The
concert highlight of the summer was seeing Weird
Al Yankovic in person at Cal Expo in Sacramento.
Touring to promote his latest album, Running With Scissors.
Al performed new songs and several hits from his albums.
Scenes from his videos were projected between songs to accommodate
several costume changes.
Weird
Al concert highlights included a live performance of “Gump”, while scenes
from the movie, Forrest Gump were shown in superb synchronization, a send
up of Star Wars: The Phantom Menace to the tune of “American Pie”,
putting on the “fat suit” to sing “Fat” to the tune of Michael
Jackson’s “Bad” and the Devoesque sing-along, “Dare to Be Stupid”.
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One of the great events of the year was Heifercon. Over
the Labor Day weekend, Jeff and Maya Bohnhoff opened their home to some
wonderful filk singers. Yes, I said
filk singers. Filk, derived from
folk, is something people do in hotel rooms at Science Fiction and Fantasy
Conventions. A filk is usually a
parody of a popular song with a sci fi twist.
Sometimes, it’s an original composition celebrating the genre. |
At Heifercon,
discussions included the best episodes of Mystery Science
Theatre 3000 and cinematic guilty pleasures.
The conference ended with a “filk circle” and even I, shy lad that I
am, had a filk for the occasion. Jeff promises MooCon II (The Wrath of Cow) in the year 2000. Conventions, like the
Internet, are a great place to find old friends. Marty Scanlon, co-worker from
the Del Oro days, was at Heifercon
and we had a chance to catch up.
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Grass Valley Group celebrated its 40th
Anniversary in April. To
commemorate the event, Friends of Grass Valley Group put on a big bash at Miners
Foundry. Since I was temping there
at the time, I was able to attend. I’ve
never been an employee of GVG, but I’ve worked there on and off since 1991.
 Marlene
and I went to two wonderful Swing Night at City Centre Playhouse.
The music was provided on both occasions by the Sierra Gold Big Band.
Marlene has embraced the new swing revival and hopes to take Swing
lessons soon. At the second dance I
met up with old friend, Karen Karouac who has moved back into the area.
(Ah, the good old days at the American Victorian Museum.
KVMR, the early years.)
Cari made it to the second swing dance, but I think she had more fun at a
rock and roll dance that we went to at Rollins Lake, earlier in the year. |
The
Maginots went to a house concert in Nevada City in mid December.
Dan’l opened for Bill Oliver, known as “Mr. Habitat”.
Bill is a versatile performer with a great sense of humor.
An “Environmental Troubadour” who tours the country singing about
issues that affect our planet, Bill was featured on the John
Muir Tribute album.
Before the evening was over he had the entire audience singing along.
The house concert also featured a Q and A with Ross Hanna, who is John Muir’s great grandson. He told some wonderful stories about Muir’s adventures as an inventor.
