Virgule Convention

Virgule Convention was a Seattle slash con held in 1992, 1994, and 1996. 
It was associated with the Virgule-L, a mailing list.
The name of the con is a nod to a "virgule," the punctuation, /, used in slash fanfiction between character names.
The con was run during the even years to prevent a conflict with Zebracon, which was held during the odd years. Another Virgule fan gathering held on the years that "Virgule Convention" did not formally meet was Solidus, weekend-long, mini-convention/"slumber parties" that took place in Seattle. 
The concom was headed by Deejay and staffed by a bunch of other Seattle-area fans. 
==Descriptions==
It was advertised as a do-it-yourself con: 
From an ad in the 1996 Media Monitor:
== The Virgule Contapes ==
Contapes, once a standard way for distributing vids to interested fans, were also fading as more and more vidders (influenced, no doubt, by Deejay herself) were publishing their own collections and so withheld their permission to put copies of their premier vids on the con tapes. (Vid quality degraded for VCR vids depending on how frequently the tape was played and how many generations from the original source tape the current copy was.) By Virgule 3 in 1996, the con vid tape was published as "Virgule 1996 Orphan Vid Tape" with 18 vids by only three vidders (not including collaborators): Carol S., Wendy, and Morgan Dawn. About 2/3 of the vids on the tape were shown in the Virgule 3 vid show. The rest were 'bonus vids' such as "Send the Marines" which also appeared on the Media Cannibals/Tape2
VIRGULE, the Con: Third Time's the Charm: October 11-13. 1996 at the Quality Inn, Sea-Tac, Seattle, Washington. Seattle—the jewel of the Pacific Northwest (and an afternoon's drive from Vancouver B.C., filming home of Highlander and XFiles)—fandom invites you to Virgule. We promise all the standard slash con treats and fancies, plus some new ones: Friday night Pizza Party; Hands-on Writing track; Duping & Video room; Zine Reading room. The hotel is cheap ($68 a night for up to 4 people), friendly (we've been there for years), and right next to the airport (free airport shuttle, of course). The function space includes a big consuite, extra rooms for gang TV watching for Friday night, an extra consuite for smokers, 2 panel tracks and more. $40 attending membership, or $50 for a membership and dealer's table. Checks to Rainy Daze Productions."
==1992 Convention==
* held October 2-4, 1992 at the Seattle Radisson Hotel
* con t-shirts were by Suzan Lovett
* there were "no restrictions on explicit art"
* the con suite featured the official con drink "Sex in the Rain"
* there was a vidder's workshop by "Piddley Assed Productions"
* there was a writer's workshop
* also: a Saturday art auction, a dealer's room, and a "Friday Night Slut Party"
* membership was $30
* the con charity was Seattle Chicken Soup Brigade, an AIDS meals and chore service
Image:virgulecon1992flyer.jpg|flyer for the first one
Image:virg1.jpg|flyer for the first one
Image:vir1.jpg|another flyer
===1992 Vid Show Playlist===
Song 	Vidder 	Fandom
Tightrope 	Terry M. 	Pros
Sunny 	Terry M. 	MV
He Ain’t Heavy (The Hollies) 	Terry M. 	21 Jump Street
Eye of the Tiger (Survivor) 	T’Rhys 	K/S
Wild One (Jerry Lee Lewis?) 	T’Rhys 	K/S
It’s a Jungle Out There (Randy Newman) 	Cybel Harper 	MV
