ZedCon

Convention
Name:	ZedCon
Dates:	1998-2001
Frequency:	annual
Location:	UK
Type:	fan con
Focus:	Starsky & Hutch
Organization:
Founder:
Founding Date:
URL:	WayBack Archived 2001 Website
Click here for related articles on Fanlore.

ZedCon was a U.K. based slash friendly Starsky & Hutch fan run convention. In 2001, the convention was subtitled: A Starchy and Husk Odyssey.

1998

A copy of the 1998 convention skit or fan written stage play was reprinted in the zine Dreamers in 2001.

1998: Convention Reports

I attended an S&H con in mid-June. Lovely folks, very friendly. But what does this have to do with A&J, you say? Well, I wore this denim jacket onto which I'd embroidered all things AS&J, and wow, did it get some attention. I've always upheld that A&J were the ancestors of S&H, and there were plenty of ASJ fans at the con to prove the point. I've worn it at other cons, but nowhere did it get the attention that it did there. Only goes to show the connection, huh?

1999

flyer for the second con

It had a website: here.

May 28–30, 1999 at the Eaton Hotel, Birmingham, ENGLAND.

1999: Convention Reports

Can anybody tell me why it is, that something you really really look you forward to takes forever to come around, then is over in the blink of an eye?!! That is what seems to have happened with Zedcon 2! I can't believe I'm looking back on it already.

A very warm hello to all my familiar friends that were there (you came through for me girls!!) and to some new friends. Zedcon 2 was smaller than Zedcon 1, but just as enjoyable. There was only 11 this year, but it really was quality not quantity! It was great to just 'kick-back' with friends, watch an episode or songvid, browse around the tables and pick up yet more wonderful things for the collection (Sharon amazed us again with all the brilliant S&H things she had made - what a woman!). I missed the Friday due to illness, but I believe there was a quiz and a game of Charades (hearing the answers to the quiz, it's just as well I missed it!!). The food was great, and after lunch on Saturday we sat about talking, watching etc. Later on we played SHluff! This 'is a great game adapted from 'Call My Bluff. I was a very nervous ' panelist supported brilliantly by Sharon and Sonja, with Viv close by in case I dried up. It was great fun, and I believe the panel won!

Saturday night found us watching episodes! Drinking Banana Daiquiris (boy Sonja, I like your measures much better than any Pub!!!) and generally relaxing. People started drifting off to bed at various times, leaving eventually the 4 die-hards, myself, Viv, Shelagh and Sonja to greet the dawn chorus as we finally went to bed between 4.15am - 5am!!!

Sunday was a mix of watching songvids, buying that last S&H keep-sake and sadly saying goodbye as people left to go their various ways.

I forgot to mention the 'play' how'd I manage that?!! It was brilliant, top marks to Sharon and Viv 'Zedcon 52'!! They were 2 senile old biddies deaf as posts still attending Zedcon, it was hilarious, you had to be there!!

Well unfortunately, it did all have to end, but it was wonderful while it lasted, I went home with more S&H trinkets, warm memories of everything that happened, and even warmer thoughts of all my wonderful friends. I'll sign off now and just say a mega thanks to Viv and Sharon for giving us a fabulous Zedcon 2. Hope there is a Zedcon 3!" Perhaps we will meet next year.

ZedCon'99 started on Friday 28th May. Tabby & I arrived during the afternoon. My room was ideally situated next to the conference room. It's a wonderful feeling to walk into a room tastefully decorated with S&H pictures, & meet fellow S&H fans who have all become such good friends!

First things first - I changed into my new ZedCon T-shirt - a terrific addition to my wardrobe! There were two well stocked PAF charity tables. We were able to buy episode scripts, beautifully framed pictures and SHaron's clever & original clocks, watches, broaches, cards etc. I wonder if Paul & David realise that they have such talented fans? After a splendid dinner SHarades was, once again, an interesting & enjoyable game.

