Hey all, it’s a damp Sunday evening and I just got back from this year’s MarsCon, my “home” fan convention, and quite possibly one of my favorite experiences I get to have every year.

As has been the case the last couple of years, I spend a bit of time “working” these cons, as the bassist/mandolin player/roadie/co-conspirator/coffee getter/etc for Blibbering Humdingers, although it doesn’t feel like work at all; it’s just a little over 48 hours of hanging out with my friends, cracking jokes, and playing music.

While Marscon is a con with a bit of everything – Games! Science! Costumes! Writing! Art! ALL THE THINGS! – over the last half-decade or so, it’s really become well-known for it’s music track (largely guided by the wonderful Butch Allen), which has collected over the years a wonderful and eclectic collection of artists who keep coming back every year to entertain the collected throng, as well as each other.

And I’m still kind of amazed and humbled by the fact that I get to be part of that. This was my third Marscon playing with Scott and Kirsten, and going back even farther, I’ve been welcomed into the Marscon musical brotherhood in filk circles and impromtu jam sessions. I couldn’t ask for a more supportive, welcoming, and open group of creative people to be kind of adopted by; it’s truly a safe space to get out and perform and take risks (which I did this year by making an attempt at a seriously hard to play and sing David Bowie tune, “Life on Mars”, in front of about 100 people during “Filk and Cookies”), and not get affected too much by impostor syndrome.

This year, though, I feel like I’d finally “made it” as a peer, rather than an aspirant. This year I got to sit on the *big stage* during the big con closeout round-robin concert with all the performers and play along with everyone, and was welcomed with open arms by both the players and the audience. It was a great feeling playing along with and supporting (I *am* the bass player; that’s my job) such amazingly talented people like the Humdingers, Mikey Mason, Jonah Knight, Valentine Wolfe, White Plectrum, Danny Birt, and this year’s musical Guest of Honor, S.J. Tucker (who you should really check out, because she’s an amazing player and performer, and honestly, a real sweetheart of a person who made everyone feel welcome and appreciated, including my stupefied superfan daughter).

I really hope that someday I’m able to “pay it forward” to some other ascended fanboy; because I really want somebody else to feel as welcomed and appreciated as I did this weekend.

(photo by Althea Kontis)