Save the Best for Last (Vanessa Williams) 	Cybel Harper 	Pros
Crimson and Crystal (Julia Eklar) 	Cybel Harper 	B7
You May Be Right (Billy Joel) 	Cybel Harper 	S/H
Under the Gun (Born of Osiris) 	Cybel Harper 	Pros
(Take a Look at Me Now) Against All Odds (Phil Collins) 	Caren Parnes 	B7
Just the Way You Are (Billy Joel) 	Caren Parnes 	Callan
Hurts So Good (John Couger) 	Caren Parnes 	B&B
Total Eclipse of the Heart (Bonnie Tyler) 	Caren Parnes 	ST
Alone (How Do I Get You Alone) (Heart) 	Mary Van Deusen with Kandy Fong 	Pros
Fathers and Sons (Cat Stevens) 	MVD (Mary Van Deusen) 	Indiana Jones
A Comedy Tonight (A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum)	MVD 	B7
(Everything I Do) I Do It For You (Bryan Adams) 	MVD 	Sherlock Holmes
Eye of the Tiger (Survivor) 	MVD 	Pros
Signy Mallory (Heather Alexander) 	Henry Gonzales/Bently Production	Star Trek
I Will Follow Him (Peggy March) 	Henry Gonzales 	multi
Gay Beer 	? 	Saturday Night Live
I've Got You Under Wraps (Jethro Tull) 	Tashery S. 	Blake's 7
Evening Falls (Enya) 	Tashery S. 	B7
The Beastie/A Beast Upon Me? 	Tashery S. 	B7
Some Enchanted Evening (South Pacific) 	Tashery S. 	B7
With or Without You (U2) 	Tashery S. 	B7
Lovers in a Dangerous Time (Bruce Cockburn) 	Gayle F. 	B7
The Universe Song (Monty Python) 	Gayle F. 	B7
Love is a Stranger (Eurythmics) 	Gayle F. 	B7
Girls Just Wanna Have Fun (Cindy Lauper) 	Gayle F. 	B7
Old Souls (Paul Williams?) 	Gayle F. (with Kathy Resch) 	Star Trek
Heartbreaker 	Dee Jay 	Pros
Shock the Monkey (Phil Collins) 	Dee Jay 	Pros
Istanbul (Not Constantinople) (They Might Be Giants) 	Dee Jay 	Muncle
Master and Servant (Depeche Mode) 	Dee Jay 	Blake's 7
Cold 	Dee Jay 	?
Outlaw Blues (Bob Dylan) 	Piddly Assed Productions 	B7
We Two Are One (Eurythmics) 	Piddly Assed Productions 	Pros
Don’t Put It In Your Mouth (Canadian PSA) 	Piddly Assed Productions 	Pros
Snoopy Vs The Red Baron (The Royal Guardsmen) 	Kandy Fong 	Star Trek
Set the Night To Music (Roberta Flack) 	Kandy Fong 	Dracula
Don’t Hold Back Your Love (Hall & Oates) 	Kandy Fong 	Professionals
I’ve Been Thinking About You (Londonbeat) 	Kandy Fong 	Pros
Time Warp (Rocky Horror) 	Kandy Fong 	Quantum Leap
Secure Yourself to Heaven (Indigo Girls) 	Megan Kent 	Starsky & Hutch
Don’t Use Your Penis For A Brain (Romanovsky & Phillips) 	Megan Kent 	S/H
That’s All (Genesis) 	Megan Kent 	S/H
You’re My Home (Billy Joel) 	Megan Kent 	S/H
Simply Say Goodbye (Lost Emotions) 	Megan Kent 	S/H
Trouble in Paradise (Randy Newman?) 	Megan Kent& Nancy Goodwin 	S/H
==1994 Convention==
Virgule 2 was called "The Second Cumming." It was held October 7-9, 1994.
The program book contains 10 pages. It includes con information, a welcome from the committee, programing schedules, a reprint (with permission) of Trekkie Lit: Kirk ♥︎ Spock, and some short fanworks:
** The Bond, not credited, an essay about male relationships
** Piss Off!, a Blake's 7, RPF meta fic by "Kay Eatin'"
** Surveillance, Forever Knight poem by S.J. Dudley
** From Those Who Don't, uncredited slash poem
"From Those Who Don't"
: It seems so weird, I've GOT to ask, 
:What fun is there in reading slash?
:It's only stupid, porno trash, 
:Least that's how it seems to me.
:I don't mind things a little "blue"
:But THIS is cheap, and vulgar too!
:I can't believe someone like you...
:You have a college degree!
:This kind of stuff's for the stupid bore. 