On Saturday Jacqui arrived. She had very kindly brought me one of the new Corgi Torinos. Much of the time was spent in conversation or reading SHaron's kindly lent zines. Song videos played continuously, there were a couple of challenging quizzes. SHluff was goo fun. After another excellent dinner we had a real treat - Da Play!! Viv & SHaron were very old ladies at ZedCon 52. SHaron was knitting a Starsky Cardigan & Viv used a red & white striped walking stick. The play was perceptive & funny - most enjoyable! Sonja's banana Daiquiri went down well!!

After more games & conversation on Sunday we posed for photographs in the car park then, sadly, the happy weekend had to end.

I would like to say a big THANK YOU to Viv & SHaron for inviting me to ZedCon '99. It was a most enjoyable weekend. Also thanks to the Eaton Hotel for the excellent service, food & accommodation.

So I left for England oh May 12. Why so early when Zedcon was the last weekend in May? Ah, well, there was this other con for the two English Lads who've captured my heart, the ones from CI5. I won't bore you with those details; suffice it to say that that con was terrific too. And England itself was, as expected, utterly enchanting. It's great fun to visit people rather than just being a tourist. And I can vouch for the friendliness of the S&H British contingent...

On to the con, however. I went with my English friend Amanda who is a Pros fan through and through but willing to go to an S&H con because she remembers the show fondly from her youth. We kind of hoped we'd convert her. I don't think we. succeeded but she did watch a lot of episodes and songvids and read some good stories. We're prepared for the con by watching as many episodes as I could cram onto tapes for her in the last few days before leaving for England. I showed her Coffin and Shootout and Sweet Revenge for the h/c aspects. Also Murder Ward and Hutchinson for Murder One for great moment aspects. I did the best I could, really.

<G> We arrived rather late on Friday and checked into the hotel. It's a very nice hotel with a really friendly staff that don't seem to mind this rather strange group of women that gather each year. I suspect it's sheer indulgence, but I don't mind indulgence when it results in being given our own private dining room. Oh, and the food is very good — at least the vegetarian options were.

We settled into our room and then tried to figure out where to go next. We hadn't been there before and so didn't know exactly where the con would be gathering — and I'd never actually met any of the British fans in person before so all I was going by was a dimly remembered photograph of Solo. Fortunately, the con committee folks are intelligent — they put up *pictures* on the appropriate doorways. So that when we wandered from our room my eye alighted upon S&H like laser sights on a target. We went through a set of doors, down a little corridor and then to a door behind which we heard the sound of female laughter. We hesitated, took a deep breath and pushed the door open. S&H heaven, that's what it was. Pictures and streamers and zines and songvids and episodes (two TVs in the two con suite rooms) and all sorts of other stuff. And people. There were only about 11-12 people at the con, in total, but what they lacked in numbers they more than made up for in enthusiasm. I've really developed a fondness for a small gathering from this experience. It was *fun*. And everyone got to speak and be heard and participate. I looked around the room and spotted Solo pretty easily... Now Solo and I have been talking for, what, three years or more now? No, surely it's four? A long time, anyway, so I was very pleased to finally be able to meet her. And she was, naturally, able to introduce us around to everyone else. Gads, I'm bad at names but let's see how I do: Sharon, of course, and Viv, Tabby Davis (that was fun, meeting one of the writers who has been around for a while, with lots of tales of the old days and stuff), Shelaugh (I'm sure I've slaughtered the spelling of that — ack, I shouldn't be doing this!), The Welsh girls (well, no one really did ever tell me what their names were. (Tracy was one and the other...? Help!), and someone who I can picture but can't quite remember the name of even though it's almost there.... Fine. SHaron, please help. <g> There were two more, one for Friday night alone and the other for Saturday and Sunday.

