Cre2c3ndo - The 23rd UK Filk Convention

Friday
Always getting stuff together to go to the filk con takes longer than i think - got to Con around 6pm. Landed, ate swiftly and made it to opening ceremony and once enconsed watched great sets from Bill & Brenda Sutton always jolly - their set is such a big part of UK Cons, and Piers acapella fun including timed record braking speed performance of The Manch.  Then a lovely set from Silke - her German version of Zander's Mina's Song was great but really struck me most when I heard it again in a late filk circle. It just captured the moment then I think.

Then it was time for much socialising in the bar. I did join a very small filk circle late in the day and sang a couple of songs acappella - Life Road, and Killing Friends Is Fun.

Saturday
Not a good night sleep but glad to get my set overwith - a 30min set at 11.30am - the middle of the night! I was determined to play some new songs and did so with a few older songs for confidence - Got some lovely coments from folks and was nominated for 3 Sam Awards - didnlt win but was chuffed to be nommed.
my set - Future Beige, Letters In Time, Lifespell, Jenny's Chickens (whistle tunes), The Wishing Tree, Science Fiction Eyes.

Clare Goodall followed me with an illustrated lecture including 10+ instruments on the history of the rise and fall of harps and lyres in history and generally the history of instruments. Wonderful performance - someone give her a TV series!

Was aware of tiredness caused by bad night and growing sore throat I put down to the same so had to sacrifice some shows for power naps. Mostly caught half-sets of  nMC - excellent as always, GoH Heather Dale and Ben Deauchamps - very professional, slick and jolly Celtica, and Marilisa who alas I caught only a couple of songs from as my power nap over ran.

After dinner I helped run the sound desk with Hilary for the main concert (like floorspots at a folk club) for 90mins. Too many excellent performances to mention really but the Crooklets kids hit top notch again with a fun Dalek song.

Billed as "From The Ashes" - the total surprise for me was that it turned out to be a reunion of the filk band Phoenix - who I saw in my early days of filk cons - kids and real life having prevented an earlier return. They totally rocked, switching instruments between them every song. I dipped in and out a bit as was feeling a little under power but I would pop back in for another rock out. It was like no time had passed sicne they last played.

Again folks were more keen on chatting to old chums than filking in circles. I was determined this year to have nice longer chats with people this year instead of flitting about like a humming bird as I often do. Over the course of the weekend I succeded and had nice long chats with several - it menat some old chums I didn't get round to chatting to at all - but thus is con life. I did join a late cirlce and sang Circle Of One which is a song I had totally forgotten about having found the lyric sheet in my filk file as I sat in the circle.

Sunday
Dreadful night even with help of sleeping pills. I now know I was going down with a cold but at the time I didnlt realise and just felt tired and a bit weird. Was pretty sure I would go home early but I made it thru the day almost to the end befiore the lure of home and my own bed just over an hour away was too much to resist.

I did the sound for the footloose filker  - Kamen from Germany. What a great crazy show - a natural performer with genuinely funny filks on famous backing tracks. I even got mentioned in one of her songs "Christo - kiss Jela after the show" - which we obliged theatrically. Franklin, Smac and Jela were priceless too with improvised schtick. there is quite a buzz about German filk scene at the moment.

Then it was time for UK Guest of Honour Marilisa's amazing musical extravaganza - absolutely phenominal - she wrote the whole thing - had 8ish actor/players who'd only rehearsed a coupla of weekends - it flowed so smoothly and looked so professional with backdrops and actors not involved in scenes playing the instruments. I kid you not I am sure one could pay top dollar on the West End stage and not see something as well put together as that. Everyone in the room was kind of stunned by it - talk about hitting the ball out of the ground!

Then more Heather & Ben which again I had to catch some of in order to pack and was nicel;y waylayed by the Maughans for a comfy chat. I wrapped up my CD stock (I sold 2 DVDs and 8 CDs - thanks for those who bought those - which payed for my hotel - result! Then a few swift goodbyes and home very tired and I realised a bit poorly.

Despite that it was a really smoothly run con so hats off to the con comittee, and especially for brilliantly negotiating the prices on the in-house food which was cheap and for me excellent value.