Drake OranwoodToki Redbeard, also known as Toki Skaldagorvir (Toki the Skald-maker), passed from this life last Monday night. This is one of those seismic unexpected losses that shakes the SCA to its foundations. As far as we all knew, his cancer treatments were going well and about to wrap up.
This week has been a welling up of grief, stories, and remembrances across social media. Toki fostered and encouraged so many people, in the SCA and out of it, that his legacy is impossible to measure in this moment.
Well, now that we’ve gotten that out of the way…let’s talk about this summer. Pennsic is less than a month away (aaaaaaaaa!), and there are a few things going on…but first, you probably wanna know about the concert, right? So let’s talk about the concert.
My “Troubadour Next Door” concert will be happening Wednesday of War Week from 7 to 8 pm (August 7), in the big Performing Arts tent, now known as The Three Crowns. (I learned last year that some people have not been there and don’t know where it is. This is not the PA Rehearsal Tent. This is the giant yellow tent at the heart of Pennsic University, behind Aethelmearc Royal). PLEASE NOTE the 7 pm time slot, earlier than usual. However, I’m okay with it because I am opening for Heather Dale, whose concert is at 8 pm, which means there should be some solid turnout.
I have tried to return to this blog and post probably half a dozen times since (checks notes) just after last Pennsic. There is a page-long draft of one from April. Nope, I’m not using that. But I am going to push through and finish this, and share it, hell or high water.
Drake Oranwood