Okay, moving right along now that everyone knows that I'm rotten at names.... Friday night was dinner (a big round table in our own room so we could be as rowdy as we wanted to be, more or less) and talk and SHarades. I admit it. I was rotten at SHarades. I am *not* Linda McGee — more's the pity. <g> See, I've been distracted by these CI5 Lads.... But it was fun anyway, trying to get people to guess impossible phrases from the show. How're you supposed to get people to guess the word "maybe", eh? (And it doesn't help when a certain someone, who shall remain nameless, wrote down the *wrong* words for the "well known" phrase!) They're tricky, these Scottish folks.... Eventually we went to bed (at a sensible hour — amazingly, but that was just us, some of the others stayed as you're supposed to at cons) and discovered the one drawback to the hotel: the single beds in the twin-bedded rooms * squeak*. Loudly. When you turn on them. On Saturday night Amanda finally pulled the mattress onto the floor and then it was fine, very comfortable in fact. Just for future reference.

Saturday started with breakfast, again all together, and then we went to the cons suite for more activities. Solo handed me "Graven Images" which I'd somehow not managed to read before, so I can't tell you much else about Saturday morning. I think they watched "Sweet Revenge" (its 20th anniversary, more or less); I read. Remember the discussion we had on that story, on the list a year or more ago? Well, what you all said. <g> I liked it, actually — very differently written and I think you have to be in the mood for it, but I liked it. I liked the story and the emotions and the evocative language. But it does make for a poor con report for most of Saturday. <G> I do know that they, very unfairly, held a Sweet Revenge quiz after watching the episode. Another shaming experience.... Still, at least I'm now not likely to forget how many people were watching them revive Starsky after his heart stopped, or how much weight the elevator in the lawyer's building could hold, or what Hutch's first words were after Starsky was shot (two versions of that, depending on how you interpreted the question.) Solo won that quiz with...SHaron, I think, as runner up. What else did we do Saturday? (You have to understand, we were chatting all the way through this — all sorts of topics but usually revolving around a certain dark haired curly fellow and his blonde sidekick... Okay, okay, I did that deliberately! And his blonde and gorgeous partner. How's that? Oh, we played SHluff on Saturday. I love SHluff. I was actually all right at playing SHluff. And we're going to play it at Zcon so look out! What is SHluff? It's inspired, that's what it is. There is a panel of three at the head of the room. They display a well-used phrase from the show. Something like... "You know something?" And the three panelists each try to persuade you that the phrase comes from a particular episode, during a particular conversation, quoting dialogue. They try to bluff you. Only one is actually telling the truth. It's brilliant. And, of course, they pick phrase's that S&H (or others) use all the time so you can *hear* them saying it, but in *that* context...? Then you (or your team) vote on which one is telling the truth. If you're right you get a point, if you're wrong you don't. In the end the panel won—they stumped us more than anyone guessed right. But Shelaugh (I am sorry if that is spelled wrong!) and I tied for the most correct guesses. My advice to all and sundry? Go with your instincts. If I'd only done that I would've gotten more right answers!

The other big event on Saturday was The Play. It was a one-act production, starring SHaron, Viv and Solo (as the stagehand). Oh, and a contrary Torino that didn't want to behave as it should. It took place far into the future and it featured ancient (and partially deaf, I think) SHaron and Viv recalling the early days of Zedcon, along with the "current" activities of Mssrs Soul and Glaser. What can I say? It was funny and sweet and I don't remember a single thing from it except that I enjoyed it. And that the grey hair stuff was neat. And then the wimps (me, basically, and Amanda) went to bed early (well, that squeaking had kept us up all Friday night!) while the rest of them watched lots of episodes (I think) and partied until, what, four or so in the morning? Or so they said. They looked awfully bright-eyed the next morning, '. though....

Sunday, sadly, was the last day. Breakfast, more chat, cleaning up, and a photoshoot out in the car park. We also were shown the beautiful quilt (in S&H colors) that Tabby had made. I'll let SHaron or Viv explain about the plan to raffle it off, with the proceeds going to PAF. All I'll say is that it is a gorgeous quilt and I'd be quite happy to win it myself! Soon after that we had to leave to drive back to London. I wish I could've stayed longer but I had to catch a plane ride home the next day....

