Theme Parties at Sci-Fi Conventions
Here are final details on our PANCAKE CHOWDOWN and 2 LATE-NIGHT PARTIES (Heavy Metal Party II and Hero vs Villain Party) at Dragon*Con 2010! Check back here on THURSDAY (Sept. 2nd) where we’ll post the location of the PANCAKE CHOWDOWN, once we check into the Hyatt Regency.
CON*tourage events for Dragon*Con 2010!
Dragon*Con is right around the corner and if you plan on attending either/both of our late-night parties, a PARTY PASS is required in order to get by door security. In addition to having a PARTY PASS, you’ll also need to bring a photo I.D. as both parties are 21+ ONLY.
VIP/Regular Party Passes required for entry!
Those of you who have already reserved a VIP PARTY PASS (with a set donation) will need to pick them up, and many more of you will need to secure a REGULAR PARTY PASS, if you want access to our TWO late-night parties during Dragon*Con 2010. Both passes will be good for BOTH parties (in other words, there are not different passes for each party).
The main difference between a VIP and Regular Party Pass is that VIP Party Pass holders get access to our parties one hour early, giving them access to Party Hunch-Punch, as well as getting them in the door before the parties fill up. (FYI, all VIP Party Passes are ALL GONE, so please do not send in any more monetary donations. Any future VIP donations will be refunded due to this.)
Location of the parties in the Hyatt Regency will be hand-written on ALL Party Passes. DJ Nemesis (who will be DJing the must-attend D*Con Saturday night DRAGON DANCE) and DJ Spider will be rockin’ both parties…read about all of that HERE.
• FRIDAY NIGHT: Heavy Metal Party II (Midnight – 3 a.m., VIPs enter 11 p.m.)
• SATURDAY NIGHT: Hero Vs Villain Party (11 p.m.–2 a.m., VIPs enter 10 p.m.)
Partiers are allowed to bring their own adult beverage to our parties. Although we will have Party Hunch Punch BOTH nights, it will eventually run out. We also ask that you bring a container that has a lid.
• THURSDAY: (Sept. 2nd) 8 p.m. – 10 p.m. in the Hyatt Regency PARASOL BAR. Come see old friends and make new ones during the CON*tourage “Meet & Greet!” Due to high demand, only ONE Regular Party Pass per person. VIP Party Pass holders can also pick up reserved passes. Look for a CON*tourage sign if you have a hard time locating us. For more info on the CON*tourage Meet & Greet, click HERE.
• FRIDAY: (Sept. 3rd) 1 p.m. – 5 p.m. outside of the Hyatt Regency Grand Hall (where the Art Show/Artist Alley will be located). Visit the GIRLS OF THE CON fan table to pick up reserved VIP Passes. Want to snag a Regular Party Pass? With the purchase of each 2011 “Girls of the Con Calendar,” people can receive a Regular Party Pass. Need two Regular Party Passes? Purchase two GoTC 2011 Calendars. Calendars are $15 each (or two for $25). If you purchase a calendar(s), you MUST ask to receive a Regular Party Pass (in other words, due to the limited number of Party Passes, not every calendar purchased will be accompanied by a Party Pass unless asked for. No reason to give party passes out to people who may not use them). Want more info. on “Girls of the Con”? Visit their website. See TRACI at the “Girls of the Con” table to pick up your VIP/Regular Party Passes or if you need more info.
• FRIDAY: (Sept. 3rd) 5:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m. in the Marriott Marquis PULSE BAR. Come find Axl Rose, Ozzy Osbourne, Alice Cooper, or Dr. Rockzo (the Rock n’ Roll Clown). One, some, or all may be there…just keep your eyes open! VIP Party Pass holders can pick up their reserved passes and Regular Party Pass seekers can snag one, if any are still available (only ONE Regular Party Pass per person).
NOTE: We have a limited amount of Regular Party Passes (just like we had a limited amount of VIP Party Passes) so there is a high possibility that we WILL run out.
—> PARTY CAPACITY: Once the party reaches maximum capacity, door security will “close” entry until people leave to make room for others so please understand if you arrive and can’t get immediate access.
DJ Nemesis (Friday Night)
Anyone who has attended a CON*tourage party knows that the MUSIC is just as important as the theme, costumes, atmosphere and partiers in attendance.
