21:28 <Crion> The good times continue to roll at www dot twitch dot tv slash whatever channel name it is that Stewart was able to reserve, though Steve remains spooked. 21:29 <Crion> There's only one member of the Wherehouse who has yet to appear, of course. 21:30 <VoxPVoxD> Where is Nels spending her time, anyway? Is she hanging out at the Wherehouse a lot? 21:32 <trenchfoot> She has been, lately, unless it makes Lauren uncomfortable to have her there. Everyone else seemed fine but she's still acutely aware of what she did and why that might not be welcomed. 21:33 <Crion> Lauren is spending most of her time at Stewart's apartment up until it's time to load her rig onto the Wild Goose, and she's also learning to deal with it. She kind of has to! 21:34 <VoxPVoxD> Nels being normal, as she assuredly has been, helps. Everyone's gotta deal; no one's exactly happy with all this. Except for Tony. But Tony's very easy to please. 21:36 <VoxPVoxD> Stewart approaches Nels whenever she's hanging out in a common area. "Hey! You wanna come play on my stream? Music or video games, your choice." 21:37 <trenchfoot> Nels, fiddling with her guitar, nearly drops it. She doesn't, but it's a near thing. "I -- yeah? Um, do I need to show my face or anything?" 21:38 <VoxPVoxD> Stewart: "Not if you don't want to. Melanie came on and we did the lights so no one could really see her. Maggie tried out a setup I have that replaces you on stream with a cartoon character and it worked great." 21:38 <trenchfoot> Nels: "...does it work if you have an instrument?" 21:38 <trenchfoot> "Also what are my cartoon options. That sounds amazing." 21:39 <VoxPVoxD> Stewart: "As long as you can wear stuff on your hands while you play. It's not heavy or anything." 21:40 <VoxPVoxD> "Right now I have one render, and it's a talking nuclear power plant. If you don't like that I can probably get something else." 21:40 <VoxPVoxD> "Also, if you're playing music, do you want us to set up a spot for you to upload recordings to?" 21:40 <VoxPVoxD> "So you have something to promote." 21:41 <trenchfoot> "Just something person-like if you can? And, um. I probably should, shouldn't I?" 21:42 <trenchfoot> "I saw that online a few times. Someone says something really pithy and then promotes -- I think they called it Soundcloud?" 21:43 <Crion> I mean, the advice on that is probably pretty different depending on who you talk to in the Freehold. 21:43 <VoxPVoxD> Stewart: "Up to you. I don't know when schools are going to reopen, let alone venues, so if you wanna play for people it's gonna be your best option for a while." 21:43 <VoxPVoxD> "I wouldn't stream if people didn't pay me to. But you're an artist; I'm just an act." 21:46 <trenchfoot> Nels: "Live performances for an audience count even if you're only doing it for money. I think I'd like a place to upload things, if you wouldn't mind helping me get that set up." 21:47 <VoxPVoxD> Stewart: "Sure! I've already got an account with Soundcloud so I know how to set that up. Okay, so, uh, just let me know if there's any problems with the acoustics in the studio on the Goose and, obviously if you have any questions..." 21:48 <trenchfoot> Nels: "I'll ask if anything comes to mind." 21:49 <VoxPVoxD> "Cool!" Stewart was worried Nels would ask something like 'what's a Twitch stream', but it seems like she's basically rolling with it. Time to set up... 21:50 <trenchfoot> She's familiar with "Stewart films stuff that goes out on the internet" and trusts him enough to fill in any blanks she might have. 21:51 <trenchfoot> Once you've introduced someone pre-radio to the internet, things like Twitch don't even register as weird. 