So there's the report, such as it is. I just want to emphasize that I really enjoyed the smallness of the con. I think it'd be fun with more people too, of course, but this was such a nice, friendly, enthusiastic group. It was one of the most enjoyable cons I've ever been to. Kind of like an extended room party at MediaWest, you know? Just great. I hope to go again and I would recommend it to everyone. Those Brits really do know how to throw a party! So, thank you SHaron and Viv and Solo and all the rest. I am now, officially, in a strong S&H mood...where's my computer? I have to *write*! There's nothing like a con to get the story ideas flowing!

2000

2000: Convention Reports

Some were here but long gone.

The dinner provided by the hotel was good, though the service was atrocious. They're getting blasé about us, and personally I'd recommend moving to a different one next year. I wish I could claim to remember what we did after dinner, but to my horror I was fading pretty fast. Was this when we watched the new songvids for the first time (kindly supplied by Flamingo, by Express Mail), or was that on Saturday morning? Whenever it was, they were wonderful. Discovery Channel - hehehehehe. So clever; how did you do that stuff at the start, Flamingo? Is all that computer-illiteracy just a front? I need to take lessons from you! And I'll never be able to watch that big car chase scene in the pilot again without thinking of mating rituals! They *are* like two dogs going round in circles trying to sniff each other's butts - why didn't I realize this before? I also thought the juxtaposition of Hutch dancing with whatever those ostriches are doing was spot on!

The tape also contained Morgan Dawn's "Don't You Need" which blew my mind at Z-Con and still continues to give me this slow lurching feeling in my stomach. What a vid! And then there was Beth Cambre's "Hero", a long-time favourite of mine, and some new ones of hers that I hadn't seen before. "Let's Dance" which had some priceless gems like the choreographed in-and-out-of-the-car scene from Moonshine. You have a wicked mind, woman. But my favourite of the ones I'd never seen before was "That was a River". I wish I could recall all those beautiful passages where the clips matched the words *just* perfectly, and the words were just so right. I've never been keen on Starsky's relationship with Rosie (anyone surprised?) and I loved the idea of contrasting it with his relationship with Hutch that way (the river, and the ocean). The fact that I really liked the music helped, too. I will need to get that vid. And all the other ones, of course.

It's fascinating to see how the other hotel guests respond to our little crowd. We've had people sing the theme tune to us in the corridors, come up to our tables with questions about the stars, and I overheard one chambermaid saying to another, at the door of a room, "Let me in, I'm Starsky." She didn't even have curly hair. And there was this older gentleman who told us that "there's never been a cop show like this since. All those later guys, they just didn't have the chemistry." Right on! Here, let me give you an application form for the fanclub. Ever heard about slash?"

Saturday morning, a video tape arrived for Viv. Most of you guys will know that Granada Plus is going to screen the show again (at least partly) starting in May. Viv, our media star and public relations expert, contacted them, and I'm not sure what exotic services she promised them, but they sent her a video tape with three uncut, top-quality episodes on: Savage Sunday (which hasn't been shown in the British Isles for a very long time, and there are no decent quality PAL copies), Bloodbath, and Death Ride. Now, Death Ride has only ever been shown horribly butchered here: at the start, when they're taking Mellor to the courthouse and get ambushed, all you see is (a) the Torino leaving, (b) the secretary making a call to a phone box, (c) a guy getting the call, and (d) this guy and another one hopping on a motorcycle and driving off. The next scene after that is S&H, Dobey and Mellor in Mellor's hospital room.

Well, we weren't sure whether Granada's tape would have the entire ambush, or indeed anything beyond what we'd seen before, so we were watching the thing with hawk's eyes, going 'this is where it cuts off, no it's here, surely we must be past it by now... and it carried on, and on, and on, and the whole thing is there. And it is brilliant. Well, what else would I say?

Sometime that morning, we discovered that the local newspaper had run a story on the con two days earlier than requested. Viv had given them details and invited them to come round on Saturday to take a few photos, to be published on Monday together with a contact address for new fans. Instead, they'd printed a half-page about Fans Flocking to Birmingham, giving the address of the hotel, and their photographer didn't seem to have any intention of showing up. Never mind... all that stuff kind of paled into insignificance when The Car arrived.

