Author: Gareth

Transmedia developer — writer, consultant, game designer, graphic artist, and publisher. A sharp tongue, a sharp blade, and on a good day, a sharp mind.
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KCRF Sixth Weekend: The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly

The Good:

  • The weather was the best we’ve seen, and so the crowds came….even with the Redneck Olympics (in other words, NASCAR) occuring just a mile or so away, filling the air with the dulcet tones of roaring engines. 20,000+ on Saturday, another 20K on Sunday, and then the usual school-visit crowds of Columbus Day. We had no trouble getting audiences for our shows, and Saturday’s tips were the best of the entire run so far.
  • Fans. As a first-year show, it was unexpected, but I’m chuffed as hell to note that we have fans — patrons who have shown up for our show multiple times during the run, and tell us how much they love it. This is officially a Good Thing. This weekend, we had fans that tipped us 20 bucks, fans who asked if we had a website or merchandise (…I’m working on that, actually), and even someone who asked for signatures in one of the Festival’s new Autograph books. Bizarre….but good.
  • Performing for people whom we respect, and seeing them really enjoy the show. I never thought that the sight of someone spitting up beer would be a welcome one, but, thanks to , it was!
  • Random Announcements. I am glad that this tradition has returned. Something which could easily venture into self-indulgent pointlessness instead gives everyone at Morning Meeting a much-needed burst of humor and energy before we open…I was proud to provide Sunday’s announcement (“Sic vis Pacem, para Nachos….Dona Nobis Nascar…Git-r-done.”), and King Ricky’s announcement on Monday was hilarious. It feels good to be passing a tradition on to newer performers. Hopefully, it will stick.
  • Potato Soup at the home of on Sunday night, made by . Jesus Monkey-lovin’ Christ, that was good.

The Bad:

  • The masturbatory pointlessness of Monday’s morning meeting, watching the Entertainment Staff give eachother Star awards. What-the-fuck-Ever, people.
  • “Hey, do you work here? Is that a real sword? Can I hold it? Let me see it.” Ah, the joys of Columbus Day.
  • The heckler at our Saturday show at the Mermaid. I shut him down, but perhaps with a bit too much. I don’t like losing my temper. Still, fans thanked me afterwards….but I don’t like letting them get to me like that.
  • OK, Dude….if you quit, then go away. Don’t come back every fucking weekend and try to get me involved in your little crusade. I swear to god….if Keith (is that his name?) comes up to me again to tell me about his Super-Keen Elite Seekrit Plans, I’m just going to bitch-slap him in full view of patrons and other performers.

The Ugly:

  • The Front Gate had their cast party this weekend, at the site. Previously, the vendors had theirs…at the site. Apparently, the only people who don’t deserve a cast party are….well, THE FUCKING CAST. The E.D. must have known that people were pissed about this….because he addressed it on Monday, saying that it was because “of the behavior of some during last year’s party”, and that there will be a party. They’re planning on renting a theatre and having an “academy awards ceremony”, where people get dressed up, etc. So, in other words, he’s totally missed the fucking point AGAIN, and has decided to focus on the one fucking thing that nobody (other than himself and his clique) gives half a shit about: the awards.

    I’m sorry….the awards only meant something when they were peer awards, and we all voted. Now, it’s just another case of meaningless Maestrobation, for the enjoyment of the Inner Circle. The point of the cast party was the socializing and celebration of our collective work….and if your prude-ass-closet-queen-Jesus-Freak-psyche can’t handle “the behavior of some”, then have two parties: One for the 21 and overs, and one for the kids.

    I could go on…but I noticed that said a great many of the things that I would, so there’s not much point in my belaboring the point. Suffice to say that I am desperately hoping that a rumor that I have heard about the future of the current Staff is true. I’m not holding my breath, but I’m hoping.

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General Meandering Post

Looks like the weather for the coming three day weekend at KCRF will be phenominal. Highs in the mid-60s, lows in the upper 40s. Of course, the two drawbacks are: 1) surviving three days, and 2) Columbus Day, the annual hosting of the Future Felons of America.

Anybody know of any good social stuff going on after Faire this weekend? I’ve been stuck in the house all week, and I want to cut loose a bit.

In other news, I went to the bookstore earlier this week and picked up a couple of goodies, including the first novel from a new imprint doing good old-fashioned hard-boiled crime fiction, Hard Case Crime. The first novel in the line is from Stephen King, and is a tribute to the days of Raymond Chandler, Dashiel Hammet and Mickey Spillane. I’m in heaven. Hell, even the books themselves are made to look like old paperbacks:

I also scored a major coup in the bargain bin. My favorite manga series, Five Star Stories, which I had been reading occasionally in Japanese since the late 80s, had been released in oversized English translation editions. I had picked up the first 3 volumes when I was living in NYC. Well, Hastings had volumes 4 through 12 in the bargain bin, priced at 1.99 each (rather than the 10 bucks per that they usually go for). Kick-ass Renaissance-themed Giant Robot manga for 80% off? Yes please.

I mean, Jesus….look at this:

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Friday Music

Fall has finally arrived, and I’m in a great mood. So, without further ado:

Kicking things off with one of my favorite bass riffs ever: The English Beat – “Twist and Crawl”. Nothing like a little bit of second-wave ska to get people bouncing at their desks on a Friday.

Take what may be the best Bond theme ever, composed by John Barry, add David Arnold’s production and conducting skills and then give it to a couple of electronic musicians to screw around with it, and you end up with this brilliant bit of work: The Propellerheads – “On Her Majesty’s Secret Service.” Give it a listen all the way through. Trust me — when the bass synth and drums finally kick in, well over a minute into the track, you’ll agree that this might be one of the best driving-really-fast-to-very-loud-music songs EVER.

My favorite track from Prince’s 1988 soundtrack to the film Batman. A lot of comic geeks were annoyed by the funked-up music, preferring instead Danny Elfman’s dark and brooding score. They missed out on some really excellent music…especially if all they heard was the awful single “Batdance” (which was needlessly schizophrenic, as it contained samples of every song on the album). This song, however, stood out (for me at least): Prince – “Electric Chair.” “If a man is considered guilty for what goes on in his mind, then give me the electric chair for all my future crimes.”

I saw the video for this song on VH1 Classic last night, and I literally had not heard it in almost 20 years. I had complete forgotten about it, and how much I liked it at the time (especially the brass-synth fanfare that forms the main hook). So, I had to track down a copy, and here ya go: Emerson, Lake and Powell – “Touch and Go.”

A nice bit of UK alternative from the heady days of the 1990s. I love the lyrics of this one. Lush – “Ladykillers.”

I’ve heard that Kate Bush is working on a new album. I’m looking forward to that — in the meantime, though, I’ll share with you the last song of hers that really grabbed me, from her early-nineties album The Sensual World: Kate Bush – “Love and Anger.”

Lastly, here’s another track from DJ Shadow’s groundbreaking debut album Endtroducing. The slow sax riff in this song makes it a perfect soundtrack to a crisp Fall day: DJ Shadow – “What Does Your Soul Look Like (Part 1 – Blue Sky Revisit)”

Another week done.

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