Those hard at work behind the mysterious CON*tourage curtain realized early on, when starting their Dragon*Con 2010 party planning, that with such unique and exciting party themes (HEAVY METAL PARTY II and HERO vs VILLAIN PARTY), acquiring master DJs would be both the cherry AND icing on their homemade party cakes. With one DJ, it was an immediate fit and a match made in Hell when paired with CON*tourage’s HEAVY METAL PARTY. With the other, the search took longer but the outcome couldn’t have been better. Good things come to those who wait and due to that, the HERO vs VILLAIN PARTY will witness a true web spinning, from one of the leggiest Spiders around.
For anyone who has met DJ Nemesis, it can’t be denied how much energy and enthusiasm he has not only for his art of DJ’ing but also for life in general. CON*tourage first acquired DJ Nemesis for one of their parties at Dragon*Con 2009 and the pairing fit so perfectly that there was no doubt that lightning would strike twice. Nemesis, who mastered the beat in his early teens, was a drummer-turned-DJ who honed his craft for the next decade in Industrial, Heavy Metal, and Glam Rock bands including Planet Psycho, FUSEBOX and The Glitterdome Allstar Band. Ever since 2001, he has continued to inspire the evolution of his coveted underground subculture scene and leads the charge at album and movie release parties, fetish events, club nights and conventions. Nemesis is also the resident DJ for www.secretroom.net events in Atlanta and Tampa. Although Nemesis excels at Industrial/EBM/Synthpop /Goth and more, partiers during CON*tourage’s HEAVY METAL PARTY II can expect him to mix out well-known Metal anthems that will keep everyone pumping their fists and flashing some DEVIL HORNS all night long. Visit DJ Nemesis on Facebook to learn more about him: http://www.facebook.com/pages/DJ-NEMESIS/366168994173. Complete info. on the HEAVY METAL PARTY II, which DOES require either a VIP or REGULAR PARTY PASS, can be found here: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=111984005514715
DJ Nemesis will also be spinning the DRAGON DANCE, Saturday night during Dragon*Con, from 2:00 a.m. to 6:00 a.m. in the Marriott Marquis Atrium Ballroom. This will be his third year in a row taking charge and moving hundreds of bodies. Dragon*Con badge required for entry. To find out more info. on this DO NOT MISS event, check out the DRAGON DANCE Facebook Event here: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=122598631108320
DJ Spider (Saturday Night)
Primarily a Goth/industrial DJ with a healthy dose of 80s, Pop and Electro, DJ Spider has spun a variety of formats over the years, which means anything is bound to show up in her sets, described as “vibrant”, “surprising”, “kick-ass”, and “Omigod, is she really that tall?” And, in addition to this leggy Spider being one kick-ass DJ, she is also a master costumer, which is another reason she is a perfect fit for the CON*tourage HERO vs VILLAIN PARTY, asking attendees to don their favorite hero or villain costume. DJ Spider, based out of Charlotte, NC, has a reputation as a both a DJ and an entertainer, which both have been been highly rated, as is her commitment to maintaining a Drama-Free Zone. She has opened for the Cruxshadows, the Last Dance, Voltaire, Anders Manga, Bella Morte, and Das Ich. She is no stranger to conventions either, having appeared at Chattanooga’s ConNooga, Minneapolis’ CONvergence, and her beloved Dragon*Con in Atlanta. DJ Spider was honored to be voted “Charlotte’s Best Party DJ” for the last 5 years (2006-2010) by the Creative Loafing. Regardless of the size, Spider’s goal is always to make any night the best experience possible for everyone there. In her free time, Spider can be found pretending to sleep, crafting costumes, indulging in various geekery and maintaining a number of pets. And, yes, she really is that tall. Visit DJ Spider on her MySpace page to learn more about her: http://www.myspace.com/thatdjspider. Complete info. on the HERO vs VILLAIN PARTY, which does require either a VIP or Regular Party Pass, can be found here: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=111730972205912
Pancake Chowdown (Sunday, 11am-1pm)
After a hard night of partying, sleep in late and come by the CON*tourage suite Sunday morning (from 11am-1pm) in the Hyatt Regency for their PANCAKE CHOWDOWN. No party pass required for this one, but we do ask for at least a $3 donation at the door. We’ll be serving up both plain and chocolate chip pancakes and lots of time to chat and mingle with fellow Dragon*Con attendees. For more info., check out the official PANCAKE CHOWDOWN Facebook Event Page: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=133796279964341
Party Passes required for CON*tourage partiers
With America’s premiere Sci-Fi Con, Dragon*Con, right around the corner, fans are putting finishing touches on costumes that they’ve been putting their heart and soul into for weeks and possibly months. Many are patiently awaiting deliveries from www.SpandexMan.com or www.ebay.com, for costume paint to dry and molds to set, and some are even trying to lose a few extra pounds to help polish off a personal creation that they’ll premiere Labor Day weekend in downtown Atlanta, Georgia.