21:54 <VoxPVoxD> Stewart has a couple of questions for Nels, after a bit, like what she wants her name on Soundcloud to be, and to look at a couple of possible cartoon girl avatars: one has a floofy pink dress, floofy pink hair, and floofy pink cat ears; one of them is in white pajamas, with long straight black hair and a half-hidden dour expression; one has gray skin, an eyepatch, and horns. 21:58 <trenchfoot> Her cover ID reads Lena Colter - something about Colt .45s for a username? After some hesitation, she'll pick the cat girl. She seems like she's having fun, unlike the second choice; the third one is right out for reasons she cannot explain. 21:59 <VoxPVoxD> Stewart is going to advise against choosing Colt 45. If she's got a cover name already is she okay just using that? It might suit what she uploads better than something that's going to make people assume she's going to be rapping. 22:00 <trenchfoot> That's fair. 22:06 <VoxPVoxD> Stewart should be referring to her as Lena on the stream, right? 22:07 <trenchfoot> Yes. It's... unlikely that anyone would connect her to the other Nels Foulke, but she has papers saying that she's Lena Colter for a reason. 22:09 <VoxPVoxD> It's about an hour before Stewart wants to go live that he brings Nels in to set up. Not only do we need to break in the new 'ESD_05' rig, but the sound check's more complicated too. He needs Nels to think she sounds good. 22:10 <Crion> Steve keeps tabs on the commotion, but his usual distrust of the streaming studio remains. 22:13 <trenchfoot> This isn't her first soundcheck. Still, she plays a little fancier than she usually would, just to make sure it all sounds right... and then keeps going, because the song needs to be finished. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qasPCNQuo88 22:13 <Crion> Is Nels using a guitar, or that guitar? 22:14 <trenchfoot> A guitar. Siren's Song is back in her room. 22:14 <VoxPVoxD> Ahahaha yes. This is going to be incredible. When the song is done and Nels signals her approval, Stewart asks: "How do you feel about questions from the audience, and, how do you feel about taking requests for part of the show?" 22:15 <trenchfoot> Nels: "Fine on both counts, though I might need to listen to a request before I play it myself. I've - there are gaps in my knowledge." 22:16 <VoxPVoxD> Stewart: "Totally fine." 22:16 <Crion> Dot_carat, Hundredpercentbears, and Fella are all in Discord tonight; the full mod team. 22:19 <VoxPVoxD> Stewart sets up the chatbot to plug "Lena's" Soundcloud periodically, and checks in with the mods. Cool, everyone's in. Stewart helps Nels with the wearable part of the avatar setup, and makes sure she's looking at the screen when he turns it on and she sees herself replaced by EDS_05, periodically-swishing tail and all. 22:20 <trenchfoot> Nels: "Does that ever not feel weird? Looking at - her mouth's moving when mine does. Golly." 22:21 <VoxPVoxD> Stewart: "I just imagine I'm watching someone else." 22:21 <trenchfoot> Nels: "Wonder if the cat ever feels the same way." 22:22 <VoxPVoxD> Stewart doesn't really know how to respond to that. So he doesn't. "Bringing up the preshow now, you've got about 10 minutes to settle in." 22:23 <trenchfoot> She plucks away at her guitar, ensuring it's tuned appropriately, and does some breathing exercises. It's just hanging out with Stewart, there happens to be a camera and it's fine. 22:24 <VoxPVoxD> Nyot a care in the world. 22:24 <Crion> The regulars start trickling in. Ptoolomy, DankCrusader_09, LeBrimley, parabellyum, 101stChairborne, TeriyakiArmalite, and so on. 22:25 <Crion> HonorWithASilentU resubs for their fourth month. 22:27 <VoxPVoxD> "Going live in 5... 4... 3..." Mics up. Camera up. Stewart's there, normal setup, except with a partner in ESD_05, who has a guitar in her hands and a studio mic visibly hanging overhead. "Hey guys. How are you doing tonight. HonorWithASilentU thanks for the resub, 4 months now; I appreciate you." 22:28 <Crion> The usual greetings immediately turn to "CAT" and spamming the :chup: emote. 