Cuestock photos and reports???

Early on in the event. A drone was flying around taking videos. Jim Stadum, AKA Sam Sara, ran past the event tent toting a shot gun. Proclaiming " I am tired of that annoying, buzzing thing, flying around taking pictures". As Jim run across the lawn, down the drive. Everyone who wasn't putting their cameras away. Was check their cell phones to make sure the rings were not buzzing or annoying.

This may explain why there are so few pictures of the event and why things went so smoothly.

Larry
 
CUESTOCK 2014 - photos

Yes, we had a professional photographer taking pictures all 2 days - those photos will be reviewed and condensed and are scheduled to come out in a full color poster(s) available to all - so stay tuned for further updates.

Paul
pfd Studios
 
HallieQ2 said:
First off I would like to thank Mr. Black,Thomas Wayne and Paul Drexler for putting on this once in a life time event it is something I will never forget. [...]
Click to expand...

Credit where credit is due.

I conceived the initial raw idea of Cuestock during off-hour moments with Richard Black, while down in Houston working together on a collaboration cue (a first in its own right). As with any such concept, thoughts and plans flew back and forth between us at a furious pace following that initial spark.

Some of those early plans came to brilliant fruition, while others morphed into something very different... or were even forgotten entirely. The single idea for which I am solely responsible was the ceremonial cue burning - based on something Jim Stadum and Dave Doucette used to do periodically at their original New Hampshire shop. So, like all art, even that idea was derivative. I feel honored that such an odd idea turned out to be a fun highlight and great punctuation mark for the Cuestock event.

The original idea (for me) was that it be a small, intimate get-together between a select group of the "old guard" - those of us who were active before and during the "Color of Money" era - collectors, brokers, and cuemakers discussing and reminiscing about all that we had been through together. I saw (and described it) as a "grass roots" sort of event - somewhat secret and very exclusive - similar to how the "Burning Man Festival" was born. Or "Sturgis". Or "Woodstock". That last one became the genesis for the name "Cuestock", which Richard conceived and I disliked... until it started to sound like a good idea. Now I see it as a great choice after all.

But I digress. Credit where credit is due...

Beyond the initial concept, and a few other ideas along the way, I really had no skin in the game. Richard Black hosted the event (at great personal expense) and Paul Drexler did the lion's share of the leg work. I bought an airline ticket and hotel room, and whined about the thing becoming "too commercial too soon"... and whined about all my great artsy fartsy touches that were abandoned along the way. Of course, as usual, I was wrong about most of the things I was wrong about.

To my minor credit, I did also serve to un-ruffle some of the "backstage" feathers that got ruffled between other principle players along the way - which is an odd contrast to my usual role as resident feather-ruffler. Fortunately those minor skirmishes will be little known and long forgotten, exactly as they should be.

In the end, Richard Black was the chief architect of the event, AND (along with Ardie Black) the penultimate host. Paul Drexler did a lot of the behind-the-scenes work and the bulk of industry promotion. The various volunteer speakers and presenters all did a fine job of representing their assigned topics and moderating the ensuing discussions. Most importantly, I... um... attended.

Credit where credit is due.

TW
 
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Cuestock 2014 -

We are currently in the process of creating photo poster(s) of the CUESTOCK 2014 event. There are so many great pictures of the various discussion forums and the people that it may take a bit of time to sift thru everything. We will also have a poster of the cues and cue makers who attended. Stay tuned . . .

Paul
pfd Studios
 
It's my understanding the posters and other memorabilia are being composed and produced by a top-level east coast design firm. It's likely this may take a little longer than the usual post-event stuff we see in the billiard industry, but I'll be it will be stellar when it comes out(!)

TW
 
that is great news paul and thomas....cant wait to get my hands on both...
 
Credit where credit is due...

Give credit where credit is due. Well put Thomas. As most of the previous posts have pointed out, Richard and Ardis Black were the most gracious hosts you could imagine so I can’t say anything more than thank you to them. Paul Drexler did a yeoman's job of coordinating the behind the scenes correspondence and deserves many thanks by all involved.

