Zepfest '99

[Nathan D Messer <insoluble@xxxxxxxx>]

OK, I'm back and more or less recovered.  Here're my thoughts on the
procedings of the last few days:

The "convention" - Not worth my trip.  I didn't come to buy alcohol from
Grant via the extremely overpriced bar.  I came to meet people, party,
and look at cool Zep memorabilia.  The videos that Grant was showing were
cool (where did you get such pristine copies of Danish TV, Tous En Scene,
etc?) and the video of Robert at that mall was really damn funny.  But
I'd already seen most of the vids (albeit not in such good quality) so it
wasn't worth the $10CAN ticket price to the screening.  The actual
convention Saturday was pathetic.  There was a grand total of 6, count
'em, 6 tables!  And that included Dardo and Nancy's fire sale (I got
Rey's LZ Live for a whopping $5!).  Two tables selling way overpriced
photos, two tables selling old mags and knick-knacks, and a table of
really excellent collector's items rounded it out.  And of course there
were the several shady characters in the parking lot selling more vids
and CD-R's, along with another usurious bar.  
The people - The main reason I went.  It was very cool to hang out with
Ben, Keith, Pouya, and Eric B, waiting for Jeremy to arrive.  We just
wish we'd known about Jer's engine blowing sooner.  So when are you
moving to Toronto, Pouya?  And hanging with Jess, Sarah, Allie, Josh,
Dardo, Nancy, and the Sues was a blast.  Unfortunately, there were WAY
too many of McCue's "Grrr Hrr Hrr" ledheads in attendance.  Remember the
movie PCU?  Well, most people at the convention were "that guy."  I went
away with the feeling that I had just pissed off a lot of them.  Can you
say ITTOD vs Presence debate?  That, and maybe I was a little too vocal
about my dislike of tribute bands, Jason Bonham, RP's solo work, and my
disinterest in Roger Waters.  And why on earth was everybody so willing
to buy bootlegs?  Here's an example of a conversation I had many times:

Me: Hey!  what's goin' on?  I brought a lot of boots to listen to, do you
have a tape player?

Grr Hrr Hrr:  Boots?!  D'ya have any to sell?

Me: What?!  No, I only brought boots to listen to.

Grr Hrr Hrr:  Oh.  Well if you want to buy some I have a trunkload of
CD-R's out in the parking lot.

That got old reeeaaalll quick.

Nancy and Dardo were exceptionally cool, thanks for letting me crash on
your floor Friday!  And with Dardo's incredible amount of assorted
intoxicants, I was feeling fine.  Thanks again!!    

The Jam - For all the disorganization that ensued from Jeremy's late
arrival, it was really fun.  Eric, you freakin' ROCK!  Ben was playing
some exceptional guitar, as were both Michaels, Pouya, and Michael O.
saved everything by agreeing to play bass, too!  As for me MC'ing, well,
with all of the last minute song/lineup changes, it was too disorganized
for me to feel like I was doing anything productive at all, so I quit
after the first set.  Jeremy had some great ad-libs in the songs he did,
and I wish 13yr old Marcela would have worked up the courage to play
guitar on D'yer Ma'ker, or drums on something.  She was really cool.  And
she sang really well, too.  It was great watching her walk up to the
guitarist for Black Dog asking him how the chord changes went in DM, "Is
it G-A, or A-G?  Let me see your fingering.  Noooo, that's not right!" 
And watch John's jaw hit the floor.  And she about shit when she got to
play around on a Les Paul.  

Toronto - Great city!  From the very nice people to the street party and
rickshaws, I had a great time wandering around downtown.  I'm going to
have to go back very soon.

All in all, I was mainly upset that there weren't more Badgeholders
there, and that I had to pay money to get into events where all I was
expected to do was spend more money.  Grant, no offense but the feeling I
got from this weekend was that you are going to have to decide whether
you want to run a convention or a bar/bootleg outlet, becuase trying to
both ruined this near-event.

StuffNathan

"... boredom is the root of all evil."
   - Soren Kierkegaard