“Steampunkis about being crafty and creating your own character persona and costume,”Marsh says. “The scene has a large variety of crafters and artists, so it’s anoutlet where like-minded weirdos can meet each other.”
Marshsays an influence on his style is mad-scientist prototype Nikola Tesla. Othersteampunk favorites include Jules Verne, H.G. Wells, Mark Twain and MaryShelley. The aesthetic has appealed to a cross-section of artists and musicianswho have already discovered the punk, goth, industrial and gamer scenes.Steampunks design home decoration and furniture to match their clothing, andthe subculture has spawned steampunk bands.
Oneof the most well known of these is Dr. Steel, who performs in a lab coat, blackPVC gloves and welding goggles. His sound has been described as “industrialhip-hop opera.” Other bands include the Unextraordinary Gentlemen, who play incharacter as 19th-century time travelers, and Vernian Process, who have startedtheir own steampunk-themed record label, Gilded Age Records. All three of thoseacts are from California, and the scene ingeneral is largely active on the West Coast, with Southern California and Seattle being steam-poweredhot spots. There has been some activity on the East Coast as wella majorconference called SalonCon ran for three years in New Jersey.
Midwest entries, though, tend to be few andfar between. There was an open invitation for steampunks to meet up for a “TimeTraveler’s Day” at the Bristol Renaissance Faire on Aug. 15, and last year theMilwaukee Chamber Theatre hosted a “Steampunk Night” for their production of Around the World in 80 Days.
Butthose local meet-ups are rare examples. Marsh is hoping to give steampunks achance to show off their unique fashion flair at more events.
“That’swhy I set the show up,” he says, “because it hasn’t really been done here yet.”Marsh is a member of the Dead Man’s Carnival, a sideshow that combines circus,punk and vaudeville-style performance. The Carnival has gone steampunk for theball and invited a variety of guest performers.
Themain music act will be Water Street Bridge,a band with Americana,Balkan and Celtic influences. The four-piece band, named after their favoriteoutdoor practice spot, uses a wide variety of instrumentation, includingguitar, accordion, mandolin, fiddle, whistle and percussion. The band’s latestalbum is titled Oh Death and theyhave supported it by playing at venues like Gen Con and various Renaissancefairs, both places that steampunks also like hanging out.
Inaddition, there will be an appearance by the Absinthe Minded Professors, who doa performance of steampunk storytelling with violin accompaniment, and anelectric medicine man show, a vaudeville act of object manipulation and aerialartists.
Ina showing of steampunk technology, Marsh says another highlight will be a“13-foot time machine” that “travels into the future at the present speed oftime.” In an attempt to get people to show off their spirit for the event, theprice of admission will be reduced for those who show up in steampunk-styleclothing.
The Steampunk Victorian Ball takesplace Aug. 26 at Hyde Bar. Admission is $13, $10 if dressed in steampunkattire.
