Just a reminder that the Mad Scientists' Tea Party is slated for the 3:50pm slot
this Friday at Archon in the LaSalle Pre-function space.
I will have tablecloths, decorations, platters, serving implements, unusual
milks and sugars, and of course tea and nibbles.
You may feel free to bring your own tea cup and saucer, though cups will be provided by the convention center. This is a good opportunity to show off your latest invention, discuss future plans, and recruit other misunderstood geniuses to your cause!
I will also have a boom box with both CD and MP3 player interface, so if you
wish to bring some of your favorite steampunk tunes, feel free!
Also, later that evening there will be a Steampunk Fashion Show hosted by local members of the International Costumer's Guild. All Steampunk costumes are welcome in the show!
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We need a couple of pre-registration badges for some friends of mine who made it in from out of town.
They're a couple of folks who need badges and are somewhat cash-challenged at the moment. Archon would be better for having them there, so I'd love it if someone can share a pre-registration that they no longer need.
If you have something tucked away, let me know. If you have comp badges, even better. You can shoot me a "livejournal message" if you don't want to post here.
Thanks!
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If you look at our user info page, you'll see a section listing "interests" - this is how people who don't know about us can find us (and how some of YOU may have found this community, in fact). I know there's no way to list every fandom that could possibly come up at ARCHON, but I know there have to be some obvious ones or categories missing, that by adding them would help LJ searchers find this place more easily, who might then be interested in learning about and going to ARCHON in the future.
Feel free to comment with ones you think might go in to attract more attention - and if you like, go ahead and give a brief intro on your favorite fandom and why you like it. It never hurts to do double duty introducing yourself, since I doubt we all know each other around here. (My obvious primary fandom is POTC, though I have an even longer love of most things "Trek" - TNG got me into ARCHON in the first place, in fact.)
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I just found this buried in the Post-Dispatch from several days ago. Were any other announcements made anywhere? I don't see anything about it on Archon's page, and it just seems weird that it would be announced in a tiny little article in the paper, and no where else:
http://suburbanjournals.stltoday.com/articles/2009/09/04/madison/news/0826cvj-archon.txt
"This year's event is scheduled for Oct. 2, 3 and 4 at Gateway Center. Norris said organizers worked out an agreement with convention center managers to hold their dance at the convention space until 3 a.m., although fans will have to do without the room parties.
Norris said the whole issue was enough to convince organizers to spend the last few weeks looking for another space.
Next fall, he and other Archon organizers are planning to move the event to Westport Plaza in Maryland Heights, Mo. Late-night activities will be held at Sheraton hotels in the plaza, sites also owned by Lodging Hospitality."
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Just because there are no room parties does NOT mean that Archon will shut down at 11pm, people. It will be running full-tilt until 3am.
I had to speak up because I keep hearing statements that tell me that no one seems to be actually reading the entirety of the Archon Website, or paying attention to the actual things being stated there. "Archon won't have room parties! Archon won't have a hotel! Archon is going to be boring this year!"
Just to be clear, I want to say that I am not on the committee, nor am I on Staff this year. With the exception of the Mad Scientists' Tea Party on Friday afternoon, I'm not in charge of or responsible for any decisions that Archon makes this year.
But it all seems pretty straightforward: Archon is consolidating. Period.
Why? Well, two things intersected to create this new change: The hotel we had always worked with changed all the rules and refused to allow programming past a certain hour, and the Convention Center decided that we could have access to it until 3am.
For those of you who have actually gone to the convention part of the convention for the past couple of years, did you *notice* that the convention center is nearly twice its original size? That there's a whole hallway that gets very little use or traffic? Did it not occur to anyone that having club-sponsored parties and actual programming until 3am in one building (instead of spread across the acres of the Gateway Center area) might actually be more fun? Frankly, I've been crying out for later real (and/or silly) programming over in the Gateway Center for years now.
Now, this means that if you want to throw a party, you might have to foot the bill for catering from the Convention Center. (It might *not* mean that, but you'd have to take that up with the powers that be.) It means that you might have to plan it in advance and discuss it with the Convention Committee member in charge of such things. But keep in mind that for the last several years, one had to go through the Con if one wanted to throw a room party anyway.
And folks, I'm just plain going to say it: The room party as an art form was nearly dead in St. Louis. The Zombie Squad threw a pretty good rave/booze pit, but one couldn't actually have a conversation in their room. Other than that, I was seeing the room parties thrown in this town getting lamer and lamer. And fewer and fewer! It seems that St. Louis fans want to show up, drink the booze, loll about on the beds, eat whatever paltry food offerings there are, then move on to the next free booze stand. St. Louis folks don't actually want to pony up the extravagant hotel night fee, pay for booze, pay for food, and put up with a trashed room for the rest of the con.