:At least that's what I thought before. 
:But tell me, is there any more, 
:And will you lend it to me?
:It's got my curiosity.
:Guess I'm not as pure as I used to be.
:What's wrong with a little depravity?
:And I've got this idea for a story.
From the program book: 
===1994: Panels/Programming===
* Art Show
* Art Auction
* Computer Cartoon Workshop 
* Dealer's Room
* Hospitality Suite (featured "'Sex in the Rain,' the official drink of Virgule, for those less adventurous types, there's 'Safe Sex in the Rain'.")
* "You'll Never See This Cashier Again (part 2)" -- a Field Trip to The Crypt and Toys in Babeland (sex shops)
* Lytton-Bulwer Writing Contest
* Panels:
** KS, aka, "You're Dead, Jim...!" - This is the fandom that started it all!
** Why Do We Prefer Our Heroes to Have DARK Pasts? - 'Nuf said. Come and share your opinions.
** X-Files - Alien Sex? Interested?
** Music Video Appreciation - What's 'Out' there? Where do you find it? (Then, don't miss the Music 'Vidoes' Contest. Come and look (or is that look and come?) And don't forget to vote!
** Artists' Panel - Fan Artists 'Show and Tell' all.
** Blake's Seven - Still crazy Active After All These Years!
** Highlander/Forever Knight - Can immortals really do it forever? Inquiring minds want to know.
** The Professionals - British version of Starsky and Hutch. Secret Agents/Secret Lovers.
**Chartreuse Horseshoes Awards - Check your good taste at the door. Vote for your favorite fannish faux paux. Make sure you have a large grain of salt on your shoulder and your tongue is firmly in your cheek (?) Remember... everyone is eligible - no one is safe!
** G.B.H. (Grievous Bodily Harm): What's a nice girl like you doing reading/ writing stuff like this? Death...Dying...Hurt/Comfort... sick, sick, sick!
** Nurse's Panel - No, you cannot sever Illya's spinal column then have him get up and walk away...find out why from the experts.
** Wise Guy - Calling all fans of this show to cuss and discuss ALL possibilities.
** Bring on the Sidekicks - Why do some of us prefer McPike, Illya, Vila, and Murphy?
** Political Correctness - Has being active in Slash fandom made you more aware of alternative lifestyles? Let's talk about it!
** Babylon V - Slash in Space/More Alien Sex? YES!
** Real Gay and Bi Men Tell All - Continued from 1992. Looking for technical advice or advisors? This is your chance.
** Wild Wild West - Jim and Artie? Jim and Dr. Loveless? Artie and Dr. Loveless? Yee ha!
** PORN vs SLASH - Mainstream Porn vs. Gay Porn. We'll compare the two and find out how they affect what we're doing.
** Fandom on the Internet - New way to talk to old friends and make new ones.
** Can SLASH Improve your Marriage/Relationship? -- You betcha! Got any examples? Wanna share?
** Closing Ceremonies/Awards - The Final Gasp! (heh heh)
===1994 Flyers and Progress Reports===
 
 File:Virgule1994flyer.jpg| 1994 flyer in On the Double #28 
 Image:virgule2flyer.jpg| 1994 flyer 
Image:virgule1994flyer2.jpg|1994 flyer
File:Virgule1994progress.jpg|1994, progress report
 File:Virgule 1 Post Convention Report 1994 Color Page 1.jpg| in this post convention report, the organizers announced they had raised $1500 for a local AIDS charity 
===1994 Vid Show Submissions===
The vid show was 33 minutes.
