Contata, Take I
While I still have a few functioning brain cells...
I had a great time at Contata! I'm told they had about 100 folks registered not including kids or guests, which is excellent. I was much in demand as a Trained Stunt Guitarist, accompanying signy1 on "Rich Fantasy Lives" in the Tom Smith benefit, partiallyclips on "Uplift" and suecochran on "God Lives On Terra" in the one-shots/two-fers, and batyatoon on "Mornington Crescent", among other things. I quite enjoy playing for other people; it's something I'd like to have more opportunities to do. It gives me excuses to stretch my guitar skills. My axes also saw action in the hands of starmalachite and fleetfootmike. Got to spend lots of time chatting with and catching up with folks, which is always good and something I don't always manage at cons. (Although I'm getting better at it.)
The Tom Smith Benefit was most excellent, and our special guest Christine Lavin did a great job as MC. Judging from the look on his face, I would not be surprised at all to see Nate Bucklin turn up at the next con with a Boomerang. I definitely must catch Tom Paxton's next local show and find out his reaction at having Christine and all the performers sing "Peace Will Come" to him (and filkertom) over the phone.
Enjoyed all of the concerts that I made it to, even if it looked like I was asleep (or nearly so) once or twice. (I'll note I missed the two Friday concerts, that being the only opportunity to eat dinner.) Of course, it's almost impossible to not enjoy a Heather Dale concert. In addition to being talented performers and fine songwriters, both Heather (as I've noted before, I think) and Ben clearly enjoy being on stage and take great delight in performing. I have observed this to be a fairly consistent characteristic of my favorite performers across all genres.
More thoughts tomorrow.
I had a great time at Contata! I'm told they had about 100 folks registered not including kids or guests, which is excellent. I was much in demand as a Trained Stunt Guitarist, accompanying signy1 on "Rich Fantasy Lives" in the Tom Smith benefit, partiallyclips on "Uplift" and suecochran on "God Lives On Terra" in the one-shots/two-fers, and batyatoon on "Mornington Crescent", among other things. I quite enjoy playing for other people; it's something I'd like to have more opportunities to do. It gives me excuses to stretch my guitar skills. My axes also saw action in the hands of starmalachite and fleetfootmike. Got to spend lots of time chatting with and catching up with folks, which is always good and something I don't always manage at cons. (Although I'm getting better at it.)
The Tom Smith Benefit was most excellent, and our special guest Christine Lavin did a great job as MC. Judging from the look on his face, I would not be surprised at all to see Nate Bucklin turn up at the next con with a Boomerang. I definitely must catch Tom Paxton's next local show and find out his reaction at having Christine and all the performers sing "Peace Will Come" to him (and filkertom) over the phone.
Enjoyed all of the concerts that I made it to, even if it looked like I was asleep (or nearly so) once or twice. (I'll note I missed the two Friday concerts, that being the only opportunity to eat dinner.) Of course, it's almost impossible to not enjoy a Heather Dale concert. In addition to being talented performers and fine songwriters, both Heather (as I've noted before, I think) and Ben clearly enjoy being on stage and take great delight in performing. I have observed this to be a fairly consistent characteristic of my favorite performers across all genres.
More thoughts tomorrow.