Thomas Wayne however also deserves more credit then he is giving himself. Thomas spoke eloquently on all of the topics covered, and greatly contributed to the conversations. None more insightful though then his comments and knowledge on the ivory ban situation and alternative materials available to cue makers. TW offers a wealth of experience and a very fresh, independent view that he is always ready to share.

Sandy Brady was also in attendance and spoke with passion and intimate knowledge of the pending ivory bans and legislation that is currently passed in NY and NJ. To that end Sandy spoke about the Elephant Protection Association and its efforts on our behalf. Those attending Cue Stock donated a total $5,000 during the weekend. This money will help educate the public and legislators on the more scientific facts regarding elephant protection and help to establish laws to protect the use of pre-ban ivory. Everyone interested in cues and ivory in general should visit http://www.elephantprotection.org/ and make a donation to this worthy organization.

As one of the invited cue makers I want to say thank you to everyone that attended and helped make the event a success. I hope the momentum that was kick started last weekend carries forward in conversations and helps all involved with cues and pool in general.

Enjoy the attached images.

John Bender
 
p.s.

The photo of RB and RCH grilling hot dogs is my favorite snap shot of the entire weekend. Just two old friends hanging out over a grill..... It was a priceless moment.
 
In all my life I never thought I would live to see Richard Black and Dick Helmstetter playing with their wienies.

TW
(PS: Someone had to say it.)
 
Cuestock 2014 -

Well said Thomas . . .

It is exactly this sort of thing that made this event such a treat . . . lots of great information being shared, old friends making new friends and memorable moments at every turn.

The posters being put together are being done in such a way to document both the "lighter side" of CUESTOCK 2014, as well as, feature the most memorable events - less we take ourselves too seriously.

Paul
pfd Studios

 
It's my understanding that the video shot by Bill Grassley's overhead helicopter drone will be posted to Youtube soon. I haven't seen the footage, but I did see the drone itself when it was a few hundred feet in the air and Jim "Samsara" Stadum was trying to shoot it down with a shotgun.

I ALSO saw it up close when it was filming some of us from a couple feet away, and I have to say it's not particularly comforting having a flying Cuisinart spinning four high-speed blades that close to your face. I liked it better when it was a tiny spec up in the sky...

TW
 
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Cuestock 2014 - Drone videos

Okay, it took a while, but we finally managed to get some of the overhead video footage from Cuestock 2014 up on Youtube. In addition to the raw drone video footage I also have many dozens of photos to wade through. As I get them organized I'll post them to this thread.

If anyone recognizes the various attendees in any of these videos please feel free to point them out.

TW

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VS-Qk64-Fhg

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ScSmTq8iZg

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yd91ih72LOI

 
Drone Pics

Thomas Wayne said:
Okay, it took a while, but we finally managed to get some of the overhead video footage from Cuestock 2014 up on Youtube. In addition to the raw drone video footage I also have many dozens of photos to wade through. As I get them organized I'll post them to this thread.

If anyone recognizes the various attendees in any of these videos please feel free to point them out.

TW

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VS-Qk64-Fhg

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ScSmTq8iZg

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yd91ih72LOI
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Very cool videos, bet it was a blast!
 
I'm in the process of wading through what turns out to be several hundred photos from Cuestock 2014. Here's a couple now:

andy2_zps1464e4aa.jpg

^^^ ANDY GILBERT and friend at the feeding trough ^^^

S_zps1bcf5de6.jpg

^^^ Coffey break with PAUL DREXLER and RUSS ESPIRITU ^^^
(Note the stretch limo in the background arriving to take the wives club shopping)

A_zps9844134f.jpg

^^^ Myself and drone pilot BILL GRASSLEY watching the damn thing during lift off ^^^


As previously mentioned, if anyone recognizes some of the other people in any of these images please feel free to point them out.

TW
 
Cuestock

I hope someone has a good picture of Stadum and the shotgun versus
the drone.
 
We shouldn't forget the great job Nicky did in keeping everyone in line. He made sure he greeted every person when they arrived and made sure they all provided him with the right number of pets. When he wasn't on duty he watched from his cart.
 
Cuestock 2014 -

For all of you that have asked for more photos etc. - we are currently in the process of selecting memorable images from CUESTOCK 2014 that will be available in a full color poster format.

Stay tuned for update.

pfd
 
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