Last weekend of Bluesfest

and I'm starting to really feel it. Last night I worked the VIP gate for the whole 4 hours. Yuck! Got a couple of opportunities to go see the show but couldn't leave my partner, Andre, alone on the fence. He's only 6' 2" at about 260 lbs but people would argue with him and give him long sad stories... I'd just look at them and say "NO" and they'd say "okay" and leave. I think I look scary when I say NO to people.

The crowd was crazy. HUGE... largest crowd yet at Bluesfest. The part was a crushed, over-flowing (literally) mass of bodies. The police and paramedics were called in several times. I know because they use the easy access through our VIP gate to get to the crowd quickly. But, man, what a party. The show really was worth it. For we at the gate it meant working hard at keeping out the multitude of story-tellers without VIP tickets. They want to cut through to get to the crushing crowd (one woman with a small 8 y.o. boy) or get a drink or whatever and they come to us with wild stories (all BS) and money. Top offer last night was 7 kids offering me $1000 they didn't have after I told them their $5 offer paled compared to the $100 offer. Some don't even speak, they just show you the $20 in their palm. Pathetic... get a $35 ticket you morons! One bar-keep in a tent the other night was offered $100 for 2 beers by people on the wrong side of the fence barrier!

I had to jump out of the way a few times as overly-stupid rowdy drunks were 'escorted' from the grounds by 'blue-shirt' security and/or police. The scuffles would be comical if they weren't so dangerous. Then there were those who just needed to get out of the crushing claustrophobic crowd and begged to be allowed to pass through. Security would escort them to our gate too.

So, big crowds tend to cause big security and safety issues. AND, lucky me managed to get put on the gate for the biggest crowd. Heather (Assistant Area Leader) said I was good at it. She might have been just flattering me but I think it was sincere. Because only a couple of fence jumpers got past me but they had to go a long way down the fence to do it and I was quick with "we've got a jumper" and security got them every time.

Gotta run. Time to get ready and go to Bluesfest.

OMG!!! I am so thrilled...

I just got my new Shabori Borealis veil by Dar. There are not enough words to describe my joy. It is perfection on silk. I hope she took a picture for her portfolio. I don't have a way to photograph it. When it is debuted in June I will have pics to post.

I love it so much it has inspired me to take a new direction with the costume I was planning for it.

Dancers Bazaar

Better late than never. Just a quick photo of me at my table before the doors opened. This was the last time it looked so neat and tidy ;-)