For those who were in attendance last month at our monthly Steampunk party, Mr. Automatic has recorded part of his mix from the night.  For those of you who couldn’t make it, enjoy the eclectic mix of new-school Electro-Swing and classic jazz remixes along with a few surprises.  Click on the downward facing arrow in the player below to download a FREE copy!

Mr. Automatic live Electro Swing set at Clockwork Vaudeville March 2012 by Mr. Automatic

After listening to this awesome mix, join us this Saturday Night at Ace Bar, where Mr. Automatic will be playing with the Lords and Ladies DJ’s. Also featuring:

The CHICAGO premiere of San Francisco’s neo-classical, steampunk, electro-cello-ist…

UNWOMAN
Unwoman!

Also the mad-cap bizarreness of…

THE LORD BARON’S FAMILY COCKTAIL HOUR
“A show somewhat unlike other shows that happen to be mildly like it.”

Also enjoy your stage manager…

Earnest D. Moxy!

Video by Daria M.
Photos by Mr. Wes

Vending by Altered History!
Altered-History

Drink specials of Harrison Bourbon & Desiree Vodka from Tipton Spirits!
Come early for the dinner specials and half off appetizers. Stay for the show!

My my what a week ahead of us we have!  With the ever broadening array of things to do both vintage, retro, and steampunk, how can one decide?  Well, we’re here to help you!

The Classic Remastered “A Trip To The Moon” at The Gene Siskel

For those few who are still unfamiliar with George Melies he is one of the first true film auteurs who took full advantage of the art of cinema to create worlds and effects that people are still trying to figure out today.  Also, he was played by Ben Kingsly in Hugo.  For those in the know do grab your less educated friends and try to make one of the last three screenings of Melies’s best known film “A Trip to the Moon” at The Gene Siskel Film Center in downtown Chicago.

For anyone who spent a single waking minute in the 1990s, you’ll likely recognize it as the blueprint for the music video “Tonight, Tonight” by The Smashing Pumpkins.

Tickets are about $13 on TicketMaster and the showings end this Thursday.  Do check it out now and don’t miss this momentous occasion to get in touch with your cinematic roots!

Dead Roots at Delilah’s with Mr. Vourteque (yes, that’s me).

I’m not that great at promoting some of my more subtle events, but should you be looking for a calmer event of whiskey and beer and hard punk blues and Gothic Americana country (and a bit of off kilter circus music), please stop by Delilah’s this Wednesday.  I’ll be DJing a wide array of music (and it often seems to overlap with Mr. Bodewell’s playlists) that centers on the dark, strange and over all country-esque.  And when I say “country” we’re not talking about that stuff Nashville produces, we’re talking a whiskey fueled BBQ in an post apocalyptic abandoned landscape (at least I like to think that’s what I’m talking about).

Did I mention that Delilah’s has one of the largest selections of whiskey in the world?

There is also $2 Old Crow Bourbon and $2 PBR, it’s free to get in, you just have to be 21+.  See Delilah’s for more information.

C2E2 is Back?!  Why, yes! It is.

Yup!  It’s that time again, time for C2E2!  And there are FAR too many guests and people of merit attending to mention (though to mention one, John Cusack will be there promoting his new, somewhat steampunkish movie, The Raven).  What we should mention is it launches this Friday and finishes this Sunday and should fulfill most any pop-culture geeks various misaligned fantasies (I say that with love).

What you’re probably asking is why a comicon is being promoted in a Steampunk blog? We at Steampunk Chicago are hosting a panel, entitled “Steampunk as a Culture” where we’ll be discussing exactly what the title of the panel says we will be.  It’s from 3pm to 4pm on Saturday, April 14th.

Tickets for C2E2 vary but can be purchased here.

Of course, once you’re finished geeking out on Saturday please catch the Reggie’s bus from McCormick place and join us for…

THE GEARBOX FANTASTIQUE II!

A year ago we brought you our huge spring spectacular with a variety of sideshow, burlesque and musical acts!  Now we bring it back, even bigger and better!

