you're a mountain that I'd like to climb

Vulkon San Francisco SlayerCon
August 26-29, 2004
Marriott Convention Center, Oakland, CA



PREFACE
This con report is written based on eight pages of notes I took during the con, in the car, and at night. I wasn't able to go to every event or record anything, so this is by no means a full recap. I pretty much wrote down everything I did and anything I found notable. I also took four roles of photos which I'll get picture CDs for and then post on my website's photo gallery. Following is a list of the guests and how I'll refer to each one in this report.

Headliners:
James Marsters (Spike) - James
Alexis Denisof (Wesley) - Alexis
Anthony Stewart Head (Giles) - Tony
Nicholas Brendon (Xander) - Nick
Clare Kramer (Glory) - Clare
Stephanie Romanov (Lilah) - Stephanie
Bonus Guests:
Camden Toy (Gentleman/Ubervamp/Gnarl/Prince of Lies) - Camden
James Leary (Clem) - James L.
Brigid Conley Walsh (Virginia) - Brigid
Tom Lenk (Andrew) - Tom
Danny Strong (Jonathan) - Danny
Adam Busch (Warren) - Adam
George Hertzberg (Adam) - George
Iyari Limon (Kennedy) - Iyari
Kelly Donovan (Xander's Replacement) - Kelly
Jonathan Woodward (Holden/Tracey/Knox) - Jonathan
Lee Stringer (Angel/Firefly/Serenity SFX artist) - Lee


THURSDAY
The con officially began at 5:00 PM on Thursday, though there were only about 35 "Early Birds" or so. There were only a few events planned (nothing major obviously). I arrived at 6:00 and picked up my Silver badge (ticket) in the lobby. The nice thing about going early was that there was no registration line, unlike the other days!
While waiting to check out the Vulkon merchandise, I met Joanna, a 21-year-old freelance journalist from Australia. She claimed she wasn't a huge fan, but she was hoping several different magazines would buy the piece she was writing about the con. Vulkon was selling a ton of photos and some clothing. They had really nice con t-shirts, but they weren't fitted (which I hate), so I didn't get one. I brought photos of James and Alexis that I won at the last con, but ended up buying photos of Clare, Nick, Stephanie, and Tony a few days later.
One of Saturday's events was a live lip-sync performace of Once More, With Feeling, for which auditions were being held. It turns out Joanna was going to audition for Willow, so I headed upstairs with her because I had sorta wanted to watch some of the auditions anyway. We met this really nice girl, Jennifer (aka JensCrazyCam online), who was auditioning for Anya. They ended up talking me into auditioning for Dawn, even though I hadn't prepared anything. We also all learned the Mustard Dance, which is much easier than it looks! The production is being directed by this guy Seth who auditioned us. He and Brian, Tammy, Ramon, and Jo had done the show once before at the Tampa con, so they had all flown here specifically for this event. They also took on the hardest roles: Seth=Spike, Tammy=Buffy, Brian=Sweet, Jo=dancing Dawn, and Ramon=lots of small dancing parts. After everyone finished auditioning we watched a video of their Tampa production to get a feel for the blocking and how it works. Watching OMWF with 15 other fans was really fun because we all laughed at the same little parts and sang along with all the songs!
Right before I left I saw Camden in the lobby. By this time I had a massive "convention headache" which is what happens when a die-hard Buffy fan who almost never talks about Buffy in real life is suddenly surrounded by tons of other die-hard fans. Also, I unfortunately had to leave before the big karaoke contest. Damn!


FRIDAY
After having a great lunch with seejanelive and her mom, I arrived at the hotel at 2:00. There wasn't too much going on yet, so out of the blue I ended up standing in line for a few hours to purchase photo op tickets. I met this really nice couple in line, who I talked to for awhile. We then took turns running down to the dealers' (merchandise) room. I browsed everything before spending any money, but actually only picked up some free Inkworks promo cards and posters, two Kill Bill postcards, and a great photo of Tony for him to sign later.
