Having been on the move (and on the road) since the week before the soiree, it’s taken me a little while to pull together all of the video that we managed to get over the weekend of the SteamPunk Magazine Soiree (not to mention that we actually had to send the camera away to have the footage transferred onto DVD first – no one ever accuses us of living in the modern age!), but we have finally managed to cut something together.

Above is a short video of highlights from over the course of the weekend (anyone who was actually there and would like a copy of the full, unedited video, drop me a line at allegra [at] steampunkmagazine [dot] com and I’ll happily provide you with it), and below you can see a number of photos taken by our own Cal Wimsey, as well as some from those who attended the soiree and have been kind enough to let us post them.

The event itself went really rather well indeed (despite a small number of hiccups) and we are already beginning to draw up plans for another event (hopefully including steam cars and a SteamPunk play!) that will, with any luck, be taking place next June.

We all had lots of fun looking around the first exhibition of steampunk artwork at the Oxford Museum of the History of Science (not to mention admiring the truly vast collection of astrolabes and astrological equipment that they have there) before moving on to have a look around the Christmas markets in the freezing cold. The next day Lady Jillian Spagthorpe (aka SPM’s own Carolyn Dougherty) tried her best to teach us the three dances that we would need for the evening’s performance – and although we here at SPM have to admit to being a little bit left-footed, she was very patient with us!

The Monday night saw three of steampunk’s finest bands performing. Congratulations go especially to the wonderful Sunday Driver, who battled through traffic and adversity and still managed to arrive in time to open the gig – not withstanding their wonderful interpretation of the Regency set dance ‘The Dressed Ship’. As far as we are concerned, having a whole bunch of people in big boots and goggles dancing to a piece of early 19th century music being played on tabla and sitar is exactly what steampunk should be about.

The stage was then handed over to Ghostfire, who treated us to their infamous waltz and were then treated to a good laugh at the expense of the Steampunk Magazine crew as we stumbled our way through a polka to their ‘Vaudevillian’.

Finally, all hell was unleashed in the form of The Men That Will Not Be Blamed For Nothing. Many headbanging-induced-headaches were had by all, and we have to say that – having heard the Men perform twice now – we are looking forward to the release of their debut album with much anticipation. So much so, in fact, that you can look forwards to a special interview with them in issue #7, and perhaps an extra special treat besides…

Many thanks to everyone who made the event possible. It warmed our hearts (and on a very cold day, too) to have so many of you offer us a hand over the two days of the soiree. Now that, my friends, is most definitely what steampunk is all about.

Our gratitude goes out to all the bands and venues, and my own personal thanks especially to Carolyn Dougherty, Dylan Fox, Cal Wimsey and Andrew O’Neill for all their help and assistance. Without them, the soiree would never have happened.

Keep upping tha punx!

Allegra

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