22:28 <Crion> LeBrimley: "Well clearly that's not Chup." 22:28 <Crion> ptoolomy: "and yet: cat" 22:28 <Crion> TeriyakiArmalite: ":cat:" 22:29 <Crion> TeriyakiArmalite: ":guitar:" 22:29 <VoxPVoxD> "Alright, I'm back with another one of my friends. This is Lena Colter, and she's an amazingly talented musician. Lena—" He gestures in the direction of the camera and the visible, fast-scrolling chat feed. "—this is the Reactor." 22:29 <Crion> TeriyakiArmalite: ":lena:" 22:29 <Crion> 101stChairborne: "hi lena" 22:29 <Crion> ptoolomy: "yo" 22:29 <Crion> MeiMei22: "hi!!!" 22:29 <dammitwho> MaggieBakehead: Good luck, Lena! Congratulations on becoming a cat! 22:30 <Crion> ptoolomy: "maggie in chat!!!" 22:30 <Crion> A number of regulars now say hi to Maggie. 22:30 <VoxPVoxD> The first iteration of the chatbot throwing Nels's Soundcloud into the chat; it'll happen again every so often. What'd Nels want uploaded? 22:30 <trenchfoot> Nels: "Hello everyone! And hello to Maggie in specific!" 22:31 <trenchfoot> Nels's first upload is the one that she has learned is not supposed to be played by amateurs. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IOtaJKrim2E 22:32 <trenchfoot> Apparently instrument stores get angry with you for it? 22:33 <VoxPVoxD> Stewart: "So what we're gonna do tonight is play and talk. If you guys have questions, feel free to ask. Later on Lena's agreed to take requests. Check her out on Soundcloud at lenacolter, all one word. SlamBot'll be putting that link in chat periodically." 22:33 <VoxPVoxD> "But why don't we get started. Lena, what do you feel like playing?" 22:34 <Crion> LeBrimley: "This is an exceptional version of Stairway." 22:34 <Crion> residentmario: "lol stairways thats some olds music" 22:35 <trenchfoot> Nels: "I kind of want to start on a high note? It's from a cartoon but I've only seen a bit of the intro so far." 22:35 <trenchfoot> She clears her throat, then begins playing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qshBY_NwL7w 22:36 <VoxPVoxD> Stewart has no idea what this is from, but it sounds really good. 22:36 <Crion> 101stChairborne: "lmao but this is insanely fuckin good" 22:36 <Crion> ptoolomy: "look at me im criticalmass im the guy who knows the guitar cat" 22:37 <Crion> PrimordialPasta: "link to soundcloud ?" 22:37 <Crion> Dot_carat has the bot oblige. 22:39 <Crion> The first question when the song is over is, perhaps expectedly, from 101stChairborne: "so are you like a famous artist and you can't show your face is that the deal" 22:40 <Crion> ptoolomy: "is anyone famous for being good at guitar anymore" 22:40 <Crion> ptoolomy: "no offense" 22:40 <Crion> ptoolomy: "just seems like they're not" 22:40 <VoxPVoxD> What Stewart does do is throw up a fresh overlay that has the title of the song she's playing and what it's from, which Stewart is able to google after he gets the lyrics. Then he takes the question. "101stChairborne asks if you're famous. Ptoolomy asks, poignantly, if anyone is." 22:41 <Crion> LeBrimley: "Surely some people still are." 22:41 <Crion> TeriyakiArmalite: "big don from queens" 22:41 <Crion> Fella: "no politics" 22:41 <Crion> TeriyakiArmalite: "i coulda meant any big don from queens" 22:42 <Crion> TeriyakiArmalite: "but i didn't" 22:42 <Crion> He gets the manner 120 second timeout. 22:43 <trenchfoot> Nels: "I don't like having my face out there, that's all. And... I honestly don't know how to respond to the second part of that question." 22:43 <trenchfoot> She thought very hard about answering 'yes' to 101stChairborne and passing it off as a joke. 22:44 <Crion> ptoolomy: "as the disney man say: everybody wants to be a cat" 22:44 <Crion> parabellyum: "idgi" 22:45 <Crion> LeBrimley: "I'd say watch The Arisocats but I'm not sure it's even available anymore, due to the racism." 