laramie | All for One and One for All

My Cross-posted comments from a discussion in another LJ

I've been in the middle of this issue in Mpls since the early 90s. I've never liked the way the Snotty Elitist Musicians tried to distance themselves from all things Filk, splitting Minneapolis into two separate camps of music that don't exist elsewhere in fandom.

I got stuck in the 'Filk' camp, partly* because I do like music about spaceships and aliens and I like putting alternate (related) lyrics to existing music - but that's never been the ONLY thing I like. I like a wide variety of music drawn from a wide variety of sources. (*And partly because I have not been as accomplished a performer as I am currently, and have never thought professionalism should count more than friendliness in this non-pro, community-based venue.)

I do think that there's something about filk (sf related) music that's special to fandom and should be respected for that if nothing else. It's the tradition of our tribe and ought to be preserved in face of the seductive influx of music from other cultures. So, for about six years I hosted a monthly filk circle and continue to attend them now that someone else is hosting.

And I was distressed when Minicon started scheduling Filk in rooms separate from the other music, and separate from the con suite areas where all the people, food and drink were to be found. And particularly distressed that none of the people doing the scheduling thought of consulting the filkers about what we wanted.

I'm torn on this issue. Because in my heart I'd love to see the musicians of this community take an 'All for One and One for All' stance - but I do see the practical difficulties of music parties that get too large for the available spaces, as well as taking too long to go 'round.

What I found at OVFF was a community that took the size problem in stride and planned for splitting into smaller circles when necessary. And planned on having a distribution of more accomplished and less accomplished performers in each circle, so that it didn't become a Cool vs Feeble Circle competitive atmosphere and things remained friendly all around.

I don't think filk should be separated out from general Music at minicon. I'd like to see one large or two smaller music areas side by side, open to whatever music all musicians concerned would enjoy playing and singing with each other.

At the Dessicated Dodo party last night I was talking with people running the next Minicon, and making the case for having the music right in the same area as the Con Suite. (It looks like the best bet is to take over the suite that Tor was using.)

jiawen asked me if I want to be in charge of music for MiniCon 43, and I'm looking into what that would entail.

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FYI, I talked with Chas Somdahl (of Riverfolk) on Sunday and he told me he'd agreed to run music for Minicon 43. Rachel evidently doesn't know that either. You should talk with Keith and Matt about it to make sure though.

There has been a long-time conflict between the SEMP performance and open filking circle music camps at Minicon, but I'm pretty hesitant to say that elitist musicians shouldn't have an invitation-only scene if that's what they themselves want.

I agree. To me, music--particularly performing it, but even just listening to it--is a fairly intimate experience. I can imagine wanting to have some control over whom one shares it with.

Whether or not they should (and since I won't hang around listen to other than very quiet music that I'm not actively enjoying at a given moment, I'm not going to criticize others for doing the same), it's clear that they will, and that about all that the anti-private-music-party folks can do, in practice, is to force/motivate the private music parties to move further away from common spaces than they might otherwise do.

I'd characterize myself as more 'Pro Open Music' than anti anything. I respect the rights of others to throw and attend private parties. (What I like and what I respect can be two different things.)

I'd like to see the Minicon-sponsored music circles get the facilities and support needed to make for parties enjoyable for the musicians and listeners alike.

Depending on what you mean by "facilities and support" -- and I don't mean to be Clintoneque here, pinky swear -- that's anywhere from a modest request that's likely to happen (and sounds like it didn't happen this year through a misunderstanding by/with the hotel -- I'm assuming that the originally planned venue was fine with you, although you know what they say about assumptions) to an impossibility.

I think you can get open music parties in a location that isn't metaphorically Siberia; I don't think you've got much of a chance of persuading people whose thing isn't open music parties to participate, either as audience or performers.

We did get some good music participation at an open circle on Saturday night, but it was located in the Edina room, far from anywhere else where there were people, food or drink. While it was well attended by musicians, there weren't that many people who found it as a place to come and listen and party.

That's what I mean by 'facilities.' And, after talking with Concom members at last night's Dessicated Dodo party, it does look like there's support for putting music closer to the general party area, and the ConSuite's refreshments.

Orthogonally, he said, (with his head cocked to one side and a look of wry amusement on his lined face), maybe the the MnStf Board should establish a policy requiring those MnStf meeting hosts whose preference is for closed music circles to announce that in advance in Einblatt. . .

Nah. Probably not a good idea, all in all.

Nah. They would have to publish a list of which musicians were specifically invited - or most would assume that they weren't.

I think I'd better admit defeat and surrender on this part of the discussion; you do deadpan better than I do.

A nod. Incidentally; how did you come across this post? It's open, but I didn't expect it to be read by anyone who doesn't have me on their Friend's List.

http://community.livejournal.com/mnstf/friends -- orthogonally, I'm not sure who is on my own friends list . . .

Thanks. That looks like a good one to follow.

I can understand that, too. Though, it's not necessarily that clear cut a matter.

markiv1111 said to me at the con, "I don't like having to choose between two sets of friends."

There are friendlier ways to handle the issue than has been done at MiniCon.

I guess Rachel hadn't heard that. Matt didn't mention it at last night's party. That's fine with me. I wouldn't know what to do besides talk to people.

I would never say that elitist musicians shouldn't have invitation only parties if that's what they want. But I do think the Open Circles should be set up to allow for a good experience for everyone interested.

I don't think invitational parties would be SO overwhelmingly attractive that everyone invited would obviously prefer them, if they didn't offer better features (food, drink, etc), and there were enough accomplished musicians ready to play in Open circles with comparable features.

The problem seems to arise when ALL the accomplished performers disappear into a private space leaving a few less skilled performers alone in a bare room far from the party spaces and far from refreshments.

As I said, though: "I can't offer you the job, since it's not mine to offer, but you should talk to Keith or Matt and let them know if you're interested." I never offered you the position. Please don't make it sound like I did!

I saw a lot of in-group/out-group stuff going on at the con. Bleah.

Sorry if I mis-spoke about it. I don't remember exactly what was said, just the suggestion that I do something like that. I've followed up everywhere I mentioned the subject to say that Chas will be doing the job anyhow.

There has been a long-time conflict between the SEMP performance and open filking circle music camps at Minicon, but I'm pretty hesitant to say that elitist musicians shouldn't have an invitation-only scene if that's what they themselves want.

Obviously, they can do anything they want. They could also have private parties in their homes. But, when people who say "Oh, I'm not a snobby musician" then cut their non-cool friends to go to those private parties, they perpetuate the problem. The snobby party ends up sucking *all* the best musicians out of public space.

It just makes me so sad, and the rate things are going, I'm never going to get to an out-of-town convention again . . .

It would be nice if musicians all said, "'Its one for all and all for one' among us, and I don't want to go to your invitational party if I can't bring my friends." And I think the cool parties would be anywhere that such people chose to play.

But I wouldn't ask that of anyone to whom it doesn't come naturally and from the heart.

All for One and One for All

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