All the Bonus Guests have tables in the back of the room, so I immediately went to Tom's table because Andrew was my favorite thing about S7 and I've always wanted to meet Tom. It was really awesome because NO ONE was there so there were no crowds or anything and you could just walk up to whoever you wanted. So basically for $20 you can pick a photo and have them sign (and personalize!) it. I (rather stupidly) didn't really talk to Tom much, but I can tell you he is very shy! Totally cute, though. He's actually a lot like Andrew (and very cute), but less flamboyant! However, many people who talked to him have started a theory that he is actually gay. Which I could see!
Then I went over to Jonathan's table and took pictures with him (for free, yay). Little did I know this would be the beginning of a wonderful friendship... but really, I don't know why (ok maybe because I mentioned nautibitz and lovebytez as friends of mine), but we really hit it off. Let's see, what can I tell you about Jonathan... he is very, very nice and friendly and good-looking. Now I was never a fan of Knox really, but Jonathan is such a wonderful guy. But as much as I wanted to stay and chat, I had to run back upstairs and ended up buying a Tony photo op ticket for 8:00 the next morning. And my friend Jennifer told me I was cast as Dawn in the second half of OMWF!
Finally it was preliminary Q&A time! First up was George, Kelly, Camden, and Jonathan. I didn't take too many notes cuz it was basically them having fun (not necessarily a bad thing!). George, who is a martial artist apparently and went all kung-fu on Kelly's ass (lol), comes across as smart and articulate. Camden is really animated and funny, Kelly is a total joker, and Jonathan was chill but looked like he was having a blast. Next came the Troika Q&A. Tom, as expected, didn't really talk too much. Adam was outgoing and, surprisingly, is extremely anti-Clear Channel (yay!). Hence Common Rotation's living room tour. Danny was very personable and self-sure. And he'll be back on Gilmore Girls this season! :) Finally came Clare, Stephanie, Iyari, and Brigid. Brigid was pretty quiet, but she was only around for a few eps so that's that. Iyari, who I saw at the NJ con too, was sweet as usual. Clare was totally funny and outgoing, and Stephanie was totally excited and even a bit loopy. Fun story: since she heard that if there's marker on your skin they can't film it when doing nude-ish shots, she'd write "HI ALEXIS!" on her chest - one word on each breast. Hee!
Afterwards a bunch of people and I watched Life of the Party and Harm's Way on the big screen. Lastly, we had rehersal for OMWF until 11:30. I got to learn all my blocking, which was good. Brian, Seth, and all those guys were so helpful.


SATURDAY
Saturday was honestly one of the best days (and experiences) of my LIFE. I got to the Marriott at 7:30 for my Tony photo op at 8:00. The line went surprisingly quickly. I had just had a cup of coffee and I was totally hyper, so all I could manage to do was run up to Tony and tell him that I was a huge fan and basically, "You ROCK!!" It was really awesome - Tony was really friendly and huggy :), even for 8 in the morning. It was so amazing that I broke down and took $60 out of the ATM and purchased an Alexis photo op for 9:45. This was probably the best decision I have ever made. EVER. I got in line right away so I was one of the first 20 or so people to go. Okay, I expected Alexis to be cool and all, but seriously? He is FUCKING ADORABLE. That is no understatement! I introduced myself and told him how much I loved his work and what an awesome job he did, especially last year. He goes, "Oh, thank you Alice!" and yes, I almost fucking died. He is super, super smiley and his eyes really are as blue as in the pictures! I was immediately drawn to him and it really was incredible just finally getting to be in his presence. I've loved Wesley for a long time, but I didn't expect Alexis to be so striking in person! Big, huge SQUEE!! But apparently I'm not the only one who loves him, because there was an auction next and the banquet ticket to be at his table went for $1,650. Really.
