#AFP COUNTDOWN RECAP PT. 1: We are the Media

Greeting Houdini Fans!

What a night! It was a BLAST preforming at the #AFPcountdown party! I was so excited to have Neil Gaiman offer to have me perform my Escape act for Amanda's huge celebration!

Going in to this the only thing I was told was to be ready for anything, which was good because everything went wrong from Jump Street! It was a perfect combination of chaos and talent that turned into a perfect living piece of Art.

Just before the party was to start every technical aspect STOPPED WORKING! It was a Balls to the Wall type of night. They finally just said Fuck It and aired the pod cast from the camera of a Macbook and it was on with the show!

Amanda was on fire the entire night. From experience I know how hard it is to be completely Fantastic for 8+ hours into the night but she makes it look easy! The center piece of the even was this terrific collaborative Art Project that displayed the names of all the people who had the good sense to back Amanda's Historic Kick-starter Campaign

The party had everything, Fire Breathers, Magicians, Balloon Clothing, Belly Dancers and Pirates, yes Fucking Pirates!

In honor of Amanda's big night I knew I had to do something EXTRA crazy, as crazy for me has become normal. I decided to try adding chains to my escape act! I the idea popped into my head that morning at work, I went and bought some chains, and worked out a theory of how I might do it my head. There was simply no time for a proper rehearsal and I figured if I was finally not going to complete an escape the world might as well be watching.

And so the show was in full swing and when I asked when I might be going on, they said "uh, now"

SHIT! I had to run back across the parking lot grab my gear and run back as Amanda was introducing me. Now when you see this you will understand and find it hilarious.

I plucked 2 lovely Volunteers to confine me and I was off!

 Now I've had some practice breaking out of this straight Jacket but this was the first time I've done it on Solid Concrete. In a word Ouch.

The crowd at this thing was nothing short of Electrifying! Amanda Fucking Palmer has the best fans! Every one was so excited and supportive and it really made for my BEST escape ever!

I ran in Amanda after the Act was congratulate her on the huge success with the Kickstarter Campaign. As some on who had spent the better part of the past year literally killing myself to get my comics out there I applaud the attitude and determination to make the Art she wants to make Independent of any Corporate restrictions. She has set a fantastic example for young and unknown artists to aspire to. There are few people I can think of who are more deserving of all the praise she's recieved for this mission.

We ARE in fact the Media, and the people have clearly spoken.

 It was so great seeing Neil again and to thank him face to face for all the help he's given to Secret Adventures of Houdini from day 1 with all the kind words of support and help tweeting about the crazy things I do for attention!Neil has been a personal hero of mine for quite a while and he never disappoints the strength of his character is so humbling.

Towards the end of the party Neils making his rounds through the crowd, ur eyes meet and darts over and gives me this water pistol and vanishes. I was clearly baffled but of course I went along with the flow. So I used it to make it look like my friend Taylor Esposito look like he's wet his pants.

I ran into Neil shortly after this and invites me to the after party. Later at the party I asked what would he have me do with the Water pistol. He smiled and said "Someone gave this to me and said you need to have this. Then I saw you and said to myself Sean needs this more than I do"

I hit Neil up on Twitter to the next thank him for everything, and as always his response was simple and perfect.

 

 

I am so honored to have been part of such a special day! It's something that I will always treasure and is a wonderful highlight in a year of dreams coming true. Thank you Neil, and thank you Amanda! Hopefully I will see you soon in that place where we met and you told me I was cool!

I will go into detail about the After Party in a separate post as it was even crazier than the Public party. I mind was blown several times over and I'll need some time to remember everything.

Watch this Space for Part 2
 
Now sit back and watch the entire  ENTIRE party here!

You can see my act if you scroll to 1:14:10

Thanks to Josh Gorfain for most of these pictures!

Kindest,

Sean Von Gorman
@VonGormanArt