For many fans of Dragon*Con, this pop culture phenomenom offers everything one could want in a Sci-Fi Con. Although San Diego’s Comic-Con draws over 100,000 attendees, which is about twice as much as Dragon*Con, SDCC severely lacks in a party nightlife, which D*Con excels at. In comparison, SDCC is held in a convention center and shuts down after 7:00 p.m. but Dragon*Con is held in 5 adjacent hotels, and the party atmosphere rolls for all four days, non-stop. Many people throw parties in their hotel rooms and others party hop from room to room, hotel to hotel, in hopes of finding THE party to crash. When asked what is THE hot party at Dragon*Con to get access to, many will quickly mention CON*tourage, the Sci-Fi party group that was established in 2008 by a group of artists who first met while attending D*Con.
For Dragon*Con 2010, CON*tourage will be hosting two late-night parties which promise to be fun and entertaining for all who get past security. On Friday night, Sept. 3rd starting at midnight, CON*tourage will host their HEAVY METAL PARTY II, complete with live performances by Axl Rose, Ozzy Osbourne and Dee Snider (all costumed impersonators). DJ Nemesis, who is based out of Boston and got his start in Atlanta, will be mixing popular Heavy Metal songs all night also. Party attendees are encouraged to break out their inner-rocker by wearing studs, leather, big hair, and concert tees. CON*tourage will also be giving away prizes for BEST ROCK-INSPIRED COSTUMES during the evening. On Saturday night, Sept. 4th starting at 11 p.m., CON*tourage will host a HERO vs. VILLAIN PARTY, which will be a costumed-showdown between good and evil. Both parties will also offer free “punch” along with food, while it lasts.
In order to get access to these CON*tourage parties, partiers MUST have a PARTY PASS and be 21+ years of age. VIP PARTY PASSES, which could be acquired by making a set party donation, have since all been spoken for and are NO LONGER AVAILABLE. However, REGULAR PARTY PASSES will be available at Dragon*Con for those who missed out on a VIP PARTY PASS. CON*tourage will host a “Meet & Greet” on Thursday night, Sept. 2nd, in the Hyatt Bar area for people needing to pick up VIP passes and will also serve a time/place for people wanting to snag a REGULAR party pass. CON*tourage will also be distributing PARTY PASSES on Friday (time/location TBA), for those who can’t make the CON*tourage “Meet & Greet” the previous night.
Those who are able to acquire a PARTY PASS, which are transferrable if partiers can’t make both events, must bring that pass, along with their I.D., which will be checked by Party Security at the door. The undisclosed location of these parties will be written on all PARTY PASSES.
Attendees are welcomed, and even encouraged to bring their own adult beverage. CON*tourage does request that partiers put their beverages in a container with a secure top, to help avoid spillage.
Questions can be emailed to: contourage@gmail.com
A Costume By Pete Hickey
How do you build a better bounty hunter? We asked our very own correspondant, BodyHammer, AKA Pete Hickey, deep in the process of building one himself to chronicle his efforts. Much like a hamburger, the bounty hunter costume has many complex layers, some of them meaty, some more like lettuce, and then then, of course, you have cheese. What we really mean to say here is that each bounty hunter should be unique. Here’s our man in the field’s take on the whole thing…
A lot of painting, sanding, testing and, of course, the headaches and getting upset. Good thing I gave up drinking before I started this project! Ha! Everything seemed to go swimmingly at first, I went on the internet, made a few orders, helmet, vest, gloves. Painless, right? NOT! Being a Bounty Hunter is tough business 
Then my gauntlets arrived, and I had to re-adjust my vest so that I could get them on. Then I realized that they were absolutely way too big for me, so the sanding and trimming began. Being a perfectionist, I couldn’t just leave it alone, so I had to edit it further and try to MAKE it work. Eventually I realised I was spending way too much time with the gauntlets when I had so much else to do. So, I ordered a smaller pair. They should hopefully arrive in a couple of days, when i’ll have to sand and paint again. So as of the writing of this article, I am finishing up my knee pads and my extra guns. I finished the back plate last night, and the cape is being weathered as you read this. I still have a lot to do on it, although the large part of it is finished, and I’m happy with the outcome so far.
