This is going to be the last party I'm going to host here most likely - Hugh.

This is probably the last party for Holloween that one of the long time members of Cafe@Netherworld is going to play host to. Who I'm going to have to deal with next year is anyone's guess. I particularly enjoy doing these gigs not only because I've worked the logistics out for several years running - but also because they've been my internet provider for about as long. Suffice it to say that this establishment doesn't just have it's name in the URL that you're now reading - but has also provided many opportunities for me to display my craft.

The person with whom I'm coordinating this event will be taking a probable retirement from the establishment so I decided to double the size of the potential with a nice send off that he would be proud of. Finishing it off with a bang as it were. And I'm not just making bad puns either. Previous years we played with exploding 3 footers that dumped enough glitter to fill his shoes if he was unlucky enough to be standing under them at the time. He was. Like sand on the beach and all from a flick of a 9 volt on a theatre squip to do it. This time I'd like to produce some mirror balls of 3 footers filled with 11" black balloons which make for some great focal points inside the usual cloud busters. These will be also rigged with squips to make ad-hoc balloon drops from within the cloud. This will produce both minor chaos and lend a rain effect to an otherwise static cloud. The cloud in question will reach the entire ceiling of the front bar below the fan line composed of 16 inch clear for the lighting system - as well as traditional Orange, Black and Purple 16 inchers.

Aside from the table accents the back room will play host again to a net rigged coral filled into a loose canopy of take-home 16 inchers. This works to define the dance area as well as alleviate some of the vandelism concerns in the front area as well as the table accents. If they want to trash something - there's nothing like having a few hundred left over that keeps their eyes off the long-term investments in the front bar as well as the patrons sitting down. Not total insurance - but it has worked well in the past.

The rough numbers for a club gig like this break down as follows:

• 35' of balloons in the front bar making 4 passes for coverage at 560 balloons with 8-10 for the exploding mirror balls.
• 120.00 of 16 inchers and 30 for the 3 footers making for 150.00 total.

_back_