So, that’s another DragonCon for the books. After four years of doing this (and the rest of the band having an extra year on me besides), we seem to have both figured out logistics and a few tricks for, as well as developed a pretty decent following at, this event; things went pretty damned smooth this year, if I do say so myself, which I finally feel safe doing after being back home and sleeping in my own bed for a couple of days.

Overall, we played some pretty great shows. I would say that it’s kind of exhausting playing *FOUR* shows in one day like The Humdingers did on Sunday, especially when we’re leaving every last bit of energy and enthusiasm on the stage for each one. People *really* dug what we were laying down, so to speak, and we had some seriously excellent audiences who laughed in all the right places and fed us the energy to keep putting on the kind of shows that make everybody present, both performer and audience, have a better time for the interaction. Special shout out to all the great folks at Sunday night’s show*, both the long-time fans, and the new folks who showed up – you really made that one special for me. SO MUCH FUN.

Additionally, I want to offer up special thanks to the folks from the DragonCon Filk Track, who are always such great hosts and work really, really hard to make sure the performers sound their best, and everybody present has a great time. Also, the fortune cookies are awesome. This year, as well, the track went above and beyond, posting hours and hours of video showcasing all the great live performances on Filk Track Facebook Page. I highly recommend checking that out. Robbie, Amber, Madison, Walt, and all the rest, you guys throw a great party!

As always, it’s definitely worth thanking all our fellow performers on the track and elsewhere, including (but certainly not limited to) old friends like Mikey Mason, Gray Rinehart (both of whom excel at the tango!), Brobdingnagian Bards (aka Andrew McKee and Marc Gunn), Tom Smith, Nick Edelstein, Hawthorn and Holly, Valentine Wolfe, Foot Pound Force, Metricula, The Long Losts, as well as new friends like Pyrate Queen, TimeCrash, The Extraordinary Contraptions, Toucan Dubh, Crystal Bright and the Silver Hands, Nathaniel Johnstone, and probably a bunch of other folks I’m forgetting. You’re all excellent and inspiring performers and people.

Finally, thanks to everyone for saying such awesome things about Kirsten’s amazing new song we really worked hard putting together, “Elegy for a Nerf Herder”; I know she’s totally humbled and honored by everyone’s praise (especially Marc’s suggestion about The Pegasus Awards – totaly worthy) , and I absolutely love it myself – can’t wait to put it on the record!

As for the con itself, we had an enjoyable time beyond the performances – all the amazing cosplayers who wandered around and poppped by our table; you guys are awesome. Also – thanks for buying the stuff and digging our music. We got some songwriting done behind the table, enjoyed the scenery, and had some fun celebrity encounters…

Yes, Sunday was when we got this year’s official con story we’ll be telling for years (at my expense). After we’d gotten set up Sunday morning, we were sitting around waiting for the day’s festivities to get rolling, a pretty redhead stopped by the table to comment on some of the wares and express admiration at Cerine the merch girl’s Flying Spaghetti Monster hat. As I looked up from whatever I was doing (breakfast, phone, something…), I commented to my bandmates that “this one really ought to cosplay as River Song!”, only realizing as I finished my statement that the person in question was, in actuality, Alex Kingston herself.

I am dense sometimes, though I’m glad my relative density can provide entertainment for my friends and co-conspirators.

I’m sure there’s more to share, though I’ve honestly probably gone on long enough. We had a great time. Thanks to Scott and Kirsten, as always, for having me along. Hopefully we’ll get to do it again soon!

______________________

* – not that all our shows weren’t awesome – I just had a blast watching those newbies in the front row – you know who you are!