removing me from the premises before the Chinese food run. grey_lady and I had dinner (rdmaughan had eaten beforehand), I forced myself onto the Internet after rdmaughan and I kludged a connection from the kichen, and then I crashed, alas, without a proper goodnight.

Comments

[hrrunka]

doesn't have a Toastmaster

I guess that's usually fallen to one of the concom. This year I think the concom were probably stretched a bit thin, one way and another. By Sunday some of the techies were a bit stretched too. It's easy to take things for granted (and get a mite complacent into the bargain) when they're working smoothly. Folks only really notice when things start coughing and spluttering or grinding to a halt.

It was fun doing "Winter on my System", though I think I'd have managed better if I'd had a little more practice when I was awake. *grin*

"Sam's Song" has been a traditional Brit filk-event closing for longer than I've been involved. After a few times through you pick it up. ;)