This year the Dutch European Steampunk Convention ( DESC14) will be a 4
day event, starting July 24th, and ending July 27th.
The adress is De Lindenhorst, Schiphorsterweg 15, 7966AB, De Schiphorst,
Meppel, The Netherlands.

The end of July marks the second edition of the Dutch European Steampunk
Convention in Meppel, the Netherlands.

Poison Garden

This time we have again:

• Live Music by Poison Garden from Italy
• Artists from Bulgary
• Our International Rooms of the Steampunk Objective from Belgium,
  France, Germany and Britannia
• Foods and Drinks at our Steampunk bar and Grillhouse
• Absenth Minded Alchemists
• Fairyina’s Creature Cabinet of Curiosities
• The Aether Salon
• A Steampunk Appearance by She Beckons and their “Atomaton”
  visitors from Britannia, Poland, New Zealand, Germany, The United
  States
• Entertainment by Bubblica
• And much more!

We have a campsite nearby for visitors with very affordable prices and
free parking
www.dutcheuropeansteampunkconvention.nl

Text on website:

This event will take place on 25th, 26th and 27th of July 2014 at:

De Lindenhorst, Schiphorsterweg 15, 7966 AB Meppel

This convention will be held with the participation of The Lindenhorst,
FantasiaFest and The Steampunk Objective.

The second Dutch European Steampunk Convention has already become an
annual event. For those who are coming over the whole weekend it is
possible to build up and set up camp on Thursday. All Steamers are very
welcome, whether you’re from the Netherlands or come from an airship
faraway. Make sure to take along all your gizmo’s, gadgets and
inventions including your own tent (in style of course, to blend in with
our enormous campsite available to you, the people who come in
appropriate gear).

There is also free parking, a market, live music, food and drink stands,
entertainment and the Steampunk Square. On Thursday there will also be a
very special night, our Steampunk Special with Music live on stage!

Image by Ruud de Korte

To sum it all up; Rat Rods, foods and beverages, live music,
entertainment, campsite, inventions, gadgets, gizmo’s and a fantasy
market.

So what are you waiting for? Collect your gear, pack your flask, get the infernal steam
engine contraption started and bring your splendid chums. This will be a weekend to
remember!
24, 25, 26 and 27 July 2014
Opening hours:
July 24th: 13:00 – 22:00
July 25th: 13:00 – 23:00
July 26th: 11:00 – 23:00
July 27th: 11:00 – 19:00

Ticket info:
Children under 12 ( with adult supervision) free entrance
13 – 17: presale €6, at register €8
Adult (Over 18): presale €9, at register €11
13 – 17 weekend passe partout Friday, Saturday and Sunday: €15
18+ weekend passe partout Friday, Saturday and Sunday: €25

Coloured lighting sets the tone

This is arguably the most splendid bar I’ve ever seen. It’s situated in Romania and has a full steampunk theme throughout.

Joben Bistro is the name of the bar and has all the elements that would make any upstanding gentleman drool in lust. Leather sofas and American old West saloon chairs scatter the ground while copper pipes and taxidermy with bionic conversions adorn the walls.

Located in Cluj-Napoca, Romania, walking into the bar is like stepping into a Jules Verne novel. Befitting with the neo-Victorianism, old televisions sit on the wall for customers to use.

Surprisingly, I would think that using coloured lighting would detract from the ambience that the creators are trying to achieve, but it enhances it completely. Add to that the Top Hat light shades.

Top Hats are used at lamp shades

Taxidermy is given bionic implants

Fantastical items adorn the walls throughout

Romanian steampunk bar takes inspiration from well known novels

Image copyright by Ruud de Korte

Ruud de Korte is a dutch portrait photographer. He attended Steampunk Doncaster last year and will also be in attendance this year June 21st and 22nd. I managed to interrupt his very busy schedule to ask him a few questions about his photography, steampunk and how leaving the lens cap on once has helped with his work.

Could you give a brief description of your background in photography and steampunk?
I still remember the lessons of my father on photography when he gave me a real working plastic toy camera. My education was the school of graphic arts where I mastered the optics lessons of lenses from the most engaged teacher I ever had. My first analog camera was an Olympus OM10 which I bought from my first earned money. My first encounter with digital imaging was when I worked at a company specialized in colour reproduction and when Photoshop fitted on a floppy disc. My first experimental photography back dates to 1983. I was never introduced into steampunk. It just “happened” to me when I discovered it in 2010. Everything felled in place then. It was a perfect fit, combining old and new elements in retro futurism.

