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[questionsleep]

I can't believe there aren't more topics here?! (in Ask the Bards)

So, I've wondered this probably since I first did this myself.
At each event I saw you guys, as you were just free playing or taking requests for hours,
I would occasionally sit for long periods of time in the audience, watching, listening, and relaxing.
I have observed other people sit for long periods, as well.

If I were on stage, and people did this type of thing, I would feel awkward.  I would expect it, being the nature of the event, but I would still feel a little awkward if this same creepy kid was there for a long time.

So I'm wondering if you find it awkward, or even offensive?  How do you feel when people do this?
I'm directing this at any member of the band who reads this, unless one person is capable of speaking for all.
I really just love sitting there and relaxing, listening and watching you guys.  It's completely entertaining, to me.  But I don't want to creep you out.

[Ronnie]

I don't find it creepy at all!

This tends to happen most with out late-night sessions, where people have insomnia or are just chilling late at night with their friends. Honestly, I'm really happy when we have the same crowd of people who decide to just plop down and stay a while. I take that to mean that we're keeping everyone reasonably entertained, which is why we're at cons in the first place! If we're creating an atmosphere where you just wanna sit with us and relax for a couple hours (with the odd moment or two where you get up and dance and have fun), then we're doing our job.

The only thing that unsettles me is when we do a series of really fast, energetic songs, and then we slow things down and half of the people who temporarily stopped to watch us suddenly vanish in the middle of that first slow song. That's kind of a shame, but I guess it's a natural tendency to be drawn to high-energy stuff.

[nightshade_zero]

I sometimes feel like I'm "that creepy kid" especially since I'm almost always on my camera recording everything, hardly talking to anyone. My friends think I'm crazy for staying up all night just at Acen just to watch the bards. Even I thought I was insane when I took public transportation alone, late at night to get across Chicago to go to some cafe I've never heard of in some unfamiliar neighborhood just to see the bards perform. But I enjoy every second if it. I'm not sure why, but they inspire me to advance my own musical education by taking piano lessons and such. Anyway, I'm probably going way off topic. Point is I kinda feel the same way as you, but Ronnie's post was somewhat reassuring.

[questionsleep]

Well I'm glad you feel that way, then, Ronnie ^_^

I actually would have stayed up all night watching yous guys, if I could have.  But I was actually restrained from doing so for the past two cons because I had to be back to my room by a certain time.  For Youmacon 08, however, I am alone and free to do as I wish.
Will the Bards be doing an all-nighter at Youmacon?  I really hope so, since I can finally stay up and watch =]

I, too, have observed the vanishing of folks, Ronnie.  It's a little sad to me too, actually.  I found it a little rude, but people are free to come and go as they wish in such situations.  If I were up there, playing some slow, yet intricate piece, which took me quite some time to figure out... I'd be sad when people left.  But really... those people might not be able to appreciate it anyway.  So actually, I wouldn't be so sad.
The ADD of people at cons is amusing.


nightshade_zero

[Alex A.]

Questionsleep, nothing could make us happier than to have people hang out and listen to us for as long as they want. The longer, the better (taking into account personal health and hygene of course). In fact, I started out doing the very same thing! And Mr. _zero, your services as a cinematographer are invaluable and provide us with a reliable source for videos so that we can share what we do with even more people. It means so much to all of us that we have fans that are ardent enough to trek across cities, states and countries in order to see us play as well as those who posses the dedication to stick with us for so long at a con (potentially holding a camera up) and the constitution to brave the mental and physical anguish of the all-nighters. I'm sure everyone will agree with me when I say that we would go so far as to encourage the very behavior that you two have expressed insecurities about. As long, of course, as you are having fun doing it. That's why we do what we do, not only because it's fun for us, but because we all love sharing the fun we have playign music with everyone else.

[nightshade_zero]

questionsleep,
Yeah, that was me with my melodica (the thing that looks like a small keyboard with a mouthpiece sticking out). I was really only using it to entertain myself and surrounding people during long lines. I think I was also playing quick tunes in between songs when the bards were playing. Also, those friends who called me crazy are truly the crazy ones. They spent most of the convention in the hotel room playing the video games they begged me to bring, despite that 1) there's an awesome convention going on, and 2) they can go to my house and play the same games on a much larger screen than what the hotel provides.

Alex,
Thanks for that, I feel a lot more confident now!

[questionsleep]

Alex A.,
You're good at expressing your thoughts in writing, did you know that?  That was some good writing, sir.
Thank you for your response!  I think an understanding has been reached, and I can now sit for hours without doubt ^_^

nightshade_zero,
I am endlessly baffled when people go on adventures, and they do the same which they do at home.  Complete waste of opportunity and the adventure itself.

Melodica, mm?  I wondered the title, but I knew I wouldn't get one because it was too small.  I require lots of octaves (I had to look that term up).  My ocarina does not have enough octaves to satisfy me, but I make do.

[Alex A.]

I thank you for saying so. It's nice to know that the effort I put into posts sometimes doesn't go to waste, lol.

Also, you may have seen Jer playing a Melodica as well.

[Jer]

Whenever I see someone there for a long period of time, I always figure that s/he really likes our music or that we're a cool group to hang around.  I always appreciated it and took it as a compliment.

[Ravenwings]

So..know this hasn't been posted in in at least 120 days as this reply warning so nicely pointed out to me, buuut I don't care cause I was just wondering the same thing that questionsleep asked about. Glad you guys well at least some of ya that we know for sure of don't mind us hanging out for long periods of time while you perform.

I admit I got hooked when I first saw you guys perform at Sugoicon I wanna say 2006. I remember one night I was sitting on one of the couches with my friends and people in the audience all started singing along with the music. Then another time at Ohayocon 2007 since no one was technically allowed to use their lighters in the building people pulled out their cell phones and started waving them in the air. Every con I've seen you guys at I try and make an effort to stop by for at least a little while. Even if some people I know still don't get how I can just sit down at a convention for hours and listen to music.

[Tom!]

I should hope they don't mind people listening for a long time. I think at Youma 06 I stood behind a plant listening for around 6 hours because I was too shy to approach. >.>

[Natalie]

Were you in your Pikmin costume? Did you blend in with the plant?

[Tom!]

Haha, no, I was just a black mage. You can see the edge of my sombrero in some of the pictures of you guys.. XD

[questionsleep]

El Mage Negro?

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