Then I went back into the dealers' room and took some pictures with James L., who is really personable, and talked to Brigid who is super sweet. Then I got an autograph and picture with George, who is friendly and ridiculously un-Adam-like in that he is gorgeous. For the auto he wrote "Alice, I'm so evil..." I went back over and talked to Jonathan for awhile (this will turn out to be a reoccurring trend, heh) and took more pics with him. He made me a newspaper hat and ended up getting ink all over my forhead which he attempted to get off with his hand. He really is a fucking awesome guy - when I walked over he's all, "How's it going Alice?!" and he is really, really huggy and afectionate. We talked about L.A. vs. the east coast (he's from Maine originally) and schools I was looking at, and he told me he feels I'll get into Pomona! And man, I hope he's right. Jennifer took a digital pic of Jonathan and me which she later got developed as an 8x10. Since he owed me a favor for getting ink all over me, he signed it for free. He wrote: "Hey Alice! You're the most adorable chick ever! Your pal, Jonathan Woodward" And I love him. A lot. But trust me, the ego-boosting has only begun!
Next I went into the main room to sit for autographs which took forever. Since I had rehersal for OMWF, they let us stand off to the side to sneak us in early. While we were standing all the guests walked right past us and I snapped a great photo (you'll be able to tell which one - let me just say, ass). Tony was first for me. I told him I wanted a Giles of my own cuz I love his mentoring relationship with Buffy, and he found this quite amusing. It's definitely possible he was a little, as Fred would say, "drunk-faced!" But he seemed he was having a pretty good time. Clare was next, and she was really friendly and asked everyone how their day was going. She also said she loved my necklace (the heart-key one)! She also seemed totally grateful and said she was having a blast when I thanked her for coming. Nick was really, really speedy. At least I got to talk to him at the last con ;) Alexis... oh, Alexis... for starters, he was totally smiley again. And very cute. As I walked up to him, he goes "You're that girl with the wonderful smile!" And I blush like no other. I should have said, "Yours isn't too bad itself!" (Because that is the truth! When I think about it, our smiles sorta go together :) Then I told him how out of all the characters for some reason I relate to Wesley the most and he's always just sort of hit home for me. Alexis looks at me, smiles the hugest smile, and says "Thank you for telling me that." And I walk away (man was that hard to do), having had what is pretty much the biggest SQUEE!! in my entire life. Basically my head is going JESUS FUCKING CHRIST KILL ME RIGHT NOW... my life is completely... complete!!!! I've honestly never had the urge to physically squee so much, ever. If there was ever a moment to let out a high-pitched, loud "SQUEE!!!", that was it without a doubt.
After calming down I went back upstairs to "rehearse" which ended up being hanging out with Jo, Tammy, and Brian. I might as well mention right now that Tammy is fucking HOT, hot enough that I want to ejaculate all over her. She's Buffy, go figure.
I went back into the dealers' room yet again and took pictures with Kelly and Iyari for free.
Then came Tony and Nick's joint Q&A. They were both total pervs and cracked dick jokes the whole time. Fun fact for British-food-lovers: Tony loves chocolate digestives and hates custard cremes :) He also has the funniest laugh. Ever. Nick was pretty chill. Besides being a perv, that is ;P
Next Alexis came out to do his Q&A. This was actually only his second convention, and his first in the U.S.! I didn't really know what to expect of him. Right off the bat it was apparent that he was extremely attached to Wesley and the show. While most guests talk about random things and anecdotes etc., Alexis was different in that he really gave us a feeling for what being Wesley was like. It's hard to describe, especially if you weren't there. I had a ton of questions I wanted to ask him since I find Wes to be fascinating. At first I was gonna ask how he felt about Wesley's evolution, but someone then asked if he liked playing light or dark Wes better. Oh, and when Alexis answers a question, he answers it. He would seriously take like ten minutes answering each question in detail. Anyway, he said that he loved playing Wesley partly because of how many changes he got to go through. He always tried to keep the real Wes inside, no matter if he was "light" or "dark." You could tell that he was really in touch with who his character was, every little thing about him. I'd love to read a transcript of his Q&A cuz I didn't get to write everything down, grr... hopefully one will be online soon. Anyway! So even though my first question was basically answered, I kept my hand up and when he called on me I asked which scenes were the hardest, emotionally, for him to shoot. He had been talking a little beforehand about the final scene in Power Play where Angel sort