Another weekend ends and the con high
levels out into that post-con exhaustion when we realize, Realms Con was a
blast. Members of SANVA came out in overwhelming support for our two
co-chairmen Mr. Saturday and Sixpence. While there was so much to do at this
con, today we will really focus on the Steampunk side of things.
It was very pleasantly surprising
that this con had so much time and room devoted to Steampunk culture. There
were a good number of panels and events highlighting Steampunks that we almost
outnumbered the rest.
FRIDAY
On that note, we kicked off the fun with
a quaint sit down with Mr. Saturday and Sixpence with “Bohemian Nocturnal Story
time.” Fun was had by all as we started to ramp up the energy to last us through the evening.
After a quick dinner, we got in line for
Abney Park’s performance with a lot of our fellow Steampunks and Geeks. We
definitely enjoyed everyone being so eager in asking questions about Steampunk
and asking to take pictures with our members. It is very nice to see the larger
Geek community become more open minded towards what some would consider a
fringe culture.
Once we got into the ballroom we got as
close to the stage as we could and snagged a great spot in front. You could
feel the collective energy and excitement of the crowd grow as we all waited
for Abney Park to take the stage. Almost as if it was perfectly timed, the band
took the stage when the anticipation hit a fever pitch. Abney Park put on a
great show, which is saying something since they were experiencing some minor
sound equipment issues. For the Friday concert, they played a good set on Friday, which rocked. For someone
new to the band, the performance was one that would definitely inspire further interest or rabid fandom. We're going with the latter because these guys are amazing.
After the concert, Saturday and Sixpence
kicked off a fun game of “To Whom does this line pertain to by chance,” Which
is a take on the format of “Whose Line Is It Anyway,” with hilarious
results. We really see they shine with Improv Comedy, as the session was
extremely funny and entertaining whether you’re Steampunk or not.
We closed out the first night of Realms
Con with an impromptu salon where SANVA members relaxed with a drink and good
conversation until the early hours of the morning.
SATURDAY
Mr. Saturday and Sixpence
hosted a panel on Building A Persona with special guests Steampunk Santa,
Viktor Cogsmith, Damia Nightingale, and Jason McLarty, author of the Building a
Stronger Persona series on the SANVA Blog. The panel was an amazing success
with both a turn and great audience participation. Each of the guests delved
into their characters, how they created them, and their best practices for
building a developed persona.
We spent the remainder of the day
heading to other interesting panels, grabbing some food, and relaxing at the
hotel. That evening some of our group caught Abney Park’s second show, which
was even better than the first. The rest of the group got to work on a top
secret surprise mission, which involved a park, a grill, some of Jon Redcorn’s
Seasoned Rub, and meat. Lots and Lots and Lots of meat.
By the time Abney Park’s concert was
over the remainder of our group returned to the hotel to find the beginnings of
a Beach party cookout! Thus, we kicked off SANVA’s first Beach party. We had an
amazing turnout of SANVA members, invited guests, and even ultra super special
guests, Abney Park!
Out of respect for Abney Park, we will
not post pictures of them from the event up on this blog or our flickr stream,
but they really did come and hang out with us for most of the night. They are
really laid back, know how to have a good time, and are really just great
people. If you ever have a chance to hang out with them, do it because it is a
blast. The party rounded off along the shoreline in the wee hours of the
morning as everyone trekked back to their rooms for some much needed rest.
SUNDAY
Sunday afternoon brought two more panels
with Saturday and Sixpence sharing stories of their exploits along with their
new mime Opal and, much to Sixpence’s dismay, an over abundance of mime related
puns. We closed the con festivities with a Steampunk 102 panel/Q&A that was
packed to the brim with people. Captain Witicker of Airship Isabella and
representatives from Neo-Dulcimer hosted the panel with Saturday and Sixpence
sitting in as guests. They spoke about a wide range of topics such as how to
keep your Airship from imploding to the need for Geeks and Steampunks to band
together to bring awareness to others and fight intolerance.
All in all, Realms Con was a strong
success. It is safe to say that a return trip next year may be within the realm
of possibilities.
