Two upcoming events that may spark an interest with your inner “Gypsy Punk”:
I. The other evening while venturing out, my partner and I came upon Charleston Bar at 2076 North Hoyne Avenue. The 23 year old bar with its copper ceiling, heavy ornate cherry woodwork, antique mirror décor and an actual vintage photo booth, about which we were told to “use at your own risk” due to it blurring images, easily sparked interest in this Steampunker. Did I mention that all the light fixtures had Edison bulbs in them? While being sold on these aspects alone, we also noticed that the chalkboard of upcoming events listed “Gypsy Jazz” every Thursday night (of course, there will be more info posted after our attendance to the evening, to be sure). I would most definitely encourage all of you to attend. Events and venues like this will only last if they pull a crowd. So please come out, if not just for the music, then at least for the gorgeous surroundings.
II. Summers in Chicago feature many free outdoor concerts. Come join us at the Jay Pritzker Pavilion as Millenium Park kicks off its concert series with a bang as they open with Balkan Beat Box. The Israel-born, New York based duo, Ori Kaplan and Tamir Muskat, play Mediterranean-influenced music that incorporates musical stylings from Eastern Europe and the Middle East mixed with New York electronica. While they consider themselves more “world music” they are most definitely one of the core bands of the gypsy punk movement.
Opening for them is The Very Best, an afro/pop/indie dance group hailing from Africa and the UK.
The concert is set for Thursday June 3 with a start time of 6:30. I hope to see you all there!
Lord Baron Joseph C.R. Vourteque IV
By Prof. Joseph F. Mason
The Uncommon Curtis Eller
I had the pleasure of attending the Curtis Eller show at Uncommon Ground last Thursday. The first thing to strike me was that this energetic man reminded me of somebody, initially I thought it might be Jim Carrey, but Carrey is too hammy and rubber-faced. It was then that it hit me – Curtis Eller – with the combination of his Basil Fawlty moustache and loose. Ministry of Silly Walks limbs – reminded me of John Cleese.
An Eller show is not to be missed. The musician kicked, wriggled, shimmied and even climbed on tables (and then drank your beer.) He called the audience out when we didn’t sing along loud enough and chastised us when we weren’t whispering along quietly enough. He was not once without motion. Even his right thumb found a way to always drop on the banjo’s 5th string.
He closed the show with “Save Me Joe Louis,” a look at American race, religion and law. The powerful song represents the last biting words of the first man executed in the gas chamber, a cry for salvation from a boxing champ.
Afterwards I picked up his album “Wirewalkers & Assassins” and spoke with him briefly. He wondered why he always seemed to get a steampunk or two at his shows and we eventually settled on it being a mutual love between he and the steampunk community of all things antique and sepia-toned.
Curtis Eller – Save_Me_Joe_Louis
Steampunk & Victorian Assemblage Show with Cristina Beller
It was Friday May 21st and my lovely partner in crime, Liz, asked John, the proprietor of Horrorbles Gallery in Berwyn; “Where’s the art opening?” He gracious directed us to a stairway, past some monster figures, horror movie t-shirts and bags and eventually down into a dungeon-esque basement where we were immediately greeted by life-size replicas of Leatherface and Jason (of Friday the 13th Fame of course!) After making our way past a miniature theatre with a screen show-casing immortal Peter Cushing we finally reached the dark, lovely art of Cristina Beller.
Continue reading Curtis Eller, Sepia-Tone Americana. Cristina Beller brings some Steampunk to Horrorbles…
Lord Baron Joseph C.R. Vourteque IV
As many of you may or may not already know the much heralded World Steam Expo is set to launch a week from today and we here at Steampunk Chicago and esteemed members of the Royal Ladies’ & Gentle-mens’ Experimental Madness Society could not be more excited.
“But why, good people, are you so excited” you ask?
For a variety of reasons. But tantamount to them all is a multifarious array of our members being panelists and participants at the con! If you happen to make it do check out as many of the events and panels as you can, but should you wish to see your good authors/party promoters/mad scientists in person check out the following.
Steampunk in Popular Culture
Airships
Steampunking the Home
Steampunk Events
AND (of course)
One of our ghost hunting devices - The Electro-Aether-Voice-Phenomenon Recorder
The RL&GEMS Showcases their ghost hunting equipment. At that panel we will be showing and demonstrating our inventions as well as showing pictures, film clips and evidence from hunts we’ve done at such places as The Roff Home in Watskea, Illinois (do check back on Monday for an article on it!)
But that is just the tip of the iceberg! The grand event also features a mad science fair, a Tiny Top Hat Workshop, a masquerade ball and a live performance by none other than Abney Park. If you have not seen them live, do not miss the spectacle!
Tickets are still available – so do get them now if you wish to go!
And with that said I will leave you wonder and dream about what things await us in the grand duchy of Dearborn, Michigan. We do hope to see you there!
Best!
The Lord Baron
Lord Baron Joseph C.R. Vourteque IV
In light of last night’s deliriously delightful CLOCKWORK VAUDEVILLE and our belly dancers and magicians and strange bands named after the netherworld, it seems only fitting to enlighten the world to the existence of the The Human Marvels – an aether-site dedicated to those whom are more commonly known as “Freaks.”
The site’s host – one J. Tithonus Pednaud – has exhaustively compiled a comprehensive database of such individuals, even breaking them down to specific “types”, such as conjoined, gigantism and, of course, the classic pinhead. Continue reading The Human Marvels : Presenting Peculiar People…
Lord Baron Joseph C.R. Vourteque IV
The Wonderful World of Yoshi AKAI
If you are ever to find yourself in Sweden, Norway or The Netherlands I highly suggest seeing if Yoshi AKAI is planning a live performance. The Japanese native has certainly developed some of the most beautiful original electronic music instruments I’ve ever seen. What’s even more impressive is the sheer amount – over 15 – instruments he’s created.
To be fair some are fairly simple in function, but yet, all have a beautiful, unique, and undeniably steampunkish aesthetic. Even more so, the gent adds brass name plates, complete with serial number and aged patina, to every instrument he creates.
To witness these incredible devices, and see a movie of them in action definitely check out his website – here.
Below are some more pictures from his website.
May Clockwork Vaudeville!
And if you find yourself in the midwest this Friday DO come and check out our May Clockwork Vaudeville party at Exit! There will be the magician Michael Burke, May the Bellydancer, DJ Dalton K. Finney AND (of course) live music by Strange Tree’s own The Afterlife!
What more? You can win $100 and a private tour of the Primitive Gallery – hands down one of the most amazing places to visit in Chicago!
Best!
-The Lord Baron