Dave - I never found out his last name - from London had bought a very run down Ford Gran Torino a few years ago and set about doing it up. And let me tell you, it now looks *perfect*. That car is the most gorgeous thing I have seen in a long time. I've been lusting after Starsky's car ever since I first saw the show aged 13, but the way life has turned out, it seems to be my fate to end up driving heaps that emulate the squash in attractiveness and reliability. Oh, and irregular noises. Seeing that Torino sitting in the car park, gleaming even though the day was overcast, making all the Rovers and BMWs and sportscars look like so much irrelevant tat - it was a religious experience. It was as if some exotic bird had flown in to have a quick break amongst all the pigeons and crows. It was beautiful the way sunrise is beautiful.

Dave gave us the story of all the things he had to do to the Torino to make it look just right, and let me tell you, this man is dedicated, and he knows his stuff. He must also have the patience of a saint, or the media would still be talking about the Southampton Slayings of Customs Officials. Talking about patience, Dave's wife Julie was remarkable. Not really a fan, she put up with us all in a perfectly charming way, cued David for Torino anecdotes, listened to the frantic discussion of 'scenes we liked best' during the banquet, and I guess it was understandable that she balked at staying overnight, seeing as initially they'd only planned to be with us for a couple of hours (in case we turned out to be total kooks?)

Sometime during the early afternoon we began to notice the effect of that newspaper article. People started to drop in, looking for the Starsky and Hutch convention. We were sorry to have to send them away, but since this was a closed registration con we couldn't impose on the hotel that way. Well, one guy stayed, talking to Dave for a while. When we started on the scheduled SHluff game after lunch, he was still there, playing along even though he'd only seen the Pilot recently.

After SHluff, I was hoarse. We had 28 questions prepared, and they made us do them all! And then they had the effrontery to *win*! I'd expected the questions to last us through at least one other con. Time for something new, perhaps.

Later during that afternoon I began to realize the disadvantage of doing most of your fan stuff through a pseudonym (and omitting to write that pseudonym on your con badge!). People I'd been in a room with, talked to and drooled over vids with for the last 24 hours suddenly began to come up and say things like "so *you* are Solo?" Uh, yeah. Sorry guys. Will try to do better next time.

At some point, don't ask me when because I was too busy ogling The Car to notice anything as irrelevant as time, that press photographer did show up and we realized that they wanted to milk this con for all it was worth and feature us *again* on Monday! Viv and SHaron obliged by posing in front of the Torino, SHaron wearing her Starsky cardy and both of them pointing toy guns in the air. The rest of us hid in the con room, hoping nobody would notice us.

After dinner we did the play, written by SHaron and largely organized by her, too. Put it like this: without her help and talents, I'd have been on stage nude, lacking that all-important chest hair, and with decidedly the wrong hair colour on top. Thank you, SHaron, for all the hair and the loan of the red union suit. The only thing I supplied myself was a pair of thick socks (no, not on my feet!) and my adidas. The play was called "Snowstorm and the 17 Dwarves", and while Sandra, SHaron, Viv and I had a lot of fun doing it, I really can't tell you how it went down. I was too busy trying to act (my acting talents are surpassed only by my gift for using phones) to notice anything like audience reaction. Somebody else will have to fill in those blanks. I had a great time, though - after all, I got to hit "Simonetti" (sorry SHaron, had to make it believable!)

Dave and Julie left around midnight, after poor Julie had to put up a half-hour struggle refusing our offers to lend her everything from t-shirts to toothbrushes to fresh underwear. She'd been with this mad crowd since 11am, they had never intended to stay over, and she really wanted to get home. So we watched them load up, the Torino sitting in the dark car park with its lights on like an apparition from a fantasy tale. I behaved myself and did *not* try to throw myself in front of it to prevent it from leaving. But it was hard.