22:45 <Crion> ptoolomy: "jus tyoutube it" 22:45 <VoxPVoxD> Stewart: "It was hard to hear that she didn't want to be the reactor smokestack, but we were able to get her set up." 22:46 <trenchfoot> Nels: "I prefer being a person. Even a cat-person." 22:46 <Crion> residentmario: "lol thats what you'd call the WAG scroll if you went barstool" 22:47 <Crion> It seems kamorrojoFX has subscribed! They were talking on the Melanie stream, Stewart might recall, but they were not a subscriber. 22:47 <VoxPVoxD> Stewart: "Mario, I don't know most of the words in that sentence, but I'm going to assume it's praise." 22:47 <Crion> Hundredpercentbears: "I know what it means but im not gonna explain it" 22:48 <VoxPVoxD> "KamorrojoFX! Multi-chat veteran, first time subscriber. Welcome to the Reactor, enjoy those emotes." 22:48 <Crion> The new subscriber responds by trying some of them out. 22:48 <VoxPVoxD> Stewart: "Chat was talking about Disney songs earlier. What are your favorites, Lena?" 22:52 <trenchfoot> Nels: "I, um, wasn't a huge Disney fan, but I did end up liking a few of their songs... Won't Say I'm In Love, I'll Make A Man Out Of You, Whole New World. That kinda thing." 22:52 <Crion> ptoolomy: "that latter day shit" 22:53 <VoxPVoxD> Stewart: "Hercules had way better music than the rest of the movie justified." 22:53 <Crion> TeriyakiArmalite: "i return to stan hercules, and a milf getting with a younger himbo" 22:53 <Crion> LeBrimley: "What?" 22:54 <Crion> TeriyakiArmalite: "meg was clearly like, 33. almost a crone in ancient greece" 22:55 <Crion> ptoolomy: "a story ahead of its time, about how an out of touch CEO can almost mess up the best branding" 22:55 <VoxPVoxD> Stewart: "We here at twitch dot tv slash critmass have no official opinion on whether Megara from Hercules is a MILF." 22:55 <trenchfoot> Nels: "What's a MILF?" 22:55 <Crion> Fella: "people spent like a decade with james woods as 'oh i liked him from hercules'" 22:55 <Crion> ptoolomy: "what" 22:56 <Crion> TeriyakiArmalite: "im not getting myself timed out again yall take it" 22:56 <Crion> Hundredpercentbears: "Moderator I'd Like to Friend" 22:56 <Crion> And of course a bunch of randos provide the actual definition. 22:56 <VoxPVoxD> Stewart's face falls, but inwardly he's delighted. "Uh, you guys should be aware that Lena is just about the least online person who ever lived. She's like a nice Unabomber." 22:57 <Crion> 101stChairborne: "the unabomber was the nice unabomber" 22:57 <VoxPVoxD> "Anyway, a MILF is a woman over 30 who looks like she could do porn." 22:57 <Crion> Dot_carat: "stg if you start breaking the TOC i will boot you again chair" 22:58 <trenchfoot> Nels: "Oh! Why is that a - you know what, I don't think I care. Any requests?" 22:58 <VoxPVoxD> Stewart: "Chat? Any requests?" 22:58 <Crion> TeriyakiArmalite: "this is teriyakiarmalite erasure" 22:58 <Crion> Dot_carat: "and you!!!" 22:58 <Crion> residentmario: "do like a movie trailer cover" 22:59 <Crion> "you know they do movie trailer songs all slow and sad now" 22:59 <VoxPVoxD> Stewart: "Residentmario asks for you to put a slow, like, minor key spin on a pop song." 23:01 <trenchfoot> Nels: "Well, this isn't quite pop, but it was popular." https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B37dguz_ZdY 23:02 <Crion> residentmario: "ohh ell yes" 23:02 <VoxPVoxD> It takes Stewart a second to realize what it is. 23:02 <Crion> ptoolomy: "now heres a song you can sell a movie about liam neeson chasing a serial killer that he actually is to" 23:03 <Crion> LeBrimley: "Well, technically it's in the same key as the original, but what skill!" 23:07 <Crion> ptoolomy: "that solo tho :chefkiss:" 23:07 <Crion> Poggers abound. 