From Wednesday, November 11th, 2009 (11/11!) to Tuesday, November 17th, 2009, a number of guests arrived in Phoenix, Arizona for the second annual Silverladder Fall Event. They came from all over the country, from locales as far as Maryland, Ohio, Tennessee, Michigan, Georgia, Texas, and Oregon. Some additional guests came from within AZ. The aim was to get together around the weekend of November 14th and 15th and create new memories, inside jokes, and legends.
The first ever Silverladder Fall Event, held in Phoenix during November of 2008, was originally scheduled to serve as a wrap party for the creators and participants from the Silverladder alternate reality game (ARG). The idea was for the Passengers (players) to meet The Deck (those behind the curtain). However, following the premature demise of the Silverladder ARG, the focus of those who remained quickly moved away from the alternate reality project and turned into something completely different. In short, a community formed. It was a group of like-minded individuals who bonded over music, art, ideas, and most importantly, a common sense of humor and respect for one another.
Fast forward to a year later. It was time to do it all over again. Would it be as good as last time? Would it surpass last year in terms of fun and memorable moments? Would it have any disastrous incidents? Only time would tell. And when time responded to the questions, the answer to all was a resounding “yes.”
The following videos offer only a small glimpse into the things that went on during the event. It was hard to be everywhere at once. And even if one could pull off such a feat, it remains far more important to be a part of the moment than it is to capture the moment for historical purposes. Being present always trumps having a memento. At least in my opinion it does.
“Waking Phil Up” – Phil asked me to wake him up when Lisa Anne‘s flight arrived so we would have time to get ready before meeting her at the hotel for dinner. I obliged.
“Tobacco Typewriter Revisited” – While the rest of the crew was outside smoking, I was relaying the “Tobacco Typewriter” story (involving Philip) to Ashra, Aaron, Sujen, and Michele. Thanks to Michele for the video.
“Silverladder Radio Launch” – This shows the beginning of the group-hosted episode of Silverladder Radio which aired on 11/13/09 as part of the event. We weren’t even at full capacity in the studio yet, as a number of people were still out smoking, getting drinks, texting people about the show, etc. Approximately halfway into the show, it descended into complete anarchy. Video by Michele.
“Here’s A Song, It’s By A Band” – I make some smartassed remarks after a fellow co-host made me aware that I attributed a song (that I know like the back of my hand) to to the wrong band. It was a mere slip of the tongue, but allowed for additional comedy in the show… always a good thing. And Lisa Anne, I assure you, if you had to read from the queue for an entire show, you’d make at least one mistake. And by “one” I mean three.
“Philip Stories” – During the Saturday (11/14/09) fire time of the Silverladder Event, Philip (PDSKFF) talks about advertising the BadScaryPlace on the back of his head, and the impression it made in his small town. Video courtesy of Michele.
“Philip Presents Domenic With A Gift” – On Saturday (11/14/09), Philip presented Domenic with a McDonald’s receipt as a token of gratitude. Video courtesy of Michele.