of rallies everyone, and that it definitely stirred up something tangible inside of him because it was so powerful and final. He also mentioned pretty much all of Not Fade Away as being very sad to shoot because he knew it was the end of the character (and the series). Finally, Alexis said all the scenes with Fred in A Hole in the World were just completely draining because of what Wes & Fred were going through. Apparently it was just Alexis, Amy, Joss, and a couple crewmembers in Fred's bedroom that day and everything was very tense and emotional. Someone asked how the cast felt about Fred's soul being destroyed. He said everyone was distressed by it and that he would actually get choked up just thinking about it. As you can see, Wes is a big part of him. So much so that he would feel almost schizophrenic at times from being in Wesley's head and feeling what Wesley was feeling. It was really interesting to hear some of the things that Joss had planned for Season 6: Wesley would still have been alive, and they were going to explore his relationship with Illyria and also with Illyria as Fred and what that means a lot more. We got to see glimpses of that in this past season, but, he says, they were really gonna draw it out and do a huge arc. Really, I do wish you all could've seen him talk. Alexis is seriously a fan's actor. Because he loves his character and the show so much, it's like he completely understands what being a part of this fandom is like for us. He mentioned another thing he loves about being on such a "cult" show with a dedicated fan base is that "We're in it together. It's communal." It's like he was breaking down the barrier between the "Stars" and the "Fans," and instead this whole deal is a totally shared experience. Gah, I just can't say enough good things about him!! Someone else asked about Wes' relationships with Lilah and Fred, and while they were both meaningful to Wesley, Alexis described them as being the difference between sex and love. And I love this next quote describing what Fred means to Wesley... "She's everything the world's worth fighting for, and she's everything the world's worth dying for." But the man can be funny too! He's not a goof like Nick, but much more deadpan. He mentioned that during Smile Time the Angel muppet stayed in character, even when the cameras weren't running, ordering everyone around and the like. Oh, and before during Tony's Q&A someone had heard about Tony doing scenes sans pants, but Tony told us to ask Alexis about that, actually! So someone did, and the truth comes out: During the season where Wes was behind his desk an awful lot, Alexis would shoot each scene with his pants further and further down until eventually they were around his ankles! Apparently he had wondered what acting in a situation like that would be like, so he decided to do the experiement. Interesting. Also, during the "shiny demon" scene in Spin the Bottle there wasn't one single take where he and David didn't crack up. The director even told them to not look at each other, but they still kept laughing so the editor had to take snippets from different takes just to cut the scene together properly. And as for everyone's favorite Wesley dance (in She), Alexis actually came up with it himself. His favorite move, which he decided was Wes' signature move, was the little motorcycle kick (that he thought came out of Wes wanting to be badass), which he proceeded to demonstrate for us! I almost died laughing. I really do wish I could remember every little thing he said and did! Alexis also spoke a bit about Alyson and how crazily in love they are, and it was so fucking cute. He actually ran a half hour over the alotted time. Closing, he thanked us all and again mentioned what an amazing experience it was for him and that he really, honestly treaures and loves Wesley. Alexis was easily the best speaker at the con, and was the only one to get a standing ovation from the crowd. He shared so much with us, especially things that you could tell were very personal. I mean, even by observing his body language and voice it was clear that he really did want to open up to us and it amazed me how comfortable he seemed about doing that. Besides being just as emotionally attached (probably moreso!) as we are as fans to the show, I would describe Alexis as cheerful (that smile can really knock you outta the park), sweet, attentive, grateful, and flooringly humble. Forget about him being a "star," I truly would love to sit down and just talk with him for hours about Wesley, his experience, and everything. He really does seem like the type of guy who would be into something like that. I only got to talk with him one-on-one for a minute or so at the con, but that combined with watching him speak... he comes across as a wonderful man, and human being. I honestly have limitless respect for Alexis, and I think I fell in love with Wesley all over again. Hearing Alexis talk brought a whole new dimension to the character for me. He was such an intimate speaker, and such an amazing person, that he truly, truly moved me almost to tears.
