Montreal Juggling Festival HLGCBS
Matt Hall
now I want to get this down while it's all still fresh. Yes, I'm
actually still in Montreal, chilling at Don Lewis' house after
watching his sweet Cirque Du Monde highlights clips, and I thought I'd
get the party started...Sweet freakin' fest man...
High(s):
Arriving on Thursday(!) afternoon with no hassles and having plenty of
time to chill before the start of the festival. Don even treated me
to a modern dance show downtown on Thursday evening!
Arriving at the festival on Friday and helping set up and then just
waiting for everyone to show-- Watching friends walk in door is always
fun!
Doing 20+ minutes to close the Open Stage on Friday with every prop I
had in the bag, Jay Gilligan style. Just drop it all on the floor and
grab something and go. Even pulled the pirouette to foot catch on the
first try in front of Eric Bates--pwned!!! haha
Jamming with Eric, Niko, Sean, Dom, Matt and others on Saturday. The
boxing was inSANE! North America is the new Japan when it comes to
cigar boxes.
Meeting so many cool folks--too many to name, but I'll get to a few in
the Crush section
Hitting the Busk 2 diabolo anti-sprinkler suicide pirouette on the
first try in Best Trick.
Winning 5 ball and 7 ball endurance against all the young Circus
school whipper-snappers, and finishing top 4 in both 4 and 5 club
endurance--my new PR's. Also scored the sweet JAQ shirts as prizes!
Woot!
Watching Eric's cigar box routine in the public show. HOLY SMOKES!!!
(more on this later)
Sunday (today) in the gym--great workshops and good juggling during
the free moments.
Running the ball routine and siteswap freestyling in front of Norbi, E-
man, and Dom for jollies. Fun stuff.
Shuckin' and jivin' with Sean, Dom, and Matt at the end of the day as
the gym was clearing out.
The after-party at Walter and Charmaine's BEAUTIFUL pad. Delicious
food, beer, Tre'space videos, and Charmaine's un-freaking-believable
impromptu Flamenco performance at the end of the night.
Low(s):
Being the closing act and letting the little glitches (sound guy
missed my opening music cue three times) put me out of my game-face
and then blowing the routine (5+ drops). Definitely not a closing-act-
worthy closing act.
Goal(s):
Be worthy of the invite. Don says check, so I'm saying check.
Enjoy the heck out of Montreal--CHA-CHA-CHECK!
Go to Turbo Fest--I'm working on it...
Go to the Mexico Fest-I'm working on it...Miguel--mi hermano!!!!
Crush(es):
Eric--quite simply, the best cigar boxer in the world right now, with
the best cigar box act in the world, if not ever. Yeah, I know, I
said it. Sorry Kremo.
Matt and Sean: The dynamic duo and I were kendama-ing, box-creating,
and factory-juggling all weekend. Thanks for the new variation Matt!
Sean--Factory throws with boxes are possible!!!
Dom-MINION!!!
Frances Julien--this guy is my brother by a different mother. Really
glad to finally meet him.
Don Lewis-the host with the most and the man with the plan, even when
you don't see him. (deep bow) Spaghetti and wine at 2am was never so
fine.
Norbi and E-man--the lords of the ring(s)--I'll never talk smack about
single spins with rings again. And next time I'll be the one wanking
it in the wings during YOUR act--don't ask people.
Bane(s):
Noticing a little 8 year old kid doing diabolo RIGHT IN FRONT OF THE
STAGE (slightly stage left) during the first 3 acts of the show, and
finally going down to remonstrate with the tyke because nobody else
(including his parents--where were these assholes?!?) would ask him to
stop diabolo-ing during the actual acts. Of course, he speaks only
French, so I had to use sign language and my pleading eyes to ask him
to stop. He did, and then he spit on me. Yeah, right on my chest. I
guess it was his way and striking a blow against the MAN. Not only
that, the minute I went backstage in the second half to get ready, he
got back up and started again. I should have hit him with my
handstick during my vertax genocide. "Oh sorry, I suppose you
wouldn't have been hit if you weren't standing there." You can say
he's just a kid. Fine. He's a kid-douchebag. Good job raising this
young lad, mom and pops.