When did you start shooting steampunk as you recognise it today?
That was the second Fantasy festival I attended, CastleFest in August 2010. The biggest compliment I received was somebody telling me: You shoot as how I imagine steampunk when I read steampunk novels.

Do you think that you have to change your style when shooting a normal portrait compared to a steampunk portrait?
The question sounds like if there’s a recipe for creating steampunk images, well….. There isn’t. I nearly make a difference when shooting “normal” portraits. I’m a photographer, an image artist. I don’t define styles, I can’t define steampunk, I just shoot how I feel it should be and before I press the shutter, I made the image already in my head. The trick is to add something to the steampunk outfit’s atmosphere. Creating these extra’s is a process which I will explain briefly at my workshops in Doncaster, you can see me do it. It’s not a trick or a gimmick.

What is your preferred equipment (camera, lens, lights, software etc)?
I use a Nikon D300s body and my preferred lens depends on the location and the kind of shoot. But in general I prefer my Nikor AF-S f3/f5.6 18-200 zoom for festivals and a Nikkor 50mm f 1.4 when the model has plenty of time in a planned shoot. I love that glass. About 80 ~ 90%  of my images are done in Adobe’s Lightroom and to spice it up I use several plugins form Topaz Labs and some other plug ins. The big surprise might be that you don’t read the word Photoshop. I don’t use it. Photoshop is beautiful software but it takes out the creativity given in by intuition when I’m processing my images. The RAW converter Graphic User Interface is horrible of Photoshop compared to Lightroom. If you are a photographer, use Lightroom and stick to it. Read the manual and you become a Pro in this beautiful piece of software, build your own presets to get you up and running. There, I said it. J …but of course I do have Photoshop. When you see text in my images, that’s where Photoshop comes in. The font handling is superb.

Speed lights? On location I use my Nikon SB900. Whenever possible I love working with my favorite makeup artist, she does a wonderful job.

Do you prefer shooting studio or location?
I prefer on location. In the years I build up a pretty database of possible locations to work out with my planned shoots. But I also love all of the tech aspects of a studio shoot. But outside on location… That’s the thing for me. Improvise on location is a creative process.

How was Steampunk Doncaster last year?
I was so pleasantly surprised to see that there’s a difference between Dutch and British steampunk outfits. As like Italian to German Steampunk outfits. Everybody goes for it, from being a writer to build up an act for controlling your steampunk weaponry. The festival had a good spirit and the balance between visitors and steampunks was perfect. The organizers are true believers and did so much to make this to a success. If you can have a next edition including an evening program I can be proud that I became part of Steampunk Doncaster. The reactions were good on my workshops and they were filled with enthusiastic photographers. One of the gems was a father with his daughter, she was in doubt which school to choose and got convinced that a school of graphic arts was the right choice for her.

Do you have any exclusive tips for budding steampunk photographers reading this article?
Know your equipment. Master every button and its function. Don’t watch too much tutorials on YouTube. Because a good tutorial on YouTube is like a copy what somebody else already worked out. Be original.

What is the most bizarre thing to happen to you in a shoot?
The most bizarre is one that really happened, I left my lens cap on my lens while starting shooting. Incredibly stupid. And nowadays I often use it as an ice breaker to release the tension between the model and me. Bizarre went useful

Related articles

• Dutch European Steampunk event 2014
• East meets West – SteampunkHands Join at Castlefest.
• Steampunk photographic workshop

Bloodborne is a new game for PS4

A new game by the creators of Demon’s Souls, thought originally to be a sequel, has been set in a Victorian/steampunk fantasy world because it has more guns.

According to game Director Hidetaka Miyazaki in an interview written for Famitsu – a Japanese gaming magazine – they were approached by Sony before the release of the PS4 and were asked to create a game for new technology. He went on to say that the new game, titled Bloodborne, was therefore never intended as a sequel, because the time frames are a world apart. Demon’s Souls is set in a medieval era.

The game creators wanted to move away from the relative restricted fighting styles of swordplay and use guns. They opted for the Victorian era because guns are used freely and they didn’t want it to be just about gun fighting. With the limited technology available in that time, while guns are used, they’re not all that powerful.

Sadly, there won’t be any Dragons in the game. When pressed for information in the interview, Miyazaki said that even though Dragons won’t appear in the new game, having just humans to fight would soon get boring, so they will have various creatures. Some of the creatures will fit with the theme, while some have been thought up by the design team.

Press release:

Steam on Queen

Toronto, ON, June 13, 2014
On Saturday June 21st, 11:00 AM to 7:00 PM Canadian Steam Productions is once again holding Toronto’s only annual Steampunk Street Fair -Steam on Queen- on the grounds of the Historic Campbell House Museum, located on the north west corner of Queen Street and University Avenues: 160 Queen Street West.