Alexis was certainly a hard act to follow, but if anyone could do it, it would be James. James is very, very animated, chill, patient, dedicated, and anti-materialistic (no Republicans among Joss' cast, that's for sure!). I got to ask him one of the first questions, which was (I couldn't help myself!) "How do you feel about all the homoerotic subtext between Spike and Angel?!" He replied that Joss did it to make them uncomfortable and because "he likes to free everyone up." James however is very comfortable in his own skin and has a very... interesting sexuality. He mentions he's dressed up as a woman before (possibly in Chance?). It was also neat to learn that James has an eight-year-old son, who he loves very much. Being a hippie deep down, he also mentions that he prefers Oregon or Washington to California. He also likes Natalie Portman a lot. And yes, James really is obsessed with Red Bull and even asked the audience for one when he was on stage! Someone asked about Spike's relationships with the other characters and he notes that Spike only cares about himself, Buffy, Dawn, Dru, and Angel. And not Fred, much to my dismay... anyway! He's a total method actor, which (like Alexis I'm guessing) takes its toll. The most notable thing about James is that he speaks with tremendous integrity, like it took him a long time to figure out who he was and to accept himself, and now that he has he's just on top of the world. Or something like that. Example quotes: "The point of life is to be happy." "I had to find a way to be cool with myself." "Acting is not about being someone else, it's about taking parts of yourself and putting them onstage." And my personal favorite, "I don't want my desires fulfilled, I want them to rage." And I think I'll leave it at that.
While waiting for the OMWF call I saw James L. & George's improv show, which was quite excellent. Let's just say there was ass-slapping and even a few kisses (on the lips). Yes folks, it's fair to say the subtext was rapidly becoming text! Hee. At the end they did a five-minute parody of Hush that was funny as hell.
I met everyone backstage to prep for OMWF. We were all getting really nervous because we hadn't had time to rehearse a whole lot. Anyway, so we did the play and it went really, really well. Better than anyone expected, I think. And if you know me, you know I'm not the performing arts type AT ALL, but I honestly had so much fun doing it. And guess what?! Stephanie was in the front row of the audience!! Which probably made everyone even more nervous I think :) She laughed a lot, so that's a good sign. Also, afterwards Jonathan and Carrie (his girlfriend, also an Angel make-up artist I believe) came backstage and told me they had a great time watching us! Jonathan gave me a huge hug and said that I was awesome. I had mentioned the production earlier to him that day, so it was so nice of them to come, especially if it was just to see me. But seriously, I had such a blast with the whole thing. It was a super cool experience - I'm so used to having guys like Stephanie or Jonathan entertain me, and all of a sudden I was the one entertaining them! Also, there were about 250 or so fans watching, and it felt nifty not being in the audience with them for a change. Additionally, since Dawn isn't a fave character of mine, it was neat to jump into her skin and see OMWF solely from her point of view. Okay, so maybe I do like this acting thing... ;) Then we took cast photos. Seth (director and Spike) said we were wicked awesome and he was really proud of everyone for pulling of such a tight show in a really short amount of time. Lots of random fans also came up and said they enjoyed it a lot.
Then I had to leave which was unfortunate cuz I had been planning to go to the Velvet Chain concert, but I got a ticket refund anyway because the Vulkon staff is super, super amazing and chill.


SUNDAY
Sunday was really bittersweet because I knew it was the last day and I never, ever wanted the con to end. I got to the hotel earlier than expected, and since there was nothing going on at the time I hung out with some of the Vulkon dealers who were really nice and friendly. They said they loved me because I always had a grin on my face and looked like I was having the time of my life. And I told them I was!
At 10:00 I went to my first and only panel. If I could do one thing differently, I would have gone to more panels. The topic was whether moving to Wolfram & Hart was the right move for Angel & Co., though we talked a lot about Ats Season 5 in general. There were about ten people there total, so it was easy to get your word in. It's funny, I felt so odd because in school and stuff I'm one of the quiter people in class, but I frickin' owned the conversation here! Not in a bitchy way or anything. Seriously, I fucking loved this panel - besides the guests, this is the point of conventions as far as I'm concerned. Finally I got to have a really interesting, intense, face-to-face discussion with other fans. Something that unfortunately doesn't really happen in RL for me. Again, I wish I could have recorded the convo because some really good points and questions came up. The one that struck me enough that I actually did write it down came from a girl when we were talking about Angel being corrupt and power hungry. She had the theory that Angel liked being the W&H CEO because he had a lot of power, just like he had power when he was Angelus, but it doesn't come across as overtly "evil" so his conscience can still be at rest. I think she's really got something there, and that had never ocurred to me at all before.