Surprise(s):
How much I enjoyed the split games--fun bits on Saturday and enduro on
Sunday. Nice.
I did not realize that the theater was in the building where the gym
was--what a pleasant surprise that made for super-easy tech and such.
Saturday was much improved by not having to schlep across town to the
show site. Loved it.
Winning the 5/7 ball endurance--I didn't think a 39 year old teacher
would win against the gathered forces of the circus school crowd.
How good the food, snacks and drinks were as prepared by the
organizers. Didn't have to leave the gym once. Loved it.
Serge, Irene, Soizick, Francis, Walter, Charmaine and many others
deserve a ton of credit for putting on another winner. I heard the
numbers were down, but the energy felt like a much bigger festival.
Good stuff. Merci beaucoup a tous!!
It's 1AM and I'm thinking:
Just livin' the dream, baby. Just livin' the dream.
Matt Hall
>
> High(s):
Totally forgot!! Having breakfast with Greg Phillips both days and
just in general chilling with the man before he takes the family off
to parts unknown. You da man.
The Void
> Eric--quite simply, the best cigar boxer in the world right now, with
> the best cigar box act in the world, if not ever. Yeah, I know, I
> said it. Sorry Kremo.
Interesting. I've seen his video, but you never really can tell from an
edited clip video if someone is a good performer or just a trick-monkey.
That's good to hear.
> Noticing a little 8 year old kid doing diabolo RIGHT IN FRONT OF THE
> STAGE (slightly stage left) during the first 3 acts of the show, and
> finally going down to remonstrate with the tyke because nobody else
> (including his parents--where were these assholes?!?) would ask him to
> stop diabolo-ing during the actual acts. Of course, he speaks only
> French, so I had to use sign language and my pleading eyes to ask him
> to stop. He did, and then he spit on me. Yeah, right on my chest. I
> guess it was his way and striking a blow against the MAN. Not only
> that, the minute I went backstage in the second half to get ready, he
> got back up and started again. I should have hit him with my
> handstick during my vertax genocide. "Oh sorry, I suppose you
> wouldn't have been hit if you weren't standing there." You can say
> he's just a kid. Fine. He's a kid-douchebag. Good job raising this
> young lad, mom and pops.
You should have broken his sticks, spat back on him, and stolen his
diabolo, then told him to pick on someone his own size.
The Void
...........
Setting a good example for bad people
--
TLMB tees & hoodies: www.tlmb.net/tees
--
----== posted via www.jugglingdb.com ==----
catiecat
Hey Matt, welcome to juggling festivals in Quebec. It's kind of a whole
different world. You really need to get to a turbo fest, you really won't
believe it.
I'm really sad that I couldn't make to this one, but I was away on tour
for both RIT and Montreal.
Cate
Adam Van Houten
The fest itself was darn entertaining.
The show was great, good job everyone!
Low:
Getting in so late on Friday BUT, better late than never.
I didn't know this was possible but I think I c---blocked myself lol.
Not being able to speak to some of the cool folks there, and not
understanding any of the MC's banter at the show, though I heard it wasn't
worth hearing lol.
Goal:
Pass - Check
Pass back to back - Check
Learn something new - Check (Learned some Cigar Box Tricks)
Enjoy myself - Check
Crush:
One of the French-Canadians, don't recall the name because I was running
on so little sleep.
Also, the cigar box act during the show was Faboo, the Mime was pretty
great with those isolations, and actually, all the acts were great, and I
loved every minute of the show.
Matt Hall, I love the energy and the knowledge you have. So many ideas, so
little time. I need to buy myself some Cigar Boxes soon.
Bane:
*shrug* Not speaking French? lol
Surprise:
I hate to say this, but I was surprised the show was as good as it was...
