Creep Con
June 8-9, 2002

Baltimore Convention Center and The Vault - Baltimore, MD

Guests
Andy Hallett: Lorne - the Host (AtS)
Mark Lutz - Groo (AtS)
Brian Thompson - Luke/The Judge (BtVS)
Anthony Stewart Head - Rupter Giles (BtVS)
Adam Busch - Warren Meers (BtVS)

SATURDAY

On the second floor of the Baltimore Convention Center, my boyfriend, Mike and I walked down the hall towards the Creep Con registration table. Before we got there, however, we spotted a lovely lady with a sign reading "Lorne's Ladylove." She was VicNoir of the BronzeShelter, and I'm Lorne's Ladylove.

Vic guided us to the escalator that took us to the room in which Creep Con was being held. She led us to the BronzeShelter table where we met Emyrld Wing, Sionell, and several other members. Lots of hugs were exchanged and Mike was asked to be a bouncer at the Shelter Shindig later that night. I asked if I was needed at the table yet and was told no, everything was covered. I had to go back upstairs to get a gold band to show I was a Gold Ticket holder, and then it was back to the con.

I walked all around the dealers' tables, deciding which merchandise I wanted, and I'd reached the snack area by the time I'd finished, so I bought a Coke and sat down. I was wearing brand new sandals--BIG mistake! But I was afraid my old ones would fall apart. My feet were in a lot of pain!

A little while later, I walked back to the BronzeShelter table in case I was needed again. Not yet, so I looked at the autograph lines, and they were way too long to stand in with my aching feet. Anthony Stewart Head (ASH) would only be there Saturday, I later found out, so I didn't get his autograph when I had the chance; however, I also later found out that I couldn't afford it, anyway.

I made several purchases. I found most of the dealers to be very friendly. Of note were the people from Gothic.Net and Fetishes Boutique. I joked around with them a bit and made purchases at both tables. I bought a one-year membership with a free t-shirt from Gothic.Net (and if you've never visited their site, you should!) and a book called SCREW THE ROSES, SEND ME THE THORNS by Philip Miller and Molly Devon from Fetishes Boutique (another fab website!).

Although I didn't get their autographs, I was really pleased to see Mark Lutz, Brian Thompson, Anthony Stewart Head, Ted Raimi, and Warwick Davis at the con. I was disappointed that Tom Savini didn't make it, but I would have been happy if only Andy Hallett had come, since he was the star I'd most come to see.

I helped out at the BronzeShelter table for a little while, although no one bought any raffle tickets or BronzeShelter items (shirts and caps were for sale) or made any donations to the WPI Fireman's Fund while I was there.

When the Buffy/Angel Q & A session started, Vic told me to go on upstairs, so I did. Mark, Andy, ASH, and Brian were there, and Adam Busch showed up later. Since there will be transcripts available, I'm not going to get into the questions and answers. I took lots of photos, and shortly before it was over, Sionell called me out of the room. I figured the BronzeShelter table needed me, but then she told me she was going to try to catch Andy and introduce me after the Q & A! I was like, "Oh! Ok!" We entered the room next door, which was empty and dark, and we approached a door. Si said, "ASH is in here. Don't scream!" I followed quietly but eagerly. ASH said hi to me and I returned his greeting. Si pulled a chair for me and I watched and listened as several people interviewed ASH. He looked quite sexy in his scuffed brown leather jacket, and his soft voice and British accent were sexy, too.

After the Q & A was done, Si took me in to meet Andy. She introduced me as Lorne's Ladylove, and he knew my nickname! He shook my hand (he has wonderfully soft hands) and was as sweet as everyone says he is! Thank you, Sionell!

I was with Si, Andy, his agent, Pat Brady, and several others for a few short minutes longer. First, they'd lost Mark, but he showed up a few moments later. Si was busy finding out what our gorgeous men wanted for lunch, and we headed to an elevator and went back to the con.

After the con ended on Saturday, Mike and I drove to The Vault, where the Shelter Shindig was being held. Mike had been asked to be a bouncer, but they turned out to have enough bouncers and didn't need him. It was my first time at a nightclub. It was dark, and Mike and I didn't like the smokiness, but we stayed because I wanted to see Andy. We grabbed a table and Mike got a beer for himself and a Coke for me, since I don't drink.

The first band sucked. The lead singer couldn't hit his notes and kept spitting on the stage. That was just gross and tacky behavior.

All the bands we heard while there were too loud for Mike and me. I understand this is the lifestyle many people enjoy, but I'm afraid it's not for me, and Mike feels the same.

