mdlbear | LosCon filk gig yesterday (Reply)

So, here we are at LosCon, having driven down on Thursday as usual (there was more traffic on 101 than I expected, but it was still 70mph most of the way). There's next to nothing about filk in the pocket program; the person running filking didn't show up until about 4pm on Friday. It wasn't until somewhere around 6:30pm, as I was signing the check for dinner, that the chaoswolf dashed in to inform me that I had a 1/2 hour concert slot at 8.

Have I practiced? Not a whole lot. Do I have a setlist ready? No. Up to the room to shuffle pages from the filkbook.

flower_cat told me afterward that I sounded good, I was definitely more relaxed than usual, and managed to get some dialog going with the audience (especially on "When I Was a Lad", which lends itself to that sort of thing). Several people mentioned that they prefer my version of "Ship of Stone", which is nice to know.

I performed standing up, because the room was small and there was no sound reinforcement. Worked ok, though a longer gig would probably have given me trouble.

Tech crew arrived with something they tried to pass off as a PA system just as I was about to start. They never got it working; after a couple of disastrous feedback squeals I told them to stuff it. They insisted on continuing to fiddle with it during my set. Next time I'll be firmer. I don't have a whole lot of confidence in my vocal abilities, but help like that is no help at all.