I only say that because I think when I showed up Friday night there were
about 30 people there? I'm glad things only got better from there.
mea...@gmail.com
- Matt Hall, all over the place. His act in the show and open stage,
his workshops, and hanging out with him as the festival wrapped up.
- Finally getting a kendama and learning some proper tricks
- Factory variations, penguin catch multiplexes and Luke's Lobotomy
- Winning 3b blind, for the fourth festival running (Waterloo,
Turbofest, Rochester and Montreal so far)
- Breakfast pizza at Mikes ( http://www.mikes.ca )
- Most of the show, especially Eric's act
- Beer and food available right in the gym, I love festivals in
Quebec...
Low:
- The lights staying on in the sleeping gym all night
- Forgetting my torches for the 2nd year running
- Really poor attendance Friday night
- Being beaten by a 10 year old girl in club catching, curse you
slippery pants
- Leaving my camera in the car until the festival was technically
over
Goal:
- Have a good time, check
- Learn something new, check (Luke's Lobotomy is so full of
possibilities...)
Crush:
- Matt Hall, SO AWESOME.
- The girl who did the hat routine in the show, that was hot to
death.
Bain:
- That goddamn diabolo kid during the show, where the hell were his
parents?
- The clowns hosing down the audience
Surprise:
- Matt Hall selling kendamas, was going to get Sean to pick one up
for me at the IJA
Sean Haddow
- The fest in general. What's not to love about a Quebec festival? 24
hour gyms; beer, wine, and good food available without leaving the venue;
crash space at the festival; and a huge variety of friendly, skilled
people in attendance
- Breakfast pizza
- The show as a whole - everyone was a bit droppy, but still put on an
extremely entertaining show
- Cigar box jamming with Matt and Eric
- Kendama jamming with Matt, and with Greg & Tristan during the
intermission for the show
- winning the diabolo basket toss
- Emmanuel snorting a line of rings...you had to see it
- seeing jugglers who normally don't do cigar boxes, pick up a set and
seemed to genuinely enjoy it...even heard a few say that they might have
to get a set for themselves
Low(s):
- attendance was way down compared to the past several years
- seeing that the kid did not stop diaboloing during the entire second
half of the show. Thought that maybe he was just really into diabolo, but
he didn't even stop during Matt's diabolo routine
Goal(s):
- learn / create some new cigar box stuff; check
- take more photos; check
- make it to the Tamtam after the festival; check, although not as many
jugglers as I expected
Crush(es):
- Matt Hall, love the way he throws himself into a festival; saving a weak
renegade stage Friday night (due to low attendance), giving the majority
of the workshops, and still having time to chill and socialize
- Eric Bates, seriously skilled with boxes and put on a fantastic box
routine in the show
- the girl who did the incredibly sexy hat routine in the show. Nice...
Bane(s):
- None really, although the emcees of the show were a bit annoying
Surprise(s)/Disappointment(s):
- Finding out last minute that Sky and Krista were not going to make it to
the fest
Saskeah
> - The girl who did the hat routine in the show, that was hot to
> death.
>
What did she look like?? I'm curious who you're talking about.
Saskeah
>
> High(s):
> - The fest in general. What's not to love about a Quebec festival? 24
> hour gyms; beer, wine, and good food available without leaving the venue;
> crash space at the festival; and a huge variety of friendly, skilled
> people in attendance
That's what I like to hear. Quebec, represent!
>
> Crush(es):
> - Eric Bates, seriously skilled with boxes and put on a fantastic box
> routine in the show
> - the girl who did the incredibly sexy hat routine in the show. Nice...
>
Seriously glad to hear Bates get so many shoutouts in the HLGCBs. He's
like the underappreciated juggler our side of the border, IMO. Also, so
curious who this chick is!
> Bane(s):
> - None really, although the emcees of the show were a bit annoying
>
A constant reality at MTL fest. WHY?!
Emman
Having fun with friends.
Passing with Norbi and being dropless (but not flawless) on our first
routine together at the renegade which we prepared in half an hour or so.
Paper airplane tricks.
