The dock was rocked

[fbhjr]

We’ve been doing radio ads for our faire this weekend. One of the two stations we bought ads from has a weekly Rock The Dock event at a bar next to Webster lake.
(Yeah, yeah, the lake’s name is really Lake Chaubunagungamaug. As no one can say that in a reasonable amount of time, everyone calls it Webster lake because it is in Webster.)

We really didn’t know what to expect when we showed up.

We had done 247 shows at that point, none on live radio.
(Some of us had done live TV with the group we belonged to before Phoenix Swords, but that’s another story.)

The place is right on the lake. It was a beautiful day about 80F and clear.


The bar hadn’t expected us, and didn’t know what to do with us. So, they gave us an upper balcony.
There were some signage problems.


Before we started the DJ (Adam) explained that the audience wasn’t big into watching the entertainment. They were mostly there to drink and get free prizes. So, we shouldn’t feel bad if they didn’t seem to be paying attention to us.


“Class 3 audience,” perrin_o_ravnos said to me. “Maybe even 3 1/2.”
(We use a scale to describe how interested the audience is in what we do. 1 is the best. 3 is the worst.)
“At least they aren’t spitting on us,” I said.
“Yet,” he replied.

But, we’ve dealt with 3+ audiences before.
We went on anyhow. It helped we went on right after one of the troupe theme songs "Viva Las Vegas".


The sword fight was at least watched. But, when people started setting themselves on fire, people payed more attention.


A lot of people did ask if I was hot running up and down the stairs in my costume.

Yes. I was.

As I said, this is not our first 3+. 3+ audiences tend to like contests. So, the fire eating contest went over well.


But, blue_micha setting tongue and chest on fire caught their attention.


The DJ was really into it and made sure to get his picture with us.

Having Tom’s hair, he began saying on air “maybe I could set my head on fire too...”
We told him we were happy to make it happen.

But, at the end of the show. First, more sword fighting.

A husband/wife fight seemed popular. Especially as it ends in a tie.

The DJ made some people move their boats so we could do the bigger fire tricks were it was safer.

Of course, we hadn’t realized just how unstable the floating docks were. But, it still worked.

The fire swords were tricky as it is a big fight with big people swinging big swords.
But, we’ve been doing the fight for 8 years now. We’re pretty good at it.


And, anything with big fire is better on water, right?


Being safety for this involved getting a bit wet.


Then, it was time to set the DJ on fire.

We did, but I have to get the still off of video before I can show it.

It was the perfect place for fire breath.


But, if I do a sword fight on a dock, I feel compelled to take a fall into the water. I wasn’t willing to do it with the very rare, practically irreplaceable fire swords. But, perrin_o_ravnos offered his old, beat up, messer.
So, into the drink I went.


He tells me the crowd cheered while I was under water.
I take his word for that.

So, we started the night afraid they might spit on us.
We finished with them cheering us.
As we cleaned up a good number of people came over to tell us how much they enjoyed it.
The DJ and radio sales person went on about what a great show it was and we should come back and do it again next year.

Turning a class 3 audience is very hard. In the 9 years we’ve done 248 shows as Phoenix swords I can count the times we’ve done it on one hand.
It is a VERY nice feeling.

And, since every time the DJ went on the air he said how great we were and that folks should come to our show this weekend, totally worth it.

Then we went to dinner.
There, things were a bit strange.


But, still a very good show.

Comments

[malterre.livejournal.com]

I needed those rum-based drinks soooo much. Frank heard my neck *finally* crack from the stress of that show. Ahhhh.

[evrgreen.livejournal.com]

Glad that you got such a successful warm-up to your big show this weekend!
It is always good to have things go so well, and I am sure that it was all due to the hard work and preparation you've all been doing!
Great job!!!!!

I'm sure the weekend will go well!

[chris-warrior.livejournal.com]

*LMAO*

it isn't every day you get to set a DJ on fire. and it isn't every day you get to read that a group set a DJ on fire... and he requested it.

i also laughed at this exchange:

(We use a scale to describe how interested the audience is in what we do. 1 is the best. 3 is the worst.)
“At least they aren’t spitting on us,” I said.
“Yet,” he replied.

i'm going to use that as my yardstick from now on: "OK, Chris, at least s/he/it didn't spit on you." life is about to get a BUNCH more positive.

[palusbuteo.livejournal.com]

YAY!

[perrin-o-ravnos.livejournal.com]

Bringing that old school Phoenix jive back in their mashed po ta toes.

[cissa.livejournal.com]

WAY cool!

You guys keep trying to suck me in, I swear. :)