Steam Punk !!!!!!!!!

[yankees1]

We went to Hannibal, Mo this weekend to investigate and observe the Steampunk culture ! I didn't realize how big this culture was ! Their dress attire wouldn't exactly fit in at a Bluegrass festival ! No mandolins but I was told that there are musicians who play Steampunk type music using mandolins. Anyone been to a Steampunk festival ?

[Trav'linmando]

Never been to a steam punk event , however I love the attire. I suspect that you can play OTM or classical. I would think that (don't burn me at the stake) degenerate classical might be fun. Lol. Any suggestions for listening to groups ?

Larry

[foldedpath]

Oy, steampunk (sigh).

Never been to a festival as such, but it's hard to avoid in my small town, which seems to have developed as a mini-hotbed of steampunkery. We're a "Victorian seaport" with a bunch of surviving buildings from the late 1800's, so it's a natural setting for it.

There is a steampunk shop on the downtown tourist drag. There is a local steampunk mini-festival now every year. Here are the web sites of two of the out-of-town bands that were participating, which will give you some idea of the vibe. It's basically acoustic folk/rock with costumes:

http://nathanieljohnstone.com/

http://www.thecogisdead.com/

And here's a video sample:




Looks like they're having fun, but it's not quite my cup of tea. The Centrum/Fort Worden events like Festival of American Fiddle tunes, Blues and Jazz festivals, and the winter Choro workshop is more like it. But hey, if it brings in the tourist dollars and keeps the younger audiences interested in acoustic-ish music, then it's good for the community.

[Ron McMillan]

Nine exclamation marks? Really?

[David Kennedy]

The clip reminds me of "The Pogues".

[JKA]

Ah, Steampunk...what the past would have looked like if the future had arrived earlier.

Tom Waits's Rain Dogs: very Steampunk to my ears

[MediumMando5722]

Tom Waits's Rain Dogs: very Steampunk to my ears

Excellent album. Never heard anyone call Tom Waits steampunk, though.

[JKA]

Excellent album. Never heard anyone call Tom Waits steampunk, though.

Have another listen to "Singapore" Chris and see if that doesn't conjure up the required imagery

[MediumMando5722]

Have another listen to "Singapore" Chris and see if that doesn't conjure up the required imagery

Yeah, I see it. I was introduced to steampunk through a band called Abney Park. That's who I think of whenever steampunk music is mentioned.

[BrianWilliam]

Had to google it

Haha!

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I would drink beer and people watch

[yankees1]

Nine exclamation marks? Really?

Sorry, ! meant to include ten !!!!!!!!!!

[allenhopkins]

Sorta like what the Dropkick Murphys are to Irish music...?

We need more new genres of music, don't we? I'm bewildered by the proliferation of styles, some of which come and go in a couple of years. Costumes are fun, it's invigorating to play fast and loud, subtlety is overrated, nuance is for geezers.

My cousin Rolf just visited me from Phoenix AZ, and was talking about his investigations of the variants of dubstep music, an electronic dance style originally of British origin. He said there's a certain sub-genre of dubstep that is popular in exactly two places: South Africa and the Netherlands. Perhaps steampunk will flourish in certain locales, be nearly unknown in others, develop a passionate following in Oregon, Zambia, Singapore and Tasmania. Or not.

[catmandu2]

Costumes are fun, it's invigorating to play fast and loud, subtlety is overrated, nuance is for geezers.

Well I can certainly agree with the first two items...I was even willing to wear a flat-top hat, banjo vest and puffy sleeves at one point...

I should look for a SP band - I play some grood SP instruments. I haven't seen it yet in my town - though there is ska-punk band seeking players...which I immediately rejected - on the basis that my ears cannot handle much of a "punk-anything" anymore ... (oh , give me subtlety and nuance - geezer-dom be damned! )

[fox]

In have been to a Steampunk fancy dress party, good fun but expensive to get kitted out for!
I live on a very small island however we have two main Steampunk characters who play on stage, both play banjo but the 'crow man' plays mandolin too!
I would of thought any metal body resonator instrument would look the part on stage.

[Oliver A.]

Here I am at last year's "Distinguished Gentleman's Ride". More steam than punk I think.



My first introduction to Steam Punk was through Fred Eaglesmith. A real, one-of-a-kind, singer/songwriter/entrepreneur.
https://www.fredeaglesmith.com/

[JKA]

Very cool Oliver. Are they jodhpurs you're sporting?

[Petrus]

Seems like a Hyde mandolin would work well in this context.

[Petrus]

Sorry, ! meant to include ten !!!!!!!!!!

There should be a way to put a little exclamation point on the upper right of a word, like an exponent. It would stand for 10 exclamation points.

[Bertram Henze]

There should be a way to put a little exclamation point on the upper right of a word, like an exponent. It would stand for 10 exclamation points.

Ow! ow! my head iii

When you tell that to a bunch of mathematicians, make sure you're not in a high building where the windows can be opened.

[yankees1]

Not sure if Bluegrass, old time players follow Steampunk music or musicians but one Steampunk musician I spoke with from Seattle was quite aware of Pete Martin from Seattle . He told me he did not personally know Pete but he aware that Pete was a very good mandolin player in the Seattle area. Pete frequents this forum quite regularly and not only a very good musician but a very good instructor.

[Trav'linmando]

Oliver, very nice scooter. Love the name of your ride. I have been wanting to do the 'Distinguished Gentlemen Ride' . Much better than Santa for another toy run.

Petrus, that Hyde would be PERFECT !

[JH Murray]

Fred Eaglesmith has been around the edges of folk, Americana, steampunk for a long time. In the first version of his band the mandolin player was Willie P. Bennett.

[Oliver A.]

Very cool Oliver. Are they jodhpurs you're sporting?

Thanks.
No, they're Canadian made engineer's boots.

[Eddie Sheehy]

Jodhpurs are riding pants that flare at the thighs. An affectation of George Patton...

[Oliver A.]

Jodhpurs are riding pants that flare at the thighs. An affectation of George Patton...

I had no idea what Jodpurs were so I googled it and came up with some Indian style motorcycle boots. A coincidence I guess. The pants are just regular khakis. I bought the get-up at "Value Village", a local second-hand clothing store. The "Distinguished Gentleman's Ride" is a hoot. A bunch of guys (and gals) with old bikes get dressed up in their "finest" and ride for charity. It happens simultaneously all over the world every September.