I will keep you all posted on the finalized product. A special thanks to CON*Tourage of course, also my Mandalorian Merc friends for all the help, guidance and just for being really neat and cool to a newb and of course any one else that I missed for the kind words! Visit me on Facebook for more pics of the costume.
We have a few new videos up on youtube for your enjoyment. In celebrating our 3rd year we made a tribute promo video. This one’s got a little bit of everyone in it so look for yourself! We also produced an awesome teaser video for our HEAVY METAL II Party at DragonCon 2010 coming up in September. Look for more video content coming up in the next year. Party with us and we will put you in to the 2011 promo!
Superhero World Record attempt set for Dragon*Con 2010!
It’s time to dust off those sexy Superhero boots and form-fitting spidey spandex and do your part as Dragon*Con 2010 attempts to set a new GUINNESS WORLD RECORD on Saturday, September 4th at the Dragon*Con’s 5th host hotel, the Westin (Peachtree Center) in downtown Atlanta. Superheroes, both male & female, of all shapes, sizes, colors and powers are being called on to join forces and help break the current record of 1,245 superheros gathered in one place at the same time.
As far as which type of Superheroes will be “counted/allowed,” those wanting to participate and be counted will need to costume as a “recognized” superhero, which is…. “A recognized superhero is one that has been used in a published book, comic, television programme or film.” (example: tv batman. movie batman, comic batman all work) EDIT
Guinness World Records is known for it’s strict rules so revisit some of your favorite printed comics and start putting together a kick-a$$ costume and pay homage to a costumed-crusader, maybe one that you’ve always wanted to fight crime as. This HUGE gathering will take place sometime between noon and 4 p.m. as final details are still being worked. Keep watch on www.DragonCon.org which will post complete information as it becomes available. And yes…guys and gals can dress as an opposite gender Superhero, for those wondering.
Then, on Saturday night, secure a VIP or REGULAR PARTY PASS and bring your superhero-self to the CON*tourage HERO vs VILLAIN PARTY, complete with a Hero & Villain costume contest, “super” music from the 70s, 80s and 90s and Super-Punch (21+, I.D. required) from 11 p.m. to 2 a.m.. Complete information on this exclusive party and how to secure an invite (either VIP or REGULAR) can be found at http://www.con-tourage.com/2010/06/06/contourage-heroes-vs-villians-party-at-dragoncon/
Dragon*Con, Sept. 3-6th, 2010, is the largest multi-media, popular culture convention focusing on science fiction and fantasy, gaming, comics, literature, art, music, and film in the universe, according to DragonCon.org. Annually, during Labor Day weekend, well over 30,000 sci-fi and pop arts avid fans pack the 4 host hotels in downtown Atlanta for 4-days of people gawking, live bands, costume contests, tv/movie celebrities, late night dances and all-nite parties. Some even describe Dragon*Con as a combination of Mardi Gras and Halloween, with a night-life that can’t be found at any other Con in this Universe. 2010 will be the Dragon*Con’s 24th Birthday.
Thinking about participating in this SUPER event? If so, CON*sider signing up on the official FACEBOOK EVENT PAGE for this GUINNESS WORLD RECORD attempt at Dragon*Con 2010: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=115109568535999
With so many different costumes at DragonCon it’s hard to stand out from the crowd. There are many things to consider however, when choosing a costume and one of my main points is ease of use. It’s tough going to the bathroom in that Batman costume, so I chose a Pirate as one of my main costumes for CON. Having made that decision, I went about finding the best sites on the internet to build the perfect Pirate costume. Keep in mind that there are many types of pirates, including the famous to the infamous and, of course the swabby.
