Aresef

http://wtop.com/tracking-metro-24-7/2017/06/metro-willing-extend-hours-select-big-dc-area-events/ The catch: The money and the 1 a.m. thing makes it...not totally usable for Otakon, I'd presume.

I imagine given not just the new venue and new partners, but the concerns facing events like this, it's a challenge to get everything nailed down. I deal with airport-style security at Camden Yards, this sounds like no big deal (as opposed to the last time I was at AB). Bag check or no, though, I am worried about bottle-necking, and I assume y'all are too.

Are we to consider this a preview? Or is what Awesome Con worked out with convention center officials and MPD just an Awesome Con thing?

Yeah, free on the weekends. That being said, if you are taking Metro, you'll want to be out the door at midnight and sleep fast so you have enough time to make it back down for what you want to do in the morning. So, like, if you have designs on the rave or after dark stuff, forget about it.

My wife works for Parking Panda and some of what I know, I can't say. Check back in mid-July maybe. The event listing (like they have for any baseball game or whatever) might pop up sooner. But the parking situation around the BCC with all those lots people book for Camden Yards, the arena, the harbor, etc., it just isn't the same situation around Chinatown. Going online and looking around the convention center area right now, there aren't a lot of participating lots and garages in spitting distance of the con and they're all really pricey. But again, it isn't yet June, all that is subject to change and some places do hourly parking but not daily.

This is my 13th...been going since 2004 but missed last year's due to a Power Morphicon-forced sabbatical. Name: Tyler Hometown: Baltimore Primary contact info: nah I've been pied in the face by a 1990s children's television star.

Oh, a few other picks from Baltimore bands and one other that's a bit lower profile Cowabunga Pizza Time - Wise Man Say (Forgiveness Is Divine but Never Pay Full Price for Late Pizza) PLRLS - Look at the Nerds The Protomen - Light Up The Night

I'ma add a couple "roll your windows down and scream" songs and some others JAM Project - SOULTAKER JAM Project - Believe in my existence Michael Giacchino - Speed Racer (you laugh but this is real good) Funkadelic - (Not Just) Knee Deep Tsu Shi Ma Mi Re - Airkon no Rimokon Peelander-Z - Ninja High School Hyper Potions - Chao Dance Mix Hyper Potions - Gotta Go Fast Nitro Fun & Hyper Potions - Checkpoint Hideki Naganuma/Richard Jacques - Graffiti City medley (from Sonic and All-Stars Racing Transformed) Richard Jacques - Super Sonic Racing (Cash Cash vs. Jun Senoue RMX) Naofumi Hataya - vs. Metal Sonic (Stardust Speedway Bad Future) Rustie - Ultra Thizz Polysics - Electric Surfin' Go Go Polysics - Rocket Polysics - Making Sense The Who - You Better You Bet

Inspired by the Marketplace podcast, "Make Me Smart." Otakon gets a lot of guests that some people are really passionate about, but others don't know a lot about. This thread, I guess, you can ask away about why you should be excited about this or that guest, and people who know that guest's stuff can answer. I'll start. JAM Project's bio on the AWM page tells you precisely nothing about them. Their first concert at Otakon, there was a depressing number of empty seats in the Chicken Box. Tell you the truth, until Masaaki Endoh belted ONE PUUUUUUUNCH, it's possible they were rather niche in many American fan circles. And there's a reason they might have been--their most loved songs among fans are in things that either will never come out here (Super Robot Wars) or largely haven't yet (Garo). If I had to sum up JAM Project in a phrase, it would be hot-blooded anison arena rock supergroup. And even if you don't know about the group, you certainly know their members. Hironobu Kageyama has been in music for 40 years, joining the band Lazy at 16. His career includes the iconic DBZ opening--no, not that one, the other one--CHA-LA HEAD-CHA-LA, a song about breaking through the clouds and teaching dinosaurs how to ride a ball. He's also done songs for Saint Seiya, M.D. Geist, Sonic X, a bunch of Sentai and has voiced Zaruba in every iteration of Garo. Masaaki Endoh has a hell of a pair of pipes on him, which you may recognize from Yuusha-oh Tanjou!, the theme to GaoGaiGar. He sang "Live in Baghdad" for Cowboy Bebop and "Believe in Nexus" for Yu-Gi-Oh 5Ds. He also has a few anison cover albums on which he's done everything from Sorairo Days to the MMPR theme to Snow Halation. He and Kage are among the hosts of Anipara Ongakukan, a Japanese show that's all anime/toku singer interviews and performances. Masami Okui got her start as a backup singer before embarking on her own career, which includes "Rinbu-Revolution" for Utena and the themes to Slayers. She was also there at the birth of Animelo Summer Live, or Anisama, like Anisong World Matsuri but waaay bigger. Google it. Hiroshi Kitadani has done several One Piece themes--"We Are," "We Go" and the more recent "We Can." Yoshiki Fukuyama was the singing voice of Basara Nekki, and went on to do songs like "Makka na Chikai" for Busou Renkin and the theme to Overman King Gainer. Ichiro Mizuki is a founding member, but stepped back in 2002, though he and fellow graduate Eizou Sakamoto performed with them at their 10th anniversary show in 2010. Rica Matsumoto left the group in 2008 as she took a hiatus from music in general. She didn't join them on their world tour. Choice tracks: Hagane no Resistance, SOULTAKER, Rescue Fire, Kessen the Final Round (All my links go to live performances...the random Brazilian guy is Ricardo Cruz, Sir Probably Not Appearing At Otakon) Live, they're a real experience. Eat your Wheaties. They will filibuster at the end with SKILL's endless choruses of MOTTO MOTTO! (Oh, and if you're a BABYMETAL fan, yes, they have the same drummer.) So, with that out of the way, make me smart about Yousei Teikoku.

I, uh, think you guys accidentally reused a bio. "Project BECK, a tribute band for the anime series "BECK: Mongolian Chop Squad," will perform at this year's Matsuri, to be held before Otakon 2015."

Yeaaaaaaaaa, but that's kinda tenuous. That logic, Otakon could invite Tim Curry or Vernon Wells or Alex Borstein or Eka Darville or Ned Dennehy. Basically... I dunno, man.

-not staff- But the typical staff response is that they don't really invite flash in the pan internet celebrities or one trick ponies. There was a time when people were clamoring for Hard Gay and Jim had to explain why that wasn't happening.

Yeah, but they Paulie and Narvy don't exactly tie into Otakorp's mission. Then again, Jason Frank's ties to that mission were also rather tenuous. I'd rather they spend the money on other guests. Fun fact, Narvy is now a theater professor. He also once pied me in the face.

It's been said that panels are in the cards, but they'd be part of Otakon proper, so there surely wouldn't be any charge. Not staff, so maybe Matt or somebody might want to clear this up.

There's apprehension over the fact that the last time they did something for the BCC, it was the Hilton, which opened right before a recession. You're right that there was a plan, but the money wasn't there and one of the key players (Sheraton owner Willard Hackerman) passed a few years ago.