And back we went to videos... watched the songvids for the 42nd time or so... and it was getting late and suddenly there were last night's gatecrashers again. Three of them, not a single one particularly attractive. But as it happened, Discovery Channel was playing, and when we turned round again after that, two of them had unaccountably disappeared. (Such a shame...) The third was more intrepid and asked to watch an ep, so we gave him Committee, and after that it was 2:30am and we all had had enough. (Except this guy - he wanted more. Well, tough.)

Breakfast the next morning was a quiet affair that dragged on almost until lunchtime, and then it was time for the first ones to leave. Alison had to go early, to catch her flight back to Belfast. The rest of us checked out and kind of lounged around amongst the bags that suddenly made it unsafe to step anywhere in the con room. People bought goodies from the PAF table (donated by various fans) and from SHaron's cool selection of S&H clocks, watches, magnets, decals, and lots of other things. We watched Bloodbath, then the songvids yet again. Cut the beautiful 25th Anniversary cake which Hazel, Tracy and Elaine had brought with them -- all in silver and white! Started to take down posters and pack up stuff. Somebody else came up to me and said "So you are Solo." Hey, what it is, bro. Fame at last.....

It was a wonderful weekend, and for me, the most enjoyable ZedCon yet. It was great to meet some people I knew through personal email but had never seen in real life: Nikki who's been a good friend for over a year, and Angie whom we finally managed to lure out of the Isle of Wight into the great unknown. And pals like Annette, Alison, Viv, Hazel, Elaine and Tracy whom I'm getting used to meeting once a year (at least). And finally all the fans who'd been nothing but names, very obscure names, to me since I didn't even have emails to associate them with: Sandra who makes a very huggy Huggy, Jan and Sharon (the other one), and Kathryn. All were enormous fun to be with, and I hope we can meet again next year and stay in touch meanwhile. My partner was somewhat bemused back in January, when I first informed him that I was turning down an expense-paid trip to Texas because it clashed with ZedCon. Well, it was worth it, and next year I might just drag him along to show him why.

From Nikki:

There really isn't anything much I can add to the extensive and enjoyable reports produced by Solo and SHaron. However, as a virgin not only at ZedCon, but at all Cons, may I urge fellow virgins that if you get a chance to go to such an event, then do so, it's worth it. I had a great time, in spite of several personal problems. It was super to meet Solo and SHaron, both of whom I've been writing to for quite some time now - and thanks to their gentle persuasion and kind transporting, I managed to get to Birmingham to share in the fun. Hey, Solo, now you know why *I* didn't have a cup of tea before we left Wellingborough :) It was also great to meet people whom I'd exchanged mails - both e and snail for a short time, and those I'd never heard of/from before. Everyone is just *so* friendly. There is something about Starsky and Hutch fandom, that gives you a warm feeling. It makes you realise that friendship, mutual helping and stuff do still exist in a world where people all too often only seem to care about themselves. The love, friendship and togetherness of the guys obviously rubs off on the fans. (Okay, enough of the soap - sorry). Solo and SHaron have told you all about the happenings of the weekend - from the wonderful Torino, (stop drooling Solo) to the beautiful songvids, and here I must add my appreciation to Flamingo, [Beth C] and Morgan Dawn. They were so well done, so moving and the words matched the clips perfectly. Thinking about "That was a River" still sends a cold shiver down my back. As for Flamingo's Discovery, I found myself humming the tune on the way home on Sunday and my husband kept raising a questioning eyebrow. Then today, my mother mentioned watching the Discovery channel, which made me have a fit of giggles, fortunately it was thought I'd choked on my lunch. The video was really great and thanks a lot for sending it, Flamingo. However, one thing both Solo and SHaron haven't really mentioned is the play - well they both did, but as they took part in it, they didn't see it from the audience's perspective. Let me tell you - it was great fun. Well written SHaron, and in spite of the concerns of the 4 involved due to lack of rehearsals - hey 4 rehearsals in 2 days is good going, believe me (I know) - it turned out really well. The audience appreciated it and really enjoyed the humour and the costumes. Solo and Viv in long, red underwear - a sight to behold. Unfortunately, I don't think you'll be seeing any pictures because I don't think anyone had a camera handy. So well done to Solo, SHaron, Viv and Sandra, it took a lot of nerve to get up and do what you did - and we do have some hidden talent here on VP :) Also we really enjoyed SHluff - and I'm not just saying that because the audience won:) The panel were all so damned convincing - they could lie well under oath :) It was quite disconcerting to sit there and think, "I *know* exactly where this comes from," only to find that - in spite of at least two-thirds (or 75%) of the audience agreeing with you - it didn't! It came not only from another episode, but was said by someone else! As for making them go through all 28 questions, they kept offering us the choice and we were enjoying it so much, yes we kept on going. More next year - please :))) Also, I'd like to mention the smoothness with which both Viv and SHaron handled the people who *dropped* in to see the exhibition - and Viv even managed to get an entrance fee* for PAF out of one of them. He couldn't have minded though, as he was the one that stayed for the whole afternoon. All the tables were great, SHaron has some wonderful stuff - I really can recommend it - very creative; the PAF table had some lovely things too (my purse was much lighter by the time I left) and Viv's display of memorabilia and art had to be seen to be really appreciated. Well that's the end of my enthuse. Just to re-iterate, it was a great weekend, it was super to meet people - and finally SHaron/Viv - when's the next one??? As they say, the one thing you can't fix is virginity :)