Let it go, folks. Embrace the future. Choose to seek out new life in new party configurations. Boldly go where no fan has gone before and talk to the committee about throwing a party (er, I mean "Running a Late Night Panel") in the Convention Center.
And like I always say: If a con comm does something you don't like... VOLUNTEER to help out next year. Or quit complaining. No one on the Archon Committee or staff gets paid for this, folks. Everyone's a volunteer. The men and women of the Archon Committee are doing their flat level best to make every Archon better than the last, and they're having to do so under dire circumstances this year.
Just quit spreading rumors that Archon is going to be lame after midnight. It's going to be AWESOME, and if you can't believe that, perhaps it is best if you do stay home this year. The rest of us are going to party like it's 2009 ...AND BEYOND!
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I have had a few asking what the plans were for Pride this weekend. I'm going to try and get over to the festival probably on Sunday after the parade. and maybe sneak over Saturday afternoon for a while.
I will be working a lot of the weekend at the bar so if anyone wants, here is the schedule of things for there. We will be in the parade with the Bad Dog this year. Fursuits, ears, tails are welcome.
here is the stuff at the bar this weekend
Bad Dog is BURSTING with PRIDE!
Our first PRIDE at our new location is gonna knock your socks (and other clothing) off!
First off Friday
Come out and kick up your boots with your Central Plains Leather SIR 2009 Master Sampson, Leatherboy 2009 pup sparkie. and Community Bootblack 2009 boy blu for the event "Cowboy Up". During the night the CPLSb family will be selling shots, holding a silent auction, and providing live entertainment by Kevin James a local Country singer. Come and join the family Friday June 26th from 8 PM to Midnight at Bad Dogs Bar. Proceeds go to the Central Plains Leather Travel Fund.
You ain't seen nothing yet! The back bar will have it's new name unveiled in a special ceremony. In honor of this we will have our first Bad Dog Fetish Bash!!! This will become a regular happening and during this special event, the "Gear Code" will be enforced for the back bar. You want in? You better be decked out in your best (street legal) Fetish Gear!! Also no perfume or deodorant allowed.
Then on Saturday..
Bad Dog will be hosting our first Pride Cruise-In from 11am - 3pm!! We will be having specials for those arriving on motorcycles including a free lunch for all bikers and prizes! Also anyone that would like can join us on their motorcycles in the parade!
Saturday night -
The Royalty team of the Gateway Gay Rodeo Association, I would like to invite you to the Studio 54 Party on June 27, 2009. This fundraiser will help your host and hostess for the evening Mr. GWGRA 2009 (Gene Cheek) and Miss GWGRA 2009 (Crystal Wolf) raise funds for their chosen charities in our community, Bethany Place, in Belleville, IL and PWA (People With Aids).
We hope you will join us for what’s turning out to be the biggest party of the season, as we take you back to yester year when Disco was king, Studio 54 was the place and every night was a party. Dance the night away to the greatest hits of the disco era with special guest DJ’s from the GC Entertainment Company. There will be 50/50 raffles, Jell-O shots and much more available.
Then stick around for Midnight as we pop the corks on the champagne, hors d'oeuvres are served by some of the sexiest shirtless waiters in town and the prize balloons drop with such door prizes as DVD players, DVD’s, music CD’s, a Leather Candle basket set, T-Shirts, Bar tabs and much, much more. So when the balloons drop from the ceiling, pop them for the ticket inside and match it to see if you won one of the great gifts we have waiting for you.
Doors open at the Bad Dog Bar, 3960 Chouteau, St. Louis, Missouri at 9pm Saturday Jun 27th. Photographers will be on hand for those that would like pictures taken on the red carpet entrance. An information booth will be setup outside with information about the evening and organizational information. Tickets can be purchased at: Bad Dog Bar, the GWGRA Booths at Belleville Pride or St. Louis Pride, or the GWGRA website at www.GWGRA.com.
Plus we will have lots of fun in the rest of the Bad Dog too!
Sunday ....we aren't done yet!!!
The Pride St Louis's 30th Anniversary Parade - Come walk with the Bad Dog Krewe as we make our way down Grand to Tower Grove. Walk, bicycle, motorcycle...all are welcome! Email us at baddogbar@gmail.com if you would like to join us, those that we we have some special surprises for!
After the parade, tired but don't want to end the weekend yet? The Bad Dog will be having our monthly Pot Luck starting after the parade. The bar will have something nummy for the main course and everyone brings something to share! Beer Bust and more fun too! See ya there
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Didn't see the news until last night (many rl issues kept me away from Archon's home page), but it looks like there will be *no* room parties in any hotel:
http://www.archonstl.org/33/index.php
This is, in fact, making me rethink going this year.