Building a pirate costume requires lots of choices and a good amount of time to complete. If your crafty with the sewing machine, you can make a lot of what you’ll need yourself. For those of us, myself included, who are tailor-challenged, then cobbling together a costume from bought items is the only way to go. You want to purchase stuff that will stand up to the rigors of CON*life, so make sure you shop around and get the highest quality for the best price. Also, many of the pirate type costume pants and coats DO NOT HAVE POCKETS, so you’ll want to get a belt bag or pouch to carry your stuff in.
Here is my collection of excellent sites that sell pirate gear. I have purchased items from many of these sellers and I can tell you, these are the best-of-the-best! If you have any links that you would like to share, email me at webtodd@hotmail.com and I’ll share them with the community.
http://www.sodhoppers.com/
http://www.pendragoncostumes.com/
http://www.armory.net/Clothing_Header.cfm/SectionId/clothing_men/start/25.htm
http://www.kristismart.com/index.php
http://www.twinrosesdesigns.com/index.html
http://www.caboots.com/
http://tobeapirate.com/
http://www.topnotchcostumes.com/index.html
http://tudorshoppe.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=SFNT
http://www.bestbuyswords.com/movieproducts.html
http://www.dearbloodymary.com/goth_products.html
http://majesticvelvets.com/index.html
http://stores.ebay.com/ALTERED-EGO-COSTUMES_W0QQssPageNameZstrkQ3amefsQ3amesstQQtZkm
http://www.authenticwardrobe.com/Pirate/pirate.html
http://jas-townsend.com/index.php
Thanks for stopping by and enjoy the links! (Please note that this was originally written in October of 2008. It is part of my article re-gentrification program bringing back my old articles from the static site so they don’t get lost in the shuffle.)
Wanna CON*tribute to our lovely site and write about what you love? Send us your article. If it’s good and it’s relevant, we will more than gladly post it on our site with full credit to the author including a bio and link. Want to try your chops at writing and have a few pieces up for your portfolio, this is a perfect opportunity to do that. If you submit regularly, there may be other perks as well such as VIP passes to our parties.
If you decide to submit, please send the text of the article in the message, no attachments please. Relevant content can include things like movie reviews, sci-fi / fantasy Convention News, Costuming, Comics and related fandoms, Rock & Roll / Metal, personal stories and anything else that’s really cool and relevant. I am not adverse to posting images and videos, but please do not send them to our email, just send us a request and we will contact you with how to transfer images/videos. Most of all have fun and enjoy writing!
Toy Story 3 Now Playing
Took a trip down memory lane this afternoon with Toy Story 3. I was talking with my friend about the huge gap of time between Toy Story 2 and 3 and how if they were able to pull this off unscathed, it would be nothing short of a miracle. Other franchises have been brutalized in the past after a long hiatus, Indiana Jones and The Kingdom Of The Crystal Skull anyone? The likelyhood that the new movie equals or betters the previous in Hollywood is slim. That’s one of the things that makes Toy Story 3 such a triumph. Granted, Pixar is known for success, and the question of “will they ever fail” becomes more perilous with each accomplishment. It is truly a wonder of modern Hollywood and frankly, its exciting.
On the other hand, an interesting topic is – Does Toy Story 3 {or any guaranteed box office smash} need to spend millions on endorsements and product placement for a movie that will likely not need it. Wouldn’t the 10 million dollar BK endorsement with the special cups and the Kid’s Meal Toys be better spent on kids in poverty stricken areas? It’s definitely a question worth asking and I wish Hollywood would do some kind of deal like this, with so much money being thrown around. Hey, I could easly forgo seeing Buzz and Woody on my soda cup so some kid can eat. Anyway back to the review.
The film itself is a pure joy to behold on many different levels. The animation and effects are so top notch, its hard to tell its animated at times. Overall, the attention to detail is consistant with the entire series and allows the characters and settings to pour out in vibrant realistic color and texture without becoming annoying. Combine this with a great story and you have an absolute winner of a movie. I’m not going to give away ANY of the storyline in this review, IT’S THAT GOOD, I’ll just tell you to go experience it for yourself. Don’t forget to tell us all what you think!
CON*Nections