Our first LIVE Alec concert!
I already posted this to the alexanderfans community but I decided to post this with a few minor changes so I would have it in my personal LJ, too.
Myrdith and I FINALLY got to see Alexander James Adams live this past weekend! After so many years of wishing and wanting, it finally became a reality.
I drove up to her place Saturday morning (with a death grip on the wheel almost the entire time) and a little after I got there we went to lunch with the Raven and some of their friends and kids, did a little browsing at Discover Mills after that, then we headed down to the con. While we were waiting for our turn to register I will admit to a brief fan-girl moment when I heard someone say, "Mr. Adams?" I hadn’t noticed when we walked up to the tables but he had his own set up not too far behind registration. While we were filling out cards one of the men (Rob, I believe?) running the con wandered up and asked how we found out about the GA Filk con and we pointed back to Alec and said we’ve been keeping an eye on his website.
After finishing there we went to Alec’s table and peeked at the merch he had out, picked out a few CDs and a copy of his new DVD, and he signed the copy of Balance of Nature I had bought. I think we chatted a bit before venturing on to the dealer’s room and seeing what goodies they had before wandering off to sit in the con suite for a bit. Myrdith took our goodies off to the car so my bag wouldn’t be so weighed down and I headed off to chill on the couch by Alec’s table since it was cooler in that locale than anywhere else. We had more of a chance to chat with Alec off and on and it was just really nice to be able to do so; neither of us thought we would have such a chance to just hang with him.
We helped him pack up when it came time for the banquet and eventually we wandered off to find a table to sit at. Each table took it’s turn to get their food and while we were standing in line Alec and Rob were coming up toward us and we heard Rob say, "There’s two ladies who came here just to see you" and Myrdith said, "That would be us." We found out Rob was planning on steering Alec toward our table so we could spend more time with him and I was truly flattered by that so we and the others at the table was able to have dinner with him. He kept getting hijacked for dances, too, and the poor Bard got in “trouble” with Kore over it. We found out in Sunday (I think) that he had told her about all the dancing and she said, "Uh huh. You danced with how many women and you’ve never taken me out dancing? I thought you said you couldn’t dance." The three of us (he, Myrdith and I) had the last dance together and I felt so star-struck/bedazzled that all I could mostly do was look up to him and smile more often than not though I did manage to talk, too. (As an aside, he really is a good dancer. Don’t let him fool you! Sorry, Alec.)
After the banquet was his performance and it was wonderful. When he sang "Familiar’s Promise" I’m really surprised at myself that I didn’t end up bawling as badly as I normally do. I teared up badly but that was the extent of it, thankfully; I hate crying in public. I very much enjoyed the karaoke portion of the concert, especially "Gruagach.” I was dying when he did "The White Unicorn," too. Overall it was an extraordinary experience and I really do hope he is able to make it back over to the east coast again soon, or us over to his side of the country. I would love to have that experience to see him sing again. And see more swaying straps or chains.
The interfilk auction took place after the show and Alec was quick to get off-stage so they didn’t auction HIM off. We heard talk of "wenching zones" and we were clueless about what that meant. After watching a while, though, it got to be very amusing to watch; the 'wenches' would run to dote on the people bidding on items to get them to go higher. Eventually one of the ladies grabbed Alec and toted him up and Rob was the one auctioning off a CD recording of the concert. I was amused when Alec got into things and was going along with the wenches. The bids for the CD finally came between us and another woman and I cracked up when Alec actually got down on his hands and knees. Not many people can pull off that sort of thing and still keep up the good humor and cutting up. We did end up with the CD, though, and he signed it for us the next day when we picked it up! We sat around in one of the filk circles for a while though we finally had to call it quits and scuttle out into the cold to go back home.
We did manage to make it back to the hotel Sunday to pick up the won CD and ask him to sign it; we had actually been worried he would have already left since we got detained at the house due to my driving off the side of her driveway and getting stuck. Gifts were given to him and we sat a bit before receiving our traveling hugs from him when we had to leave. It was difficult to walk away, though, and both my sister and I teared up. I think Myrdith and I both agreed it was like saying good-bye to a friend who you may or may not see again. I’ll keep the positive in mind, though, and keep my fingers crossed for the prior. He really is a lovely, wonderful, charming person and it was such an honor to finally get to meet him after so many years of listening.
And now, pictures! While I won’t share any of the video I took of the show out of respect for Alec’s and Kore’s wishes (and really, I don't want Kore to come hunting me down), I will share some of the stills I took before the show and the next morning when we got back to the hotel. A picture of the won CD is included since what he wrote on it tickled us so much. The pictures run wide/big/whatever you want to call it but all the more reason for me having slapped them up behind the cut earlier.
Tuning up the borrowed guitar
I'm not sure who he may have been shaking the bow at.
"You!" We were both tickled by this. I just happened to take the picture right when he looked our way and this is what came of it. I showed him the pic after and he laughed.
I have no idea what caused this "WTF" look.
A long jacket my sister had made and decided to give him. He was trying it on and feeling it out. Looks pretty dashing, doesn't he? He even made her sign it!
