quasi-steampunk busking adventure @ C13

Jun 13, 2007 14:13

Alright, alright. Finally, dammit.
Set #2 of 3 of Convergence 13 photos follows. I should make a disclaimer: most attendees of C13 spent their mornings either perusing the frippery in the vending area, nursing their hangovers, or tarting up to attend the special planned events like the tea party. This is not an accurate representation of what most individuals do at Convergence. Fortunately I am not most people, and this is what we did on a chilly Sunday morning, two-and-a-half weeks ago.

We took over a street corner outside of the hotel and busked. This occurrence was orchestrated over a few emails but mostly manifested out of friendly conversations with musicians eager to play outside the club and away from the stage. Most of us barely knew each other and had just met, days before.

The participants were as follows, though many other folks stopped to watch or take pictures:
Magpie (
magpie_ratt) of Steampunk Magazine on accordion, vocals
Paul Mercer of Faith and the Muse and The Ghosts Project on viola
Nathaniel Johnstone (
nathan_fhtagn) of Abney Park on violin, organizey
Jason of Questionable Origins in Chicago (
swore) on doumbek
Molly Mitchell (
dreadful_red) of Various Freaking Bad-Ass Bellydance Troupes; bellydance
Rachel of Portland; vending of Steampunk Magazines, Magpie's recordings, and recycled brass gear jewelry
Additional Jason, previously of Portland and now of San Francisco; photography
Libby, of this LJ and various other portals to hell; photography and some organizey

Images and a story or two behind the cut.



Magpie, Paul, Nathan, Molly

So...



We threw the gang together outside Sunday morning--bit cold for busking, but we managed. Molly wore her coat to stay warm until she was ready to dance.



Paul and his antique viola. Wind and long hair make for difficult attempts at perfect bowing. :) Paul did a number on Nathan and I Friday--we stopped to watch Zoe Keating set the mood for the vending area with her amplified cello, and Paul came over to improvise with her on electric violin. It was the single highest point of the whole weekend for me, watching two very talented individuals who'd just met minutes before create such passionate and inspiring music. I really haven't the words.



Rachel, Magpie's partner, and Nathan. Rachel sold copies of the magazine to passersby out of Magpie's accordion case, and she'd also brought along some pieces of her steampunky cog jewelry. I acquired a fantastic asymmetrical piece.
The two of them are both staring at something on the street, but I can't remember what that might be.



Magpie and Paul rock out. Magpie sang a plethora of songs he'd written (which are available here) at the top of his lungs, with his head thrown back. Paul and Nathan learned the general ideas of them and improvised along. I laughed my ass off. Delightful.

Busking with people with whom you have never played before is not easy, but Nathan and Magpie called out key signatures and the gentlemen hacked it just fine.



Jason banged along on a recently acquired doumbek. Note Nathan's ridiculously faggy boots. Glee.



Molly bellydanced in the cool air and upped the yum factor of our group exponentially.



I do so love this picture of Magpie. He spent much of his time as a vocalist screaming along with his accordion--it was glorious.



Rachel, in color, with 'zines.



A nice shot of
cyclpath, who dropped by in his fine striped suit to take some pictures and laugh with us.



robert_from_ap also paused to hang (and do an inadvertent advertisement for Pepsi).



Molly, mid-spin. Pardon the blur.



And a final portrait of Nathan, looking very much the tortured Victorian in the Knights Templar coat I sent him.

Wish you'd been there to dance with us.

5.27.07, Canon EOS Digital Rebel XT, 600 px tall/wide, resizing and curves in Adobe Photoshop CS2.
Thank you.

busking, convergence, photography

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