River's Edge Niezależne i niekomercyjne piśmiennictwo, muzyka, reportaże, wywiady, strefa retro i 8-bit.
On 29-31th of August 2008 took place the 2nd edition of Polish multiplatform party called Riverwash 2 – Project Mayhem. This time sceners got invited to “Pod Debem” inn located in Rudy Raciborskie. Initially main organizer, like it was during the first edition of Riverwash, was Fei but from personal reasons 2 months before term of the party, suddenly resigned from leading on the whole party. His place took V0yager, who decided to be responsible for the whole event and like always for performing most of the music competitions. Also Ubik was responsible for webmastering and Comankh for everything literally which was related to the hardware, mainly for sound system. I was once again invited for organizing competitions for Commodore 64 platform, and to promote the party I’ve coded on C64 small invitation. I was also collecting C64 stuff for competitions, which was a little bit more than by the first edition of Riverwash.
For long and distant travel for the party place I went on 29th of August together with Data and Spider. We went from train station in Szczecin by a train to Katowice. In Krzyz Data joined us, who traditionally was stuffed with the C64 hardware. This time we decided to share with hardware between us, so I’ve got the disc drive and power supply, and Data got C64 and monitor. Our journey was going safely and was also filled with a lot of scene memories from other parties. The only attraction during 8-hour trip was an amazing view of broken forest by the storm within few km around Opole.
When we arrived to Katowice we went to the appointed place to meet with Noise. Originally he had to go with us on the party, but in the last minute he resigned, because like he said – he didn’t finished a music for competition. However he didn’t wanted to make us unpleasantness and he offered to lift us by his car and soon we went into way to Rudy Raciborskie. When we reached the town, it turned out that we have some problems with finding proper way to the party place. Deserted town drowning in darkness and rain was devoid with any living creature on the streets. We stopped at one of bars and ask there for the way for “Pod Debem” inn. When we obtained needed guidelines, we turned out and finally reached the party place. There welcomed us a view of few drunk sceners, spontaneous discussing on various topics.
Whole party place looked very exclusive. Big hall with bar behind which was standing a nice old man. On this hall there was also a projector and this place was connected with smaller, semicircular hall with snooker table and hardware from organizers. In the background some VIC-20 demos were presented by V0yager and around there were a group of sceners which watched productions with big applause. We welcomed with people and soon we went to the hostel located close to the party place, to leave there our luggage’s. Holdys helped us with showing the proper way and he also gave to us the key to our room. When we came back to the party place we set up our C64, but we had also a big problem with connecting monitor to the socket. We realized, that on the party place every sockets has pins and ebonite plug mounted by Data is older type and we can’t connect it to any extension. We wanted to find the pliers and we went to the older man standing behind the bar, who borrowed us… a key for loosening screws. First try to cut the plug of monitor ended up in a fiasco. Second attempt was really effective, because we totally destroyed the plug.
That evening we wasn’t able to connect C64 on the party place. Being disappointed from this fact we only had to have fun from what was displaying on the big screen. Soon Holdys brought his Amiga 500 and plugged to the 2nd projector. He was located in the main hall so that when showing anything on the big screen, no one could see really what is showed and had to run for both ways, or ask someone to say in which way to move the mouse. Furthermore there were also problems with connecting Amiga and finally demos got shown in black and white mode. As it was already quite late and we’ve been really tired, soon we went to the hostel for the deserved rest.
Saturday morning began with collective breakfast by exclusive table. Next me, Data and Spider went to the town to find the shop with electrical parts. Our goal was to fix the plug of monitor and connect C64 on the party place. Shopping got realized with success. When we came back we realized, that most of the sceners went to the small trip with historic narrow-gauge railway, which museum is located close to the “Pod Debem” inn. We firstly decided to fix the plug of monitor and next went to the same trip, like others did before us. It was amazing experience, and for me especially possibility to bring back the memories from my childhood. After shooting memorial photos with the background of narrow-gauge railway, we bought special tickets for 7 zlotych each, which was valid during the whole day. But there was no ticket control during whole journey, which was actually quite short – 4 km way between Rudy-Paproc-Rudy stations. Our travel was really climatic, filled with a lot of noises generated by locomotive droved by an old man in checkered flannel shirt and leaky roof of wagon.
After coming back to the party place we realized that nothing interesting happens there. Atmosphere was quite familiar because some of sceners brought with them theirs wives and children. Alcohol naturally was poured with streams, but everything was doing with culture. Only Rudy – member of Krzyz:Kross was walking around being non-stop drunked which even threatened for his exclusion from participation in a concert. Also famous SilentRiot arrived to party place and some guests from abroad: traditionally Wix from Sweden and Topy44, who showed us Game Boy tracker. It’s also worth mentioning about interesting idea called “Drop Zone”. It was a table where sceners could leave all useless things like a CD, DVD records, tapes, newspapers etc. which could become the property of others sceners. This idea was really successful because “Drop Zone” was amused of the much interests from all people being at the party place.
Next we were finally up with crazy compo called „Druid Dancer”. Few daredevils had to present theirs invented dance for an ancient music. All competition attendants got awarded with miscellaneous gadgets from V0yager and at the end his special dance got presented by Deadman, who was dressed in monk costume and hold a broom by his hand. Next was an exclusive dinner which was served to the tables by the chef of the bar. After successful consumption next competition called „Deadman wrozy z nut (Deadman foretells of notes)” has started. Each participant before party had to send to V0yager his set of favorite songs. From them were done few minutes sets under which Deadman had to foretells about that person. My set, played as last one, became most interesting and rated most pleasant by Deadman. So I was therefore very pleased.