2001

• Was held 1–3 June 2001 in Birmingham UK
• Introduced day memberships for those unable to attend all 3 days
• There was a fan written play on Saturday night

"Back by popular demand, our fourth annual S&H con. Come & share your: watching, listening, reading, games, thoughts, conversation."

See original flyer: ZedCon 2001, ^{Archived version}.

2001: Programming

See it here: ZedCon Programme, ^{Archived version}.

Programme

Friday 1 June

• Arrival from 4.30 onwards
• 7.00 pm Dinner
• 9.00 pm Welcome, Videos etc.

Saturday 2 June

• 8.20 am (approximately!) Breakfast
• 10.00 am Introduction, Art display, Dealers Table, EG-PAF Table, Zine/Script Library opens, Memorabilia Display
• 11.00 am Coffee, Videos, general milling around and doing S&H-y stuff, Discussion and Desert Island SHiscs
• 12.30 pm Lunch
• 2.00 pm Games/Discussions & who knows what else?
• 4.00 pm Tea
• 4.30 pm Quizzes
• 7.00 pm Con Dinner
• 9.00 pm Da Play, chat, giggles etc.

Sunday 3 June

• 8.30 am Breakfast
• 10.00 am Videos, more chat, laughs etc. etc.
• 12.00 pm Closing Items
• 12.30 pm Lunch
• 2.00 pm Farewells

Videos - The video machines will be set up for anyone to use during most of the weekend. We hope to bring along a full set of episodes and lots of song-vid tapes for your enjoyment.

Zines - The zine/script library will be operating from the boot of Sharon's car! Zines will be loaned on a sign-out basis. We ask that you will treat all these items with great care as they are very precious personal possessions! Thanks.

2001: Convention Reports

From Sharon:

We were a small but select little gathering, in a comfortable hotel in Birmingham (England) in the middle of wedding-reception-season. :-) So we took our meals amongst revellers and celebrators of a different type and I have to admit that all were pretty tolerant of each other.

Friday night saw everyone safely arrived, exchanging news and making friends with our "virgins" including VP's very own Regina M. holidaying in our fair land and bringing some stunning sunshine with her!

We watched some great songvids, kindly send by Flamingo, including her own "Who's got the Hooch" which we loved, some of Cindy's wonderful professional-looking digitally produced songs and three more delights which Morgan Dawn had sent to Solo. Wow, what a treat. We owe you vidders some LoCs but tonight isn't the time for me to write any, sorry ladies!