Then I saw Lee's visual F/X presentation which was very, very informative and interesting (okay, there were a few boring bits, so what?). It was pretty Firefly-focused, and it only made me want to see the show even more. He also told us that the scene of Sunnydale collapsing in Chosen was a miniature, not CGI!
Back into the dealers' room to buy four packs of cards. I am a card whore - it's the anticipation or something. Otherwise I really don't know why I buy them.
Autographs today seemed to go much faster. I had James first. Being James, he actually shakes every person's hand and looks them in the eye when they come up to him. Here's our short (but meaningful!) convo: "I saw you speak at the Q&A last night and you spoke with real integrity. So thanks for that." "Thank you! I guess everyone likes talking about themselves." "Well, you did it really well." "Aw, thanks." "Really, thanks for coming." "Oh, I enjoy doing this!" So friendly, and obviously dedicated to the fans... a great guy.
And here's my bit with Stephanie: "Thanks for coming to our show last night. I hope you had a good time." "Yeah, it was great. You guys were all really good. I actually hadn't seen that one before, so." "Yeah, it's a good one. Thanks!"
By this point I had a whole $20 left, and Ramon convinced me to spend it on Danny. He had no line, so I actually got to chat with him for a little while. He's not like his character at all - really personable, as a matter of fact. We talked about colleges and East vs. West Coast. Danny loves Boston, loves making girls broke, and loves the Claremont area. Oh, and he called me a hippie. I was telling Danny the schools I was looking at, and he goes, "So you're pretty much a hippie, huh?" Man it was cute. Then we took a picture together, and I told him it was a final $20 well spent!
My friend Jaime and I basically walked around the dealers' room for awhile taking pictures of the guests and talking with people. We were both broke at this point so we couldn't get any more autographs! I did however talk to Adam for a little about Common Rotation's living room tour, and he said they'd love to come play at my school! And I also walked away with a free CD... really, telling guests you're broke is an awesome strategy. I hate Warren, so I'm happy to say that Adam isn't like him at all. He's really nice and chill.
Then Jaime and I hung out around Jonathan's table waiting for all his paying customers to leave. Jaime said he was checking out my ass when we were standing there (but somehow I doubt that)! We also learned he's an Emily the Strange fan. Anyway, he is too cute. He still had people waiting in line to get his autograph, but when he saw me walk up to wait for them all he yelled "Alice!" and ran over to give me a big hug and a "What's up cutie?!" before returning to the signing. Finally his line died down so I sat on his table and finally remembered this time to ask him actual questions about his character. My first question was if he was sad that Fred and Knox never hooked up, and why yes he was, because he really digs Amy. He was also disappointed because Fred's such a slut that she's been with like every other guy on the series, but not him. I pointed out that he did get to watch Amy as Illyria strip down in Shells, but he says filming stuff like that is super awkward because Amy basically had a sheet to cover herself with and they'd all be trying to look away and stuff to be polite. So according to Jonathan, making out is much, much better than doing nude scenes with someone! Then we argued a little about his character, which was fun. I told him it's good that he's so nice in person because Knox was such an ass, heh. I said it was the killing Fred part that really got to me. Jonathan feels that Knox really was a sweet guy, and the only reason he did kill her is because he loved her so much and he was so devoted to Illyria. So I guess the man has a point, and he should know of all people. So then all the Bonus Guests were packing up and we had to get to the Q&A's anyway, so I gave him my email address for his new "mailing list" and he said he'd see me again at other conventions. Then we hugged, and I told him to email me if he's ever in the Boston area, and we said our thanks and goodbyes. It was actually really sad because I really did enjoy his company, and not just as a guest.
So Jaime and I raced back into the main room where Clare was finishing her Q&A. We missed the first two-thirds or so talking with Jonathan, but it was definitely worth it :) Anyway, this was also Clare's first con in the U.S. and she said she was having a total blast, which you could tell by her enthusiasm! I didn't take many notes, but she talked a lot about the great clothes on Buffy and that she has drag queen friends (!). Closing, she said she was having such a good time that she didn't even want to go home, which I thought was touching.