Party went on and on. Few sceners spread on the snooker table a lot of paper gadgets collected during years of swapping. There were many fun rarities, for example tickets, clippings from porno newspapers and all of them were signed by swappers by theirs nicknames and famous texts like “stamps back”. Most of the sceners was dispersed outside the building. Because of that my demoshow from C64 got cancelled. On the evening began preparing for the Krzyz:Kross concert. Of course Comankh was plugging all of the sound equipment. The concert was planned outside the building on the circular terrace positioned on the lower part of the inn. On the stage was also connected a projector, on which at the concert were shown the various visualizations. The concert was really enjoyable for sceners and between some songs, as usual, spoke SilentRiot who for each party feels the best in this role.
During concert V0yager decided to perform all music competitions just after concert using the fact that all equipment is located on the terrace. His plan got fulfilled partially. Outside only newschool music competitions got performed, because suddenly temperature got changed and effectively discourage everyone to stay there. All equipment got moved again to the party place and music competitions in other categories were continued. Unfortunately there were serious problems with connecting C64 to the music hardware. Comankh helped us with borrowed cable from Krzyz:Kross band. Thanks for that I could run samples and zaks from C64 for competitions.
Next there were graphics competitions, which were performed by Ubik. Unfortunatelly I’ve failed to connect C64 to the projector – we couldn’t get colorful picture on the screen. Comankh was doing all his best for fix that, but unfortunately his efforts haven’t bring the expected result. I was then really tired from all of these troubles with hardware, also some of people were disturbing me by theirs unnecessary moving around our organizer’s table. Any of my attentions didn’t help but only deepened my frustration. After another unsuccessful attempts to connect the picture from C64 to projector I’ve decided to place Data’s monitor before the audience to show all competitions for C64.
Generally the atmosphere on the party place became quite sleepy, gathered sceners upon big screen rarely reacted in any way for presented before them productions. Loud applause was missed from theirs side, or even laughing. Also C64 productions met with no reaction from audience. Personally I was totally tired after an exhausting struggle against adversity and soon I went to the hostel for well deserved sleep, simultaneously resigning from watching rest of the competitions.
Sunday morning we started from packing all our hardware, eating breakfast and saying goodbye to party people. According to the agreement Noise came for us, who brought us by his car back to Katowice. Being very tired and sleepy we soon entered the train to spend there another 8 hours of travel. Despite the fact that it was the last day of vacation, we luckily avoided the overcrowded carriages and we could safely come to our homes.
Later it turned out that on the party place all competitions were repeated, except C64 competitions. This situation was determined by a fact, that because of oversight electronic system of voting wasn’t delivered to the party and they decided to make traditional voting on paper. By this way the winners of competitions from other categories were emerged. About C64 works V0yager decided to organize online system of voting on Riverwash site. This was done shortly after return from the party. After around 3 weeks official results were presented and this long delay was caused by a fact that not so much people really wanted to vote.
Riverwash 2 – photo gallery:
Finally I would like to thank several people: Data for hardware support and like always for cool atmosphere on the party, V0yager for the organization of Riverwash 2 and for that he persuaded me back to cooperate, Comankh for hardware help, Ubik for the organization and of course Deadman for doing cool atmosphere on the party and really nice words for me during foretells from notes.
Thanks to everyone for partnership and help, for stuff and support. It was my last multiplatform party on which I was organizing C64 competitions.
Paweł R. vel. V-12/Tropyx
Szczecin, 2.10.2008
English translation done by V-12/Tropyx on 12.02.2010.
Riverwash 2 – competitions results in C64 category:
Demo compo:
1. Tropyx – We Are One Family (71 p.)
2. Vulture Design – 40×25 (61 p.)
Sample compo:
1. V-12 – Short Rave (61 p.)
2. Vegeta – Shitt’y! (42 p.)
Music compo:
1. V0yager – Half-Blown-Flame (69 p.)
2. Data – Sentence 2 (66 p.)
2. Surgeon – Error (66 p.)
2. Jakim – Atak Zmutowanych Kotow (66 p.)
3. V-12 – 104 (56 p.)
4. Klax – Departure (51 p.)
5. Vegeta – Fucking (41 p.)
Graphics compo:
1. JSL – Wizard (83 p.)
2. Bimber – C12H17N2O4P (57 p.)
3. DCMP – Socialising (42 p.)
Lobo – I See You – Entry disqualified because it was published by author one year before on Internet.
This is my exclusive work for Commodore & Amiga Fan #3 magazine, which is published in .pdf format and also it’s a continuation of the legendary newspaper C&A from the first half of the 90’s. I chose for publication some photos, which unfortunately wasn’t included there because of lack of free space.
I wrote this report on 2nd of October 2008 and it got released on 1st of November 2008 in C&A Fan #3 magazine. Here you can find original text which I’ve translated from Polish on 12th of February 2010 and to which I’ve added memorial scan of ident, few photos and unpublished movie from Data and also some photos from Azzaro, Count, Gorzyga, MoVeR and Topy44.