23:09 <VoxPVoxD> Stewart: "Where do you find the motivation to practice?" 23:10 <trenchfoot> Nels, deadpan: "Better chance if the Devil comes back." 23:11 <VoxPVoxD> Stewart nods as if this makes perfect sense. 23:16 <Crion> HELLO_¿¬±²¢LY_STRANGER: "And he wIll! I've greAtly enjoyed the musIc tonIght. I A M thrIlled to heAr more." 23:16 <Crion> *More 23:16 <Crion> *Music 23:16 <Crion> ptoolomy: "what the. i want weird shit in my name too" 23:17 <trenchfoot> Nels just freezes. Her cat avatar can do what it likes. 23:17 <Crion> HELLO_¿¬±²¢LY_STRANGER has subscribed for months. 23:17 <Crion> There isn't a number listed. 23:18 <Crion> HELLO_¿¬±²¢LY_STRANGER: "oh It's very sIMple, but It tAkes A specIAl subscrIptIon." 23:19 <Crion> TeriyakiArmalite: "so you're just doing that capitalization thing by hand bro" 23:19 <Crion> TeriyakiArmalite: "cringe" 23:19 <VoxPVoxD> Stewart's face goes sheet white. He goes to ban the subscriber instantly. 23:19 <Crion> It seems to take. 23:20 <trenchfoot> Quietly: "Are you okay?" 23:21 <Crion> HELLO_¿¬±²¢LY_STRANGER: "It seeMs I A M not welcoMe! Well. You know Me StuArt. I plAy by the rules." 23:21 <VoxPVoxD> Stewart, after a moment: "Sorry. That's a weird glitch. Uh, anyway. Lena! Do you remember what you played at the Halloween party last year?" 23:21 <Crion> HELLO_¿¬±²¢LY_STRANGER: "FAre well, chAt. See you soMetiMe soon." 23:21 <Crion> These go into the hopper, not to chat. 23:22 <Crion> As the account is muted and banned, of course. ...But it still has the subscriber icon next to their name. 23:23 <trenchfoot> Nels: "...think I do. We come into this world unknown..." https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0AV8lxGjdZ0 23:24 <Crion> Chat rebounds immediately, though there is some Kelly Clarkson slander from randos that gets policed by mods if it gets too personal. 23:25 <trenchfoot> Ah, the mood patrol. 23:25 <VoxPVoxD> Keep your head up; nothing lasts forever. 23:36 <VoxPVoxD> Stewart's still rattled, but the urge to keep going overpowers the fear. "Lena basically embarrassed everyone else by playing that at karaoke last Halloween. I had to go *after* her." 23:36 <Crion> TeriyakiArmalite: "wait what'd you sing" 23:36 <trenchfoot> Nels: "You didn't have to. You chose to fail." 23:37 <Crion> ptoolomy: "crit admitted to singing, now he has to sing" 23:37 <Crion> 101stChairborne: "these are the rules" 23:37 <VoxPVoxD> Stewart: "I did, what was it... I did Mr. Brightside solo, and then I did Under Pressure as a duet." 23:38 <VoxPVoxD> "Everyone knows Mr. Brightside, but Under Pressure was originally by Vanilla Ice. Little known fact." 23:38 <trenchfoot> Nels did not write that bassline to deal with this. 23:38 <Crion> LeBrimley: "Immensely bettered by its cover artists." 23:39 <VoxPVoxD> Sounds like Nels needs to stop, collaborate, and listen. 23:40 <VoxPVoxD> "Anyway, I'm gonna sound awful. No one wants to hear that." 23:40 <Crion> Chat disagrees, but is willing to accept the verdict. 23:41 <VoxPVoxD> Well, if they insist... "Ugh, fine. What do you think I should sing, Lena? You're the one who has to play behind me." 23:41 <VoxPVoxD> Periodically embarrassing yourself is essential to the content creation process. 23:42 <trenchfoot> She plays a few bars, checking if Stewart knows the song. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OZuW6BH_Vak 23:48 <VoxPVoxD> Stewart knows this song! His mom loved this stuff. "If we still have time, we might still get by..." https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MzewdYZ-yWk 23:48 <Crion> Chat goes poggers throughout the whole thing. 23:49 <trenchfoot> Once he picks it up, Nels just goes wild. She does backup vocals for a few of his lines, too -- just feels right. 