Opening the public show, giving a good and pretty solid performance,
receiving only good commentsabout it.
My friends came to see the public show.
Eric rocking at boxes.
Fresh bagels in the morning and Couche Tard smoothies.
Sleeping well.
Lows:
Low attendance, especially on friday night.
Getting a taxi on both nights.
Goal:
Succeed my new routine's premiere. (CHECK!)
Crush:
Matt Hall, even tho he talked smack about the most awesome BBB style ever.
He regained me by many ways and finally conquered my heart by the end of
the fest.
Norbi, creating a 1:30 routine with him was fun. So was spending the whole
weekend with him.
Eric, awesome.
Dominique, for djing our act and being fun.
Jacob, for being hillarious and the fun on sunday morning with him.
Soizick, for running the show so smoothly.
Bane: None really.
Surprise: Enjoying cigar boxes and being much better then I thought I
would be at them, that doesn't mean I'm good tho.
Emman
Norbi
Highs:
- Passing with He-man, master of the universe
- Passing with E-man on renegade and doing the aforementioned dropless
first routine, although far from fumbleless :-P
- Emman's super friendly parents giving me a bed, fresh bagels in the
morning, rides to the convention, all kinds of nice teas, and strong
cheese!
- Master Bates! Your routine, skills, and self are so awesome!
- Opening a routine with a paper airplane trick - more to come!
- Having A LOT of nice comments about my routine, much more than from any
other routine (even if the majority were drunken Qu�becers!)
- Possibly impressive people with my secret cigar box skills.
- Most of the show.
- Finally getting to properly hang out with Dominique
Lows:
- Roughly 2 people turning up (roughly), and only half of them for the
renegade.
- Convention sound and light techies once again failing to know how to
actually work sound and light.
Goals:
- Perform at the fest (check)
- Do some new passing stuff with Emman (CHECK!)
Crushes:
- Eric Bates (for being awesome and having a sweet ass style)
- Emman (for making a sweet routine, doing some new passing schniz, etc...)
- Dominique (needs to make it into more HLGCBs..she's freakin awesome!)
- Emman's parents (for WAY too much!)
- Drunken-ass stoned up pedophile clown (who DOESNT want a piece of him!?)
- Eleonore (for doing a great job, even thought everyone was getting
pissed at her! Also she had a crush on me, so it would be unfair not to
return the favour...)
Bane:
- Staying a bit far from the convention, so leave early or pay for a taxi
:-(
Surprise:
- When tired on the last day of a convention, 11 ring passing is easier
than 10.
Well, longer than i expected.
Thanks to all the orgs, it was a pretty fun little weekender. See you next
year no doubt.
Norbi
le jongleur
do, she hasn't been around for a while
Greg Phillips
Matt's enthusiasm and
energy.
Low: Occasional Matt Hall - free moments.
Goal: Learn stuff from Matt Hall. Check.
Crush: Matt Hall.
Bane: Someone who wasn't Matt Hall.
Surprise: Seeing Gonzalo at the fest -- I thought he was still in Peru.
(Sorry Matt, you were totally
unsurprising. In the best possible way.)
Greg
catiecat
>
> High: Hanging with and learning so much stuff from Matt Hall. Grooving on
> Matt's enthusiasm and
> energy.
>
> Low: Occasional Matt Hall - free moments.
>
> Goal: Learn stuff from Matt Hall. Check.
>
> Crush: Matt Hall.
>
> Bane: Someone who wasn't Matt Hall.
>
> Surprise: Seeing Gonzalo at the fest -- I thought he was still in Peru.
> (Sorry Matt, you were totally
> unsurprising. In the best possible way.)
>
> Greg
>
>
Greg, I can't believe that my not being there wasn't a low for you. Am I
really that easily forgotten?
Cate
Greg Phillips
> Greg, I can't believe that my not being there wasn't a low for you. Am I
> really that easily forgotten?
You *know* I love you, babe. I thought you were all secure with that, and
stuff.
Greg