Featuring local vendors and entertainers and their take on the Steampunk genre, visitors are invited to shop the unique wares while the Campbell House Museum’s Lemonade Garden provide refreshments made on site in the museum’s Georgian era kitchen.

Admission to “Steam on Queen” is free, and tours of Campbell House Museum will be conducted throughout the day.

Performances by “Dr. Mulberry’s Travelling Medicine and Magic Show”, the aerialist students from the Flying Arts Collective, the Steampunk-inspired Dragonettes from Dragonfly Bellydance, Nero’s Fiddle (formerly the Twillingham Ladies Chorus) and Flamenco Zingari Dance, bringing Steampunk-Flamenco fusion to the stage.

Also appearing is “Floss & Tann’s Wunderkammer: A Cabinet of Curiosity for the Incurably Curious” … “Venture inside our historic Toonie Museum & witness a concoction of sights rarely seen, cautionary tales & mythological mysteries. Step Right Up! “

For additional information, showtimes and full vendor list please see the website: http://www.steamonqueen.ca.

Brought to you by Canadian Steam Productions, specializing in producing Steampunk-themed events, displays and programs, bringing you only the very best in Canadian Steampunk culture.

His first project is a steampunk coffee table

Bruce Feldman is a furniture maker and has been for over 50 years. He started as a hobby when he was 12 years old and has turned toward steampunk inspired items in the last month. In the last 30 days or so, he’s started restoring a Mid century house with aims to sell it. He’s also started on a number of steampunk interior furniture items including a 32 inch coffee table from hand-made mill gears. I caught up with Bruce and managed to fire some questions to him about his work.

Salvaged items are upcycled to create furniture

Steampunk is from birth, but most people have a moment when they know they’re a steampunk. When was that for you?
Since I was a child I have been interested in odd home build things, I became aware of the Steampunk movement about 4 or 5 years ago and loved it from the moment I saw it.

When did you start building furniture?
I started building furniture in my early 20′s, but living in NYC for 30+ years, I was confined to refinishing, or small creative projects. One was coating colourful shopping bags into waste cans by coating them with a brush on auto body fibreglass that made the bags stiff and strong. The fibreglass cannot be sprayed, just painted on, so due to the toxicity I stopped.

Has it always been steampunk inspired?
Some of my projects had an unusual bent to them, I avoided traditional design. I don’t think you could call them Steampunk, just unique.

Do you upcycle or build from scratch?
My approach now that I understand the movement is to upcycle, or repurpose unusual items into a totally different object. I bought a 100 year old grinding wheel which will become an end table when the right base presents itself.

Bruce seeks out anything that catches his eye, even without an idea for it.

What materials do you favour?
I focus on repurposing wood and metal, An upcoming project will be an 80 year old 8′ toboggan to be bolted to a wall with shelves coming out where each cross support currently is. I will try to incorporate a Steampunk look to it for use in a bar for bottles, or home use as a bookcase.

Do you have a particular Victorian style?
I’d say my style seems to evolving to American, as the repurposed items I find are mostly 19th and early 20th century items.

What colours do you sway towards?
I try to refinish the wooden components to a beautiful finish and prefer black. I often wire brush the cast iron items and use a black, hammered finish paint.

Are there particular features that a steampunk needs built in to a piece of furniture?
I often buy an interesting item, and simply keep it visible until the final product emerges. I have no investment in any type of finished product as long as it useful, clever, fun, and has the Steampunk look. I let the base object determine the design.

Could you take us through the process of making a typical piece of furniture?
First an item catches my eye, even if I have no idea what it will turn into. When a product comes to mind I begin refurbishing it and sometimes the original idea changes as the project starts shaping up. The wooden wheel was to be a dining table, but as it progressed, a coffee table seems to be a better fit.

Do you accept commissions?
As I am just starting, not yet. However if someone wants a particular functional item, I would search out the pieces. Right now I have a full plate, so that will wait for now.

Is this your main career or do you have a “day job”?
Right now I do some consulting, but would prefer to divide my time between developing a line of woven screens and Steampunk designs. Unfortunately, after restoring the house, finances will direct me towards what I can do to bring in money.

What’s the most bizarre thing you’ve built?
Most bizarre thing. Hmmm, so far, just the wooden gear and I wouldn’t call it bizarre, just Steampunk!