23:49 <VoxPVoxD> When he's done: "Man... Lena can make anyone sound good." 23:50 <Crion> ptoolomy: "the boy can Sing" 23:50 <Crion> LeBrimley: "It wasn't just Lena!" 23:51 <trenchfoot> Nels: "Not anyone. You were amazing!" 23:54 <VoxPVoxD> Stewart's actually blushing a little. It sits really high on his cheeks. "Ah jeez." 23:56 <Crion> 101stChairborne: "you should start a band" 23:57 <Crion> TeriyakiArmalite: "get that spotify money (just their two cents)" 23:57 <trenchfoot> Did that once, it ended pretty badly. Not saying that out loud. 23:58 <VoxPVoxD> SlamBot puts Lena's Soundcloud in the chat again. "Whew! Alright. Any last questions or requests for Lena before she picks something to play us out?" 00:02 <Crion> Chat is at this point mostly just effusive and shitposting. 00:04 <VoxPVoxD> Stewart: "Lena?" He's got something to suggest if Nels doesn't. 00:05 <trenchfoot> Nels: "Up to you. I can catch up." 00:08 <VoxPVoxD> Stewart puts the track up on the screen so Nels can see what he's going to suggest, but doesn't let it play. "I heard this song by the caprice of the Youtube autoplay algorithm, but when I did I thought, I really wanted to hear Lena sing it. So I want to leave you tonight with a song by Grace Potter and the Nocturnals. We're dedicating it to our chat stalwarts, our new viewers, and every 00:08 <VoxPVoxD> visiting stranger." 00:09 <Crion> ptoolomy: "[chris matthews voice] that's me" 00:09 <trenchfoot> "I have seeeeen what man can do." https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=90A-spXBJXU 00:10 <Crion> Donations come in; $20 from ptoolomy, $5 from residentmario, 200 bits from MeiMei22, 20 gift subs from Fella (!), and another $5 from PrimordialPasta. 00:12 <VoxPVoxD> Stewart's going to end the stream here; he'll thank everyone by name at the start of the next stream, as well as on Twitter when they're done cleaning up. 00:12 <VoxPVoxD> "Whew!" 00:14 <Crion> Steve storms in dragging a towel and honking almost angrily. It's clear what his concern is, and it's for the two of you; he wants you to cover the camera. 00:14 <trenchfoot> Nels: "Are they always like that? 00:14 <VoxPVoxD> Stewart: "No. That one was special." 00:15 <VoxPVoxD> Stewart will throw the towel over both outward-facing cameras, but he can't really cover the one that points straight down for the desk angle. 00:15 <VoxPVoxD> "Happy?" 00:15 <trenchfoot> I'm never happy. 00:15 <Crion> Steve is not happy, but he is at least mollified. He sort of shivers and clucks at both of you, and heads for the door...but lingers behind it. 00:16 <VoxPVoxD> Stewart: "What did you think?" 00:16 <trenchfoot> Nels: "I think I was probably right to not play Gloomy Sunday." 00:17 <VoxPVoxD> Stewart: "...we coulda made that work. I'd have wanted advance notice, cause you want to onramp something like that." 00:17 <trenchfoot> "Other than that, it was... nice? People were super excited whenever I played anything, and that's... new." 00:17 <trenchfoot> "Your fans were cool." 00:18 <VoxPVoxD> Stewart: "Yeah I've been really lucky." 00:19 <trenchfoot> "At least you don't have to deal with extreme racists like I used to." 00:19 <VoxPVoxD> Stewart: "Yeah, those guys sort of have their own ecosystem, I think. And they don't go outside it in big numbers often." 00:20 <VoxPVoxD> "I'm glad the chat's cool enough that I could share you guys with them." 00:21 <trenchfoot> Nels: "They still -- okay, wow. The rest of your chat was amazing, though. Let me know if they want another song." 00:24 <VoxPVoxD> Stewart: "I will. And we'll keep putting stuff on your Soundcloud." 00:25 <VoxPVoxD> Once Nels is packed up, Stewart'll tidy up the studio and get it ready for tomorrow's regular stream. Then he'll leave the Wherehouse entirely, to return to his apartment, log in to the Autumn Box, and report that it's possible his Keeper has started appearing in his Twitch chat.