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Gamers for Humanity (http://www.gamersforhumanity.org/) are at it again. We have 25 gamers going to New Orleans, LA March 15th-21st, 2009 and spend a week working with the Phoenix Project of New Orleans rebuilding devastated houses in the Metarire and Mid-City region of New Orleans.
We have also received two pallets, 110 boxes, of pre-packaged boil in a bag meals designed specifically to combat malnourishment from the Iowa chapter of Kids Against Hunger (www.kidsagainsthungeria.com) and will be giving them to the Second Harvest (http://www.no-hunger.org/) organization of New Orleans.
This is where you, yes you, come in, Gamers for Humanity needs donations to cover the cost of moving the two pallets of food from Iowa City, IA to New Orleans, LA. We are also accepting donations of new and gently used books, toys, and games which we intend to distribute to the Boys & Girls club of New Orleans.
If you would like to generously donate to Gamers for Humanity please email me at donald@gamersforhumanity.org. Your consideration and generosity is greatly appreciated.
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http://www.archonstl.org/33/index.php
What bites is the fact that the Hotel C-ville won't allow room parties, and that all the programming will be in the Gateway. Yes, it has more space since the remodel, but I fear the digs will be cramped indeed.
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Here's the pics I took, most while in a drunken state. Many have no title or description yet.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/28375492@N06/sets/72157608007637203/
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Attention all artists!
I can't wait for Conflation to update its website. Dates seem to be February 20-22nd, 2009. Conflation is an adults-only (21+) SF/F convention in St. Louis, MO (USA).
Conflation's theme this year is "Steampunk". I am seeking out local artists to assist in the decoration of the event. For the dance, I intend to turn each table into a display area for a different piece of Steampunk Art. I may also wish to utilize larger pieces to decorate the con itself. I am interested in three dimensional sculpture, adaptation of electronic equipment, ray guns, cases-full-of-interesting-things, and even framable art. Wearable art will likely be worn, but if you have multiple pieces, we do have display heads for hats, ocular devices, etc.
So far, I believe that I have had a positive response from Steve Swope, Jen Patton, and Joshua Hart. If you are interested in having your art shown, please let me know as soon as possible. I want to be able to know what we have before I design the rest of the decorations. I especially need to know if your piece of art requires a power source, special lighting, careful handling, etcetera.
Here are the things I need to know from everyone (feel free to copy and paste the form into an email.) You may respond here, or directly to me via LJ message.
Name of Artist:
Alias of Artist (character name):
Title of the piece:
Brief description of the piece:
Materials Used: (optional, most of these will be "mixed media" but feel free to brag.)
Approximate size of the piece (footprint):
Need special lighting?
Need electrical outlet?
Need special stand/frame/platform?
Is the piece interactive? (Can random people touch it?)
Does the piece need to be kept free of touching hands? (such as in a glass case or behind velvet rope)
Is the piece for sale?
Your Contact Information:
If you have a wonderful piece of steampunk art that you have purchased from another artist, and wish to display it, please fill out the above form and add the line "Owner" and give your name there.
But wait, there's more!
Friday night at the event I will be putting on a Burlesque show, in the grand old tradition of low-brow comedic parody of current media. (With hoochie-coochie girls!)
I have several sketches written and need performers and additional sketches. I may have to put together a separate list for that show.
So far I have about ten people interested (but not yet committed) to the project.
Sketches planned (so far) include:
Fan of La Mancha (a brief musical parody)
Peril (A Parlor Game enacted for your entertainment by local celebrated gentlemen.)
Handi-Bra (A commercial announcement)
Curious Cat Clothing (commercial Announcement)
Take Back Your Mink (Kukla and the Debutantes)
Alley Cat Review (special appearances)
Grease Monkey (a Cinderella Story, as yet unwritten and uncast.)
Bob's Butt Goggles (Commercial announcement)
If you are interested in participating in the Burlesque show, please let me know right away. We will likely begin rehearsals in January, which gives us approximately six weeks to put the show together. I may wish to finalize casting before Christmas...
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Archon will not allow me to host a Nerf Battle. The best part is that I only discovered this *TONIGHT.* My last communication (months ago) was that it was a cool idea and they would try to put it on the schedule. I had requested Friday Night or Sunday afternoon.)
It turns out that Archon will now allow any firing weapons (toy or otherwise). Period.
Don't bother to bring your Nerf stuff unless it has been completely disabled, is peace bonded, and is "essential to your costume".
Steampunks with adapted Nerf Mavericks? Leave them home unless you want to "mod" them into a non-firing weapon.
