themusecalliope

Day 2

In your own space, share a favorite memory about fandom: the first time you got into fandom, the last time a fanwork touched your heart, crazy times with fellow fans (whether on-line or off-line), a lovely comment you’ve received or have left for someone. Leave a comment in this post saying you did it. Include a link to your post if you feel comfortable doing so.

Okay. I've got this one.

So, back in the early 90s there was Psuvm.psu.edu, and this is the place where the fandom listservs lived. One of these listservs was duesouth-l. This listserv sent out everything from fanfiction to organizing the routing of vhs tapes around North America. It also contained the people that organized RCW139 in 1996. RCW139 was a Due South fan convention that took place in Toronto. This was my first convention, and I flew to another country to attend.

(Somewhere I have photographs from that trip that include me sitting on the Riv, posing in front of the coroner's office sign (because I was also a Forever Knight fan), and pictures from the party we threw at the Royal Ontario Museum.)

We went to Stratford and saw King Lear. We went to the Zoo they filmed an episode at. And best of all? We got a sneak preview of the soundtrack. Why was that the best? Well, I'll tell you.

No shit there we were in the Royal Ontario Museum special event room. Rows upon rows of people. All of whom were intently listening. In the back of the room, the catering staff went quietly about their business until, we got to the song "Ride Forever." When the song reached the chorus, suddenly all the attendees burst into song.

The catering staff were not expecting this (possibly because we were not Mounties. Who can say?) And they jumped, startled. I don't remember anything falling, but the look they gave us was pure incredulity.

It was hilarious.

This convention is also why I know the words to O Canada, but that is a story for another time.