Andy introduced Torsion, and I liked their music, just not the volume. They didn't just play great music; they gave an artistic visual performance as well.

We left shortly after Common Rotation came on, because we were both tired (I'd had only one-and-a-half hours of sleep the night before, and Mike did all the driving) and the volume was too much. I'd hoped Andy would sing, so I was afraid I'd miss it, but I later found out he never sang that night, so I wasn't too disappointed.

The thing that upset Mike and me the most was, there was no wick in the candle on our table! No wick at all! We were wickless! I'd so looked forward to being *wick*ed! I didn't even get a photo of War*wick* Davis! :P

I missed the BronzeShelter party later that night at the Clarion Hotel (where several of us from BronzeShelter stayed), but there were a bunch of people on my floor who had a party of their own at 2:00 and 3:00 a.m. I'm pretty sure they weren't from the con. They may have been from a wedding; I saw some wedding attendees the next morning at breakfast. These people were loud and annoying. They knocked on at least three different doors, and a woman, upon entering one, screamed, "Oh, my god! You're watching a porno!" and everyone was laughing. I heard someone mention they should quiet down, but I don't know if they were talking *to* a policeman or about the fact that the police might be called. They finally settled down and went to bed. My boyfriend had slept through the whole thing.

SUNDAY

Mike and I had the hotel's complimentary continental breakfast. He had a danish and I had an enormous blueberry muffin (which was a little dry, but it was welcome, because I'd only had two strawberry Pop Tarts from the vending machine late the previous night with no other food since breakfast the previous morning), and we both had bananas and orange juice.

The con was supposed to re-open at 10:00 that morning, but very few dealers had shown up. Apparently, the BronzeShelter gang weren't the only ones who'd partied hard the previous night! ;)

I sat at the BronzeShelter table and answered questions as best as I could from those who stopped by. Mike kept me company. I watched as more dealers and celebrities came in and set up. The horror-ified limo for Kim's Krypt (the haunted attraction set up in the back of the room) was driven past the BronzeShelter table and around the dealer area to the attraction.

About an hour or so later, BronzeShelter members started coming in. Some dragged themselves in. When I was no longer needed, I got in line for my Andy autograph. I'd asked a girl in line about the cost of photos to be signed, and she replied that the half-sized pictures were $10 and the 8" x 10"s were $20. I'd also been told you had to pay regardless of whether you bought a photo or had your own stuff to be signed, but I don't know if that was true or not. I wanted the full-size photo, so Andy's was the only autograph I could afford. I also got my picture taken with him!

I wanted one other souvenir before I left the con: A Creep Con t-shirt. I had my boyfriend take a photo of VicNoir, Rose, and me, with me holding up the Creep Con t-shirt, as the last photo on the fourth roll of film I'd used for the con.

BronzeShelter was great to hang out with, and it was fabulous meeting Andy. It wasn't the best con I've ever gone to, but I did have fun, most of which was thanks to BronzeShelter and Andy. I can't wait till I can hang out with BronzeShelter again!

One last note: While I do give credit to Phil, who created Creep Con, I want to mention that a lot of things went wrong and some events didn't happen, and BronzeShelter is responsible for taking over and improving the situation as much as possible. It was an honor helping them out.

RELATED LINKS:

Creep Con - http://www.creepcon.com/
BronzeShelter - http://www.bronzeshelter.com/
Baltimore Convention Center - http://www.bccenter.org/
The Vault - http://www.vaultclub.com/
WPI Firefighter's Fund - http://www.williams-pyro.com/wpiff/index.html
Official Andy Hallett Website - http://www.andy-hallett.net/
Mark Lutz Official Website - http://www.marklutz.com/
The Official Website of Brian Thompson - http://www.brianthompson.com/
The Giles' Appreciation Society Panters Home Page -http://www.geocities.com/TelevisionCity/7728/gaspers.html
Adam-Busch.com - http://www.adam-busch.com/
Club Ted: The Official Ted Raimi Fan Club - http://www.tedraimifan.com/
The Official Warwick Davis Web Site - http://www.warwickdavis.co.uk/
Common Rotation - http://www.commonrotation.com/
Torsion - http://www.torsion.net/
Gothic.Net - http://www.gothic.net/
Fetishes Boutique - http://www.fetishesboutique.com/
Kim's Krypt Haunted Attraction - http://www.kimskrypt.com/

© Copyright June 2002. Jennifer Whildin. All rights reserved.