*In The Air Tonight by Chris Soto (Star Trek)
*Turn Turn Turn by Chris Soto (Star Trek)
* Living on the Edge of the Night by Cybel Harper (Forever Knight)
* I'm Not Made of Steel by Cybel Harper (Pros)
* Hero Takes a Fall ) by Cybel Harper (B7
* Something to Talk About by Charlotte Hill & Sandy Herrold (Wiseguy) (winner "Best Novice Award)
* You're My Best Friend by Sandy Herrold and Alex MacKenzie (Pros)
*Promises by Sandy Hereld & Megan Kent (Tris & Alex) (winner "Best Technical Award")
* Just Another Day by Kandy Fong (Miami Vice)
 
* Silent Running by Deejay Driscoll & Marilyn Frank (Pros)
*Don't You Love Me Any More? by DJ Driscoll (Pros) (winner "Best Comedic Award")
*Soldier in the Rain by DJ Driscoll (Pros) (winner "Best Dramatic Award")
* In the Air Tonight by T'Rhys (ST/B7) (winner "Best of Show Award)
* Something to Talk About by Media Cannibals (Pros)
* Heard it Through the Grapevine by Media Cannibals (Pros/B7/WG)
* Can't Keep a Good Man Down by Sandy Herrold and Rache (Wiseguy)
*Chrome Plated Heart by DJ Driscoll and Candy Stone (Wild Wild West)
*Standing Outside The Fire DJ Driscoll, Kathy Donovan and Candy Stone (Wild Wild West)
===Vid Show Review===
In April 1995, Carol S. posted the following review of the Virgule vid show tape to the Virgule-L mailing list. It is reposted here with permission.
===1994: Con Report ===
In 1994, Alexfandra posted the following con report to the Virgule-L mailing list. It is reposted here with permission: 
==1996 Convention==
===An IRC Chat For Non-Attending Fans===
In 1996, the convention organizer announced the the Virgule-L mailing list what may have been the first interactive and live IRC chat at a slash convention:
===1996 Vid Show Contest Winners (partial)===
 
This is a partial list of the submission to the 1996 contest.
*Best Dramatic --Goodnight, Saigon (SAAB) by Carol S 
*Best Comedic --Co-Dependent With You (Pros) by Deej 
*Best Romantic -- It's All Coming Back to Me Now (K/S) by Kandy Fong
*Best Technical --Shake Your Groove Thing (Martial Arts) by Wendy Hyers 
*Best Novice -- We Can Leave Right Now (HL) by Lynn C.
*Best of Show -- A Fire is Burning (Pros) by Media Cannibals.
Additional Vids: Vidders Not Listed On Voting Sheet
*Don't Give Up (SAAB) by Carol S?
*Snoopy vs Red Baron (SAAB) by Carol S?
*The Logical Song (SAAB) by Carol S?
*Pavane (Labyrinth) by Lynn C.?
*We Can Leave Right Now (Highlander)
*Live & let Die (DS9 - Garak/Bashir)
*It's All Coming Back To me Now (Star Trek - Kirk/Spock)
*Ordinary World (Pros) by Morgan Dawn
*My Father's House (In The Name of the Father) by Morgan Dawn
*Looking For Myself (Pros) by Morgan Dawn
*Still The One (MUNCLE)
*The Way We Were (MUNCLE) by Liz K?
*Little Red Corvette (Starsky Hutch) by Stacy Doyle
*One Last Battle (SAAB) 
*Space Hero (SAAB) 
*It's In The Way That You Use It (SAAB) 
*Roll To Me (Due South) by Media Cannibals.
*Little Baby (Due South) by Media Cannibals.
*Always (XFiles -Mulder/Krycheck)
*Let It Bleed (Multiple Fandoms)
*Send The Marines (SAAB)
*Tender Comrades (Pros) by Media Cannibals.
*Hi-Diddle-Dee-Dee (Wild Wild West)
*Co-Dependent With You (Pros)
The convention gave out 12 honorable mention ribbons. They had a total of 28 entries.
===1996: Con Reports===
In 1996, Sandy Herrold posted the following con report to the Virgule-L mailing list. It, along with the other reports below, is reposted here with permission: 
In response to Sandy's convention report, Morgan Dawn offered a few observations of her own to the mailing list: 
And last, alexfandra weighed in with her own report:
==References==
Category:Slash Conventions
Category:Vidding
Category:1992 Conventions 
Category:1994 Conventions 
Category:1996 Conventions
Category:Conventions in United States