[Ansteorra] Performance event (was Bards, Brewers, and Cooks (now with shopping!) )

Michael Gunter countgunthar at hotmail.com
Mon Jan 14 09:06:09 PST 2008


Thank you for responding, Master Ihon. 
 
I think part of the problem is serendipity about several people
thinking of a cool event at basically the same time but with
slight variations.  The "Tavern" event was totally dreamed up
in my head a little over a year ago. In my dream version I thought
it would be cool to create an evening or even a second day of
as period of a tavern as possible. This would also be a gathering
place for bards and brewers to show off their work and hold
classes or workshops for each other and anyone curious. That
night a tavern would open where beer and ale would flow freely
as the bards would regale the audience with routines they had
worked up or pieces they wanted to present. The food would
be very secondary with no real classes offered other than me
cooking up a few nibbles I'd researched and maybe working with
other interested folk who wanted to come in and help.
But the focus was definately on the bards, brewers and making
a time warp into the past. Or at the very least an inn or tavern
we all saw in our D&D games years ago.
> I shared my dream for a performance centered event. It was immediately> apparent to me that our ideas were different. Note -- the word is> 'different' -- not 'competing.' 
 
I totally agree.
 
> Basically, the vision (as I see it) is a fete with merchants and food and/or> drink taverns -- ala a Gather for you Pern fans. There would be multiple> venues interspersed for instrumental music, dance, vocal and performance> arts and those who desire could wander as minstrels, jugglers and the like.> I see it as taking place in the low point of the fighting season but others> suggest a more moderate climate might be beneficial.
I think this is also tres groovy. There are many such events that
could be a lot of fun. Many of our events have felt rather stagnant,
partly because there are now so many events in a year and they
have begun to show a definate pattern with events like Lions and
the event Bryn Gwlad held with the jousting the name of which I can't 
remember because I haven't had my coffee yet. These are really
neat events and I love the fact you can do different and fun and
also make it a closer step into the past. 
> My dream is more along the lines of a Current Middle Ages Faire.
 
I'd go. Heck, I'd open a food booth and sell "hot berry pies".  :-)
Another of my fever dream events would be something similar but on
a Nordic theme. A Summer Fair around the 10th Century. Held by
a local noble. Everything to be as close to real as possible. There
would be merchants and boasting contests, friendly holmgang,
wrestling, food, everything. But everyone comes as close to realistic
as possible just to see if we could do it. 
 
My problem is I will never be Pelican material and my organization
skills are less than stellar. But I know there are people out there that
can create Events in every sense of the word. 
 
> With regard to fighting, with a little imagination and effort, an evening or> torchlight tourney with all the pageantry of a Pas d'Armes or round table> fits hand in glove with performance -- especially if verbal sparing and> great heraldry is encouraged or required for entry.
 
I think we have seen that an event of a Faire would be well attended
even without the fighting. But a Grande Pas would be a fun highlight.
Even a joust. There could be a rapier tourney of rival gangs strolling
the city with an ocassional fight breaking out before the City Guard
catches them. 
 
But, again, that is becoming overly complicated and just a fair, with
music, merchants, entertainers and peace would be just as big a 
draw. A lot of what I have mentioned we already have. It's called
"War".  Fighting, merchants, entertainment, etc.....
But, again, the fighting and shopping kind of take precidence over the
bardic. A Gather would be a great opportunity for the bards to take
the center as they did so much in the sagas and throughout history.
 
I can also see a tavern where a bard would have to have the prowess
and command to take over an unruly audience and make them listen
because they want to instead of they HAVE to. If that makes any sense.
 
>Then Count Kein MacEwan met a> certain pre-Count Sir Gunthar Jonsson in the semi-finals. Sir
>Gunthar lost a leg and the following exchange sang out from the
>field: Kein: "My brother, will ye yield?" Gunthar: "I'd honor you
>as sovereign lord. But you'll have> to have to take this field!" Ah! Great fighting! Great poetry!
Um....did I do that???
 
> Ihon Vinson macFergus, OL
Yers, 
 
Gunthar
Not a poet
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