Monday 28 December 2009

Steampunk - adventures of the New Years Eve kind

I'm going to play for a steam punk event on New Years Eve. I've been doing my research and discovering that there is definitely a steampunk music scene. Apart from plenty of sound effects, it seems that part of the steampunk vibe is Regency dances: waltzes, polkas. Handy. Apparently there is even a band called Ghostfire who have a waltz called ‘Calibernus’ - it would be lovely to have something recognisably "steampunk" in my repertoire.

I will be playing while people enter the club for the first time and I've been thinking about how best I can add to the atmosphere. The main thing I need to do is to help create that sense of otherness and welcome and that costume may be as important as the music I make.

From my web-ventures, steampunk seems to be this mixture of victoriana, adventurers and exquisite brass gadgets with some grubbiness thrown in for good measure. The current costume plan is to look like a harp toting grubby adventurer but somehow also elegant? Now I own something corsetty, can find some blousey thing, and have glove and boot like items. I need to find an appropriate kind of skirt and then as many accessories in brass or leather as possible.

Not too far away from this image on the left (courtesy of Monika Gorka)

I should probably imagine what I would have if I was an adventuring harpist and think along those lines. Mmm. Practicality with a necessary contingent to remain looking elegant. Costume shops in Oxford here I come....!


Actually it's always been a bit of a dream to go adventuring, especially with my harp (though I think a small version may be in order). I met someone when I was at the fleadh in Ireland - he was amazing, he made his whole living from clowning and playing harp. He was awesome. I want my music to take me on a new adventure too!

2 comments:

Graham Lee said...

I'm not sure how easy it is to find these things on short notice, but may I recommend that you look for a TV series called The Secret Adventures of Jules Verne? That took enough liberties with Verne's work to introduce Rebecca Fogg, Britain's first female secret service agent.

Steph West said...

Ah... I failed. But it was our Rebecca who helped me figure out costume in the end. It was a fun night.