We also had the first chance to see PMG's latest back-to-the-other-side-of-the-lens activity in "And Never Let Her Die". You should have heard the "Oooohh" which went around the room when his much-loved, slightly craggy features came onto our screens again :-) Boy, he still has *it*  :-)

After an all-too-short night's sleep, we began Saturday with a quiz inspired by Linda L Cabrillo, trying to identify 30 or so animals which can be seen in S&H Episodes. More from Solo later on this I think. It's amazing all the other things we miss while watching the beautiful butts and flourished frontages of the series :-)

Nikki wasn't able to join us, as her recovery is not yet at a stage where travel is bearable, so in the afternoon some of us took the con to her house, about an hour's drive away. We were treated to date slices, lovingly prepared by her husband, and the usual bawdy talk, songvids and friendly smutty gossip ensued as soon as he had left the room :-) It was great fun to be able to include her in ZedCon this way.

The Con Dinner was a great success, fabulous food, attentive waiters, good wine and even some song (not good though!) Then came Da Play, another triumph from Viv's keyboard - more from her later, I hope.

David had brought some 16mm films of episodes so some folk watched those while others continued our usual slashy behaviour in our rooms. We played a Cloze game where a passage from a perfectly good gen zine turned into the Twilight Zone Story from Hell with gems of sentences running like this:

• Dave Starsky frowned thoughtfully at the leg in his hand and letting his donut sink to the bottom of his lemon squeezer, reached for another leg that lay on his desk, and fucked them.
• Ken Hutchinson was making zebras on the other side of their paperwork heap, licking one of the innumerable legs.
• "No, no, look at it." Starsky pushed the leg across the desk and tried to insert the remains of his donut.
• It contained a lemon squeezer on the penis that had exploded three weeks before, demolishing Starsky's pubic hair, one of the finest elephants in Greater Los Angeles. The other lemon squeezer was an analysis of a similar penis that had taken out the locker room and two walls of Vinnie's gymn.
• "I don't want to jump to any carpets on this," Starsky said slowly, "but can you think of anything Vinnie's belly button has in common with the elephants ... besides us?"
• Hutch favoured his partner with a long, incredulous scratch. "Again? Do you know how many times you've spread that nipple?"

Don't ask, please trust me, don't ask! We fell off the beds laughing at our unwitting creative genius :-)

Sunday, considerably more sleep-deprived than previously, we played a great game devised by Sandra, who, in spite of severe discomfort because of her poorly eyes, remained a cheerful, funny and lively con-comer. "Desert Island S&H" was a sort of questionnaire, which each of us filled in with answers to such posers as "Which episode *must* you have, when you're stranded on the desert island?", "Duds from hell - which are your least favourite clothes on our boys?" and "Favourite quote" etc. At the end, Sandra read out selected answers from each questionnaire while everyone tried to guess whose desert island we had landed upon each time."

From Sandra:

A little game I devised seemed to go down well, too. Desert Island Dilemmas involved con-goers listing eps, tags, lines, zines, songvids etc that they simply couldn’t do without if shipwrecked (with a VCR of course) on a desert island. Top ep turned out to be Shootout (no surprise there) but honourable mentions go to The Trap (huh SHaron!) and Bloodbath (yes, Viv, you can’t lie – we all know your fondness for the Starkster in the barrel!!)

Top lines threw up some interesting ones. Alongside the to be expected “If this was a cowboy movie..” and “It’s who do we trust time..” came the likes of “They want me to bring in my partner. That’s like cutting off my arm” and “I had this dream once .. . I’ve been meaning to talk to you about that..”

Top songvids ranged from Mama Bird’s very own 'Bad Touch' to Lori’s 'Oh, How the Years Go By' (my choice. Gets me every time) and Beth C’s 'After All This Time.'”

Top turkeys on the ep front were Huggy Bear and the said turkey, The Groupie, Death Notice and, top of the lot, Golden Angel.

The final question caused much gnashing of teeth and rending of garments – one night with Starsky or a lifetime with Hutch? Most chose the one night of unforgettable passion (me included) but some decided that forever with Blondie was much more desirable. And even more said they wouldn’t want either because the boys belonged together.