Here are instructions for our Anime Weekend Atlanta (AWA) concert this Sunday afternoon, September 28th at:
The Grand Panel Ballroom II, III, and IV
Renaissance Atlanta Waverly Hotel & Convention Center
2450 Cobb Pkwy SE, Atlanta, GA 30339
IMPORTANT: We want you to arrive early. But if you plan to come earlier than 2:30 Sunday (to attend the show, say), you must coordinate with Greg Selig by Friday at 2 p.m. to arrange to get your wristband. See Getting In below.
How to Dress
· Men: Tuxedos with black bowtie, black shoes
· Women: Floor length black, covering forearms, black shoes
What to Bring
We will provide music stand lights. Plan to bring:
· Your instrument(s)
· If you have a solid-desk music stand, bring that too. We are a few short.
· Picture ID
· Your dress clothes (preferably on your body, but you can also bring them to change).
What Time to Arrive
· The downbeat for the sound check is 5:00 p.m. You need to be in position ready to play at 4:45 p.m. You may need to park a long way from the venue, so plan ahead. We can get into the banquet hall at 2:30 p.m. We recommend coming as early as possible. Your wristband allows you to attend the conference all day, so feel free to take advantage of this.
· If you can come early and/or stay late, we could use your help with chair, stand, music lights, ticket booth, and signage setup and takedown. People will be in the hall from 2:45 p.m. setting up, if can pitch in. It’s a community orchestra, after all. J
Where to Go
See the attached map and floor plan.
· Large rolling instruments requiring an elevator: Set your GPS for Jock and Jills, which is right next to the outdoor freight elevator. Our room is on the second level. Starting about 2:30 p.m., we should have people around to help you load in. Then you can park.
· Everyone else: Set your GPS for either the Renaissance Atlanta Waverly Hotel & Convention Center. If you can’t find parking near the front of the Waverly, try the Cobb Galleria parking directly behind it. If that’s full, Cumberland Mall has a sky-bridge you can walk over to reach the Galleria. Ask to be directed to the Anime Weekend Atlanta registration desk. (On the second level of the Waverly, up the big escalators.)
Getting In
AWA will not coordinate the handout of our wristbands.
· Arriving before 2:30 p.m.: If you plan to come before 2:30 p.m. Sunday, let Greg Selig () know by this Friday at 2 p.m. so he can arrange to get you your wristband. After Friday at 2 p.m., we probably will not be able to make arrangements to get it to you.
· Arriving after 2:30 p.m.: Go to the musicians’ entrance. See the attached map – The entrance is unmarked, but it is the triple doors to the right of the registration desk. Once through the doors, you may need to come around the hallway to the Georgia Philharmonic stage. Someone will issue you a wristband for the day along the way.
· Non-Orchestra Personnel: You may want others to join you, but we don’t recommend it. Instead, suggest they come to the October 11th concert, which includes the same music and more. If they do come to AWA, they will need to pay the $35 one-day AWA registration and wait in line for the performance. Since the performance is on a first-come basis, we suggest they get in line no later than 5:00 p.m., and preferably earlier. Just paying the AWA registration fee does not guarantee they will have a seat in the hall if it fills.
Instrument Cases
Instruments and instrument cases can be stored behind the curtain stage left. This area is set aside for the orchestra’s use. Stage right is not for our use. Although security of the space is not guaranteed, after 2:30 p.m. the room will be rife with orchestra people and the storage is probably safe.
Dressing Rooms
If you intend to change on site, we suggest using a bathroom.
What to Expect
· This event draws 20,000 fans of Anime (Japanese animation). Expect to see people in wild outfits (there are limits to what people can do). Pictures are acceptable (many people like having them, in fact). But we prefer that you keep your public comments positive about the attendees.
· We are likely to have a very enthusiastic audience. Relish in it. But do remember that you are representing the orchestra and maintain your professionalism.
· We are also likely to have some unhappy people that cannot get in because the 900 seats are gone. Although AWA is handling crowd control, if you encounter anyone disappointed they cannot attend, please encourage them to join us on October 11th and buy their tickets there or online. We will have a full ticket booth set up and staffed with Georgia Philharmonic personnel. But by hotel regulations, this booth will be inside the ballroom (concert hall). After the concert is finished (approximately 7:00 p.m.), the ticket booth will be available to anyone, whether or not they were admitted to the concert. So, ask them to return at that time.
If any of these instructions change, we’ll be sure to let you know. See you Sunday!