Stephanie came on next, and oh man is she a hot ticket. Really, she's an absolute riot, a lotta fun! A few notable things: Her favorite scene was dressing up like Fred for Wesley (hee!) and if she wasn't an actor she'd be into psychology. She likes both acting and psychology because they're similar in that they deal with the human condition, which she finds fascinating. I thought that was a really interesting comment, as someone who's interested in psychology myself.
Next was Tony's solo Q&A, which was more informative than the one he did with Nick, in my opinion. Tony was really expressive - he has the funniest, cutest "HEE HEE!" laugh, and whenever someone would mention Jenny's death he would pretend (I think!) to get really upset and choked up. Apparently he would've been happier if Giles was getting more action ;P Though he did mention all the ass Giles gets in fanfic (!) and "Maybe Giles should've been gay!" Someone randomly asked if Tony was a sports fan, and I'm happy to report that he's not because he thinks they're deathly boring (woohoo)! Someone else asked what his favorite scenes were, and he replied that he loved doing the ones with Sarah Michelle because there was no other relationship like theirs on the show. Since I'm a huge Buffy/Giles fan, I was really happy to hear that. He talked a bit about his farm and how hard it was to be away from his wife Sarah and their two girls ("Babies" is his favorite song on Music for Elevators). He's really, really dedicated to his family and loves them very much. Then - and this is the best part - he actually sang two songs for us! First was "I Can't Stand the Rain" which was great... his voice is really amazing. Secondly, he sang what I gather is his favorite song ever, which just happens to be "Sweet Transvestite"! He had lots of practice while doing the Rocky Horror stage production apparently, because he got totally into it, with the movements and expressions and everything!! It was jaw-dropping, and Tony is the coolest guy ever.
Lastly was James' second Q&A. He was extremely perky (thanks Red Bull)!! James said he actually came up with the idea of Spike falling in love with Buffy, which is interesting. Someone also asked about his "relationship" with Illyria, and James said Spike was totally into it because, and I quote, "Spike likes getting his ass kicked." He said there were definitely sexual undercurrents, and that Spike is very animalistic when it comes to sex and likes women who toss him around (S&M much?)! Another person asked if he himself was like Spike at all, and James surprisingly said he was a lot like him. Like Spike, he's alone a lot and doesn't have very many friends, and he also gets into these really dark moods sometimes. In the same vein, James said that after he's been really public for awhile he needs to be by himself and curl up in a ball and sleep, read, or play videogames. Being the really smart guy that it's apparent he is, James seems to be very conscious of not getting a big head and staying true to himself. When asked why so many female characters have met their fate on the two shows, James thinks it's because Joss has a real soft spot for women in peril and he kills off the girls cuz it will be the hardest on the audience. Closing, James thanked everyone and mentioned that "Buffy attracts a smart set" of people.

WRAP-UP
Besides a very small costume contest, that was my last event. Obviously it was really sad to leave. I made so many good friends, met so many cool people, and had a blast focusing on the thing I really love. Being a Buffy/Angel fan has always been a really positive, amazing experience for me, but going to an event like this convention brought a whole new level to it. Internet communities are one thing, but actually being face-to-face with so many fans and cast & crewmembers makes you really aware of the awesome fandom we have. While Buffy and Angel have been an important individual activity of mine, sharing the experience with everyone involved just makes it that more powerful. And, as I was trying to explain to my family, meeting the "stars" is so different from meeting any regular celebrity for us. Being in a fandom, the fans and the actors are both so invested in the show and its characters that there's a real sense of understanding and intimacy. But again, it really is something that's hard to describe if you haven't experienced it for yourself. I for one had the fucking time of my life.
As Alexis said so memorably, "we're in it together - it's communal."


Thanks for reading - I did my best :)

All 80 of my pictures all are posted HERE! They're hosted by Sony ImageStation, and you'll need an account to view them. It's totally free and easy to sign up. If you get vidcaps from buffy.rainingdreams.org, you already have an account. Also, click on the pictures to enlarge them.

ETA: You can see all my photo ops at www.flickr.com/photos/purpleyoshi/!