We first welcome the return of The Squidling Brothers with Jellyboy T. Clown himself as the Master of Ceremonies.  We’ll also be welcoming Hellblinki for another show, guaranteed to boggle your mind!  There will also be Pinkerton Xyloma and Titano the Strongman from The Dead Man’s Carnival as well as local rockers V is for Villains.  Thee Bluebeard will do a bit of comedy and ensure you dance a bit to DJ Shawn Gaston from The Begger’s Carnival as well as The Lords & Ladies DJs.

Tickets are $15 in advance or $20 at the door, you can also purchase the $40 VIP package sponsored by our friends at Tipton spirits.  There will also be outfit and costume contests, photographers, videographers, general madness as well as, of course, amazing fashion.  We can’t wait to see you there!

And once you’ve woken up on Sunday wondering what the hell happened to you last night, do join us for…

Watch Chains & Lace Returns to Pleasant Home

This Sunday, April 15th, we return to Pleasant Home with Watch Chains & Lace.  This is our summer-time afternoon monthly soiree featuring tea, small shows, lawn games, cocktailing, a bit of dancing and a ton of fun.

We do invite you to join us for tea from 4 to 5 and then continue on the evening relaxing on the veranda, watching our friends The Squidlings, do some decidedly toned down magic and shows, enjoy a cocktail or glass of wine, or a glass of lemonade and play a bit of croquet or lawn tennis.

It is a lovely time indeed and tickets are only $5 for those 13 and over.  This is an all ages event, so feel free to bring the family. Click on the image above to buy tickets to the tea at 4 p.m for $10, or to buy tickets for general admission for $5 in advance.

What more?  60% of all profits go to support Pleasant Home and future events there.

The tea is 4 – 5 with the soiree from 5 – 9 at Pleasant Home, 210 Home Avenue in Oak Park.  It’s a short three blocks from (the very safe) Harlem (it’s the last stop on the line) on the Green-line El or you can get off at the Harlem Ave stop on the UP-W Metra.

Phew!  What a week!  Hope to see your shining faces out and about, as we’ll certainly be there!

Best,

-The Lord Baron

This Thursday, upscale downtown Chicago lounge and restaurant Elate launches it’s “Steampunk Thursdays” night, an evening of live music, DJs, fashion, cocktails and food.  One particularly hallmark reason for our interest here at Steampunk Chicago is their philosophy on steampunk is quite in line with our own, in terms of seeing it as a progressive movement environmentally and culturally, especially because Elate is a restaurant that prides itself on being eco-conscious as well as classy.

The night will also feature live music from Graham Czach and his band, The Time Machines.  The show starts at 9:30 with subsequent performances at 10:30 and 11:30.  Elate’s menu will also be available until 10pm with additional bar food available between 10pm and 11pm.

Elate is located at 111 W. Huron St. in Chicago’s River North area in The Felix Hotel.  More information can be found at their website!

See you Thursday!

The show has been cancelled. The Pretzelmen have encountered difficulties.

On March 12th, the second album by The Men That Will Not Be Blamed For Nothing, entitled (big breath, here) “This May Be The Reason Why The Men That Will Not Be Blamed For Nothing Cannot Be Killed By Conventional Weapons”, will be released. Do join us for the release party at Lockdown Bar and Grill, 1024 N. Western! Enjoy fine brews and pleasing burgers this Friday, 9PM.

Fans of their first album (no matter what its called) will find much to like here. From the metal men and dirty be-goggled women of “Now That’s What I Call Steampunk! Volume I”, “Conventional Weapons” brings us even further into their gritty Victorian world, but never loses that tongue-in-cheek charm and eye for history. This time, Victoria’s dabbling in voodoo, vacationers are interrupted by a Lovecraftian god, London is saved from its own excrement, we get a taste of British politically-oriented punk rock via the Whig party, and Tesla finds a new use for his famous coil. A vein of horror runs through the whole album, both natural and supernatural; not surprising, since The Men do like to remind us that, for most people, living in the 19th century didn’t tend to involve many parasols or top hats. There is a good blend of humor and sobriety, though. While one song explores the quirky Victorian obsession with masturbation, another looks at war through the eyes of the common soldier.

And the cherry on top of this punk/rock/metal sundae? Not one, but two cameos from a certain traveler of time and space. No spoilers on who, though!