Posing! I love the expression.
And the CD! I love what he wrote on it.
Myrdith and I FINALLY got to see Alexander James Adams live this past weekend! After so many years of wishing and wanting, it finally became a reality.
I drove up to her place Saturday morning (with a death grip on the wheel almost the entire time) and a little after I got there we went to lunch with the Raven and some of their friends and kids, did a little browsing at Discover Mills after that, then we headed down to the con. While we were waiting for our turn to register I will admit to a brief fan-girl moment when I heard someone say, "Mr. Adams?" I hadn’t noticed when we walked up to the tables but he had his own set up not too far behind registration. While we were filling out cards one of the men (Rob, I believe?) running the con wandered up and asked how we found out about the GA Filk con and we pointed back to Alec and said we’ve been keeping an eye on his website.
After finishing there we went to Alec’s table and peeked at the merch he had out, picked out a few CDs and a copy of his new DVD, and he signed the copy of Balance of Nature I had bought. I think we chatted a bit before venturing on to the dealer’s room and seeing what goodies they had before wandering off to sit in the con suite for a bit. Myrdith took our goodies off to the car so my bag wouldn’t be so weighed down and I headed off to chill on the couch by Alec’s table since it was cooler in that locale than anywhere else. We had more of a chance to chat with Alec off and on and it was just really nice to be able to do so; neither of us thought we would have such a chance to just hang with him.
We helped him pack up when it came time for the banquet and eventually we wandered off to find a table to sit at. Each table took it’s turn to get their food and while we were standing in line Alec and Rob were coming up toward us and we heard Rob say, "There’s two ladies who came here just to see you" and Myrdith said, "That would be us." We found out Rob was planning on steering Alec toward our table so we could spend more time with him and I was truly flattered by that so we and the others at the table was able to have dinner with him. He kept getting hijacked for dances, too, and the poor Bard got in “trouble” with Kore over it. We found out in Sunday (I think) that he had told her about all the dancing and she said, "Uh huh. You danced with how many women and you’ve never taken me out dancing? I thought you said you couldn’t dance." The three of us (he, Myrdith and I) had the last dance together and I felt so star-struck/bedazzled that all I could mostly do was look up to him and smile more often than not though I did manage to talk, too. (As an aside, he really is a good dancer. Don’t let him fool you! Sorry, Alec.)
After the banquet was his performance and it was wonderful. When he sang "Familiar’s Promise" I’m really surprised at myself that I didn’t end up bawling as badly as I normally do. I teared up badly but that was the extent of it, thankfully; I hate crying in public. I very much enjoyed the karaoke portion of the concert, especially "Gruagach.” I was dying when he did "The White Unicorn," too. Overall it was an extraordinary experience and I really do hope he is able to make it back over to the east coast again soon, or us over to his side of the country. I would love to have that experience to see him sing again. And see more swaying straps or chains.
The interfilk auction took place after the show and Alec was quick to get off-stage so they didn’t auction HIM off. We heard talk of "wenching zones" and we were clueless about what that meant. After watching a while, though, it got to be very amusing to watch; the 'wenches' would run to dote on the people bidding on items to get them to go higher. Eventually one of the ladies grabbed Alec and toted him up and Rob was the one auctioning off a CD recording of the concert. I was amused when Alec got into things and was going along with the wenches. The bids for the CD finally came between us and another woman and I cracked up when Alec actually got down on his hands and knees. Not many people can pull off that sort of thing and still keep up the good humor and cutting up. We did end up with the CD, though, and he signed it for us the next day when we picked it up! We sat around in one of the filk circles for a while though we finally had to call it quits and scuttle out into the cold to go back home.
We did manage to make it back to the hotel Sunday to pick up the won CD and ask him to sign it; we had actually been worried he would have already left since we got detained at the house due to my driving off the side of her driveway and getting stuck. Gifts were given to him and we sat a bit before receiving our traveling hugs from him when we had to leave. It was difficult to walk away, though, and both my sister and I teared up. I think Myrdith and I both agreed it was like saying good-bye to a friend who you may or may not see again. I’ll keep the positive in mind, though, and keep my fingers crossed for the prior. He really is a lovely, wonderful, charming person and it was such an honor to finally get to meet him after so many years of listening.
And now, pictures! While I won’t share any of the video I took of the show out of respect for Alec’s and Kore’s wishes (and really, I don't want Kore to come hunting me down), I will share some of the stills I took before the show and the next morning when we got back to the hotel. A picture of the won CD is included since what he wrote on it tickled us so much. The pictures run wide/big/whatever you want to call it but all the more reason for me having slapped them up behind the cut earlier.
Tuning up the borrowed guitar
I'm not sure who he may have been shaking the bow at.
"You!" We were both tickled by this. I just happened to take the picture right when he looked our way and this is what came of it. I showed him the pic after and he laughed.
I have no idea what caused this "WTF" look.
A long jacket my sister had made and decided to give him. He was trying it on and feeling it out. Looks pretty dashing, doesn't he? He even made her sign it!
Posing! I love the expression.
And the CD! I love what he wrote on it.