Re: Back from Orycon: review

John C. Bunnell wrote:

> Whoof. We have met a convention, and it was us. Or
> something like that.
>
> I'll be more than happy to hear comments, positive and
> otherwise, on the filk/music parts of the convention;
> meanwhile, herewith my own assessment.
>
> CONCERTS
> Assuming I get this job next year,

Are you sure you don't mean, "If I am unable to avoid being drafted, kicking and screaming, to ride herd on this four-ring circus"? ;)

<serious snippage>

I can't comment on most of the music programming. To my great disappointment, I was asleep with a raging head cold for the grand majority of the con. :(

The one observation that I do have involves the changeover for Heather's concert.

It seems that the Programming Gods have decided that Heather's main concert in the Riverview is now a traditional thing. Coolness. This is delightful and insures my presence at OryCon for many years to come.

The non-delightful part of the concert came in the changeover between the Tai Chi class (10am-11am) and Heather (11am-noon). Clockwise, Tai Chi ran a little over 10:55. In view of the number of people that generally show up at Heather's gigs *early* to get a good seat, it was quite frustrating to find them still in the middle of the Riverview two minutes prior to the concert. In addition, a few people (who had asked) knew that the hotel staff were assigned to replacing the chairs. The majority who did not know this secured "their" spot by a variety of ways: bringing their own chair, or plopping down on the dancefloor waiting for a chair to be brought. When the hotel staff failed to show up within 30 seconds or so, the knowledgeable folks realized that they had to move or end up with less than optimal seats. This led to several differences of opinion on exactly whose *that* square foot of floor of floor was.

Of course, this was eventually resolved with no blood loss that I know of, but it was an incident that should be avoided in the future. So: next year, where does one leave the apropriate suggestions/supplications to have a "dead" half hour prior to the concert? Tai Chi 9:30-10:30, Heather 11-noon, Art auction thereafter. An alternate is Tai chi 10-11, Heather 11:30-12:30, Art Auction thereafter. At the very *minimum*, a sign asking people to stay outside the Riverview unitl the Tai Chi class is done and to wait until the hotel staff have finished moving the chairs. I've already volunteered for next year, so if nothing else, I will make the sign.

All in all, it was the worst display of fan manners I've ever seen at a Heather concert, myself included. I'm willing to do whatever needs to be done so that it needn't happen next year.

Repentently,
Lea Rush Received on 11/10/97