I *will*, however, be taking down names and email addresses of folks who wish to participate in the *future* if I host a Steampunk (or Klingon, or Zombie, or FireflyVerse) themed Nerf-Battle in the future. After all, halls rent for cheap if you know somebody.
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Come help celebrate the 25th anniversary of Mike Cole's 21st birthday Friday Oct 3rd at Archon!
Since Opening Ceremonies are at 6:10p and Mike has a panel at 7:20p were doing a late dinner at Bandana's at 8:30p-ish to be followed by cake & candles in the hospitality suite (9:30p-ish). After we're nicely buzzed on sugar we shall do a party room crawl. Mike will graciously be accepting kisses from pretty girls in lieu of spankings.
Please contact me privately about dinner so I know whether or not I need to call ahead to the restaurant.
Feel free to forward to interested parties.
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This is an interactive post - comments are encouraged.
We'd like to get more people here, I'm sure, to learn about Archon for future years. Look at the user info page for this community and let me know what other interests you think could be added to attract those searching LJ by "interest." When I created the community three years ago, I put in as many as I could think of at the time, but I'm sure you'll agree things have changed since then, and there are also things at the time I just couldn't think of, to include.
Thanks!
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For those of you going to Archon who want to actually attempt to costume to the Dance theme(s), this year both night will be Batman/The Dark Knight. I'd have posted that sooner, but I didn't get confirmation until this morning that it was okay to pass the info along to the general public. So spread the word and let it proliferate among the masses.
Hopefully next year I'll have this info out in a far more timely manner-- at least it got out this year, as previous years didn't get any real public announcement beforehand.
On a related note-- ( if you have a request for something you'd like us to try and acquire to play at the event...Collapse )
DJ Seantaclaus
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You are cordially invited to the second annual Mad Scientists' Tea Party at Archon on Friday afternoon (October 3rd) at 4pm in the hospitality suite.
Katarina Glockenspiel and friends are hosting tea in the convention space as an opportunity for time travelers, dirigible pilots, genius inventors, trance mediums to the Deus Ex Machina, Sky Pirates, educated ladies, clock-workers, coin-operated boys, and other fans of the golden age of steam to gather. We will confer, converse, and otherwise hobnob over biscuits, tea, and similar delicacies. Guests are encouraged to bring something delicious to share, and a tea cup/saucer if possible. (Some teacups will be provided by the hostess.)
Wear your finery, and please feel free to bring inventions, apparatuses, art pieces, or music to share. (Ipod-ready speakers will be available.)
I have been assured that Archon will have additional Steampunk themed programming as well.
*EDIT* I have just been informed that the weapons policy at Archon prevents me from hosting the Nerf Battle. Steampunks be aware: If your costume requires you to carry a prop weapon, be sure that the prop does not, in fact, fire. If it is a Nerf Maverick, be aware that unless you have modified it into a non-firing weapon, no amount of peace-bonding will allow you to carry it at the convention.
As a side note, there will also be a Nerf battle some time during the convention. I've seen quite a few Nerf Maverick pistols that have been "modded", so now is the perfect time to don your big game hunting gear and join in on the fun! As a word of warning, be prepared to peace-bond any weaponry during your tour through the halls of the convention. As an precaution, one may wish to carry the weaponry in a small valise or satchel until inside the approved area for the Nerf Battle. Prizes may be awarded to the most attractively modified weapons!
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COME TO ARCHON ON THURSDAY NIGHT...
...For a very special "OURcon"!
Archon has changed its format this year to a three-day convention. What most people don't know is Registration will be open on Thursday night, and many Archon staff members will be there setting up for the con.
I think that we should reclaim Thursday night for the real fans, the hard-core Archon folks! Let's have a mini-con of our own and call it...
OURcon!!
Registration for OURcon will be in MY room at the Holiday Inn (soon to be Doubletree). Come and get a sticker to add to your Archon badge so you can show everyone that you're a supporter of the four-day-convention format! OURcon will include special guests (To Be Announced), a slideshow, and food/drinks in the OURcon Hospitality Suite (better known as Kukla's Room). We will also have Hall Costume Award secret judges handing out ribbons for the Thursday Night finery!
OURcon is also encouraging anyone who has a room on the party floor at the Holiday Inn on THURSDAY night to join in the festivities! Party like it's 1989, when you knew everyone at Archon!
For more information, please contact me.
As a special side note; there is space in my Holiday Inn (soon to be Doubletree) room for Thursday night ONLY. If you want to come to the con early but can't extend your reservations, let me know that you'd like some crash space. I will charge you for the night, but it won't be expensive. We will have to check out of the room on Friday.
Is anyone else going to have a room on Thursday? Interested in opening your doors and joining in on the fun? Let me know! If you let the con know, they can provide ice and stuff, too. Just be sure that you get your room on the first floor.
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