Related articles

• 19 Timeless Creations Found at the Steampunk World’s Fair
• Pass It On!
• Steampunk World’s Fair 2014

Press release:

Devil’s Men title

Hamburg, June 11th, 2014: “Who killed the Devil’s Men?” – This mystery is the focus of Daedalic Entertainment’s upcoming adventure “The Devil’s Men”, which is announced today by Daedalic Entertainment and which will be released in spring 2015.

In “The Devil’s Men” players will influence the storyline with every move and decision they make. Gamers will have to consider all the possible ways to solve a puzzle, because every decision might change the story.

Author Kevin Mentz, known for his critically acclaimed fantasy-adventure Memoria, invented with “The Devil’s Men” a world made of steampunk elements amidst a fictitious Victorian England. In classic adventure gameplay, challenging puzzles are cleverly combined to a thrilling criminal case.

Wander through a neo-Victorian landscape

England, 1871: A sleepy seaside town – once venue of a legendary world exhibition – is kept in suspense by a bizarre series of murders. The trace leads to the old exhibition grounds, where ruins of steel and glass are the new shelter to a gang of waifs and strays, misfits and tramps – known as “The Colony”. To buoy up, the colony pursues more and more influence in the town and doesn’t shirk from ruthless means.

The 20-year-old Adelaide Spektor feels threatened by this menace. Adelaide was still a child when she was left by her father, the famous detective Karol Spektor. Since then, she is hiding on the town’s streets and lives in fear to be discovered by the colony and to get swept up in a life of crime, contrary to the morals of her family. When she witnesses the murder of her father’s old friend, she sees her chance to find Karol Spektor and reclaim her former place in society. But only the notorious colonist and double murderer Emily can help take up Adelaide’s father’s trail.

Together the two women get entangled in a plot leading to the “Devil’s Men” – a coterie of scientists who have exceeded the limits of the spiritual and material world decades ago, yet are bizarrely perishing one after another. Will Adelaide and Emily manage to track down Karol Spektor? And what is his connection to the Devil’s Men?

The Devil’s Men will be released in spring 2015.
Read more here: Click me

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Scrapyard Empire Cover

You may remember I posted an article about a Kickstarter campaign for some steampunk cards by the people behind steampunkgoggles.com. Well after a very successful campaign with that, they’re at it again with a strategic board game called Scrapyard Empire. In order to get an understanding of the campaign and what it can do for you, my dear steampunk, I managed to talk to Dennis Consorte; one of the co-developers of the game.

Scrapyard Empire board layout

The game is split into two parts (Basic & Deluxe). If a bidder gets the Basic edition, can they add the Deluxe features at a later date (eg, after the campaign has ended)?

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Grumpy Cat doesn’t know steampunk

I enjoy looking at memes and I enjoy steampunk, so I decided it was time I forged a collection of the finest ones on the aethernet. You will find appearances from Darth Vader, Grumpy Cat and Fry from Futurama.

If you find any others that you’d like to share, you can do that on the Steampunk Journal Facebook page here: Steampunk Journal Facebook

This is the first meme I really saw that is steampunk related. I still think it’s one of the best ones I’ve seen as well.

Goths discovered brown

Steampunk Vader

Steampunk Tron

This is what happens when you don’t do your homework. Strictly, this is more cosplay than steampunk, but it gets a mention and I think that cosplay are quite closely related.

Duela Dent steampunk?

Ne’er a truer word

Steampunk rifle

This makes me laugh because I follow One Does Not Simply on Twitter.

Boromir

Steampunk guitar

Steampunk bazooka

Not Boromir

Back to the Future Three meme

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Steampunk Cat

When I researched and collected the images for the steampunk memes article, I looked at non-steampunk memes (in the name of research, dear boy) and noticed that a lot of them use cat pictures. There’s also a current trend of referring to the internet as a place for people to watch endless cat videos. I decided to look at steampunk cats and see if I could collect a few pictures here to display. I was simply overwhelmed with the amount of them, so I’ve had to limit the amount to my favourites while showing a delicate balance.

There are some wonderful examples all over the internet and I’ve tried to find the people responsible for the work.As always, if it is your work and you would like a link adding to your website, then please get in touch. This article is showcasing the best in this field, so please take it as a compliment that I’m using your work. However, if you still require I remove it, then please get in touch.

Related articles

• Twelve of the most splendidly amusing steampunk memes
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• How immersive are you in steampunk?

Image copyright photofairground.co.uk

Here are a few photographs that I took while at Steampunk Doncaster. I’ve edited them and so there are only a few of the ones I took on the day (around 400). Some of you may not follow the Journal on Facebook where I’ve already posted these.

I will add more pictures as I edit them, so please bookmark this page for updates and keep popping your head in. Even if it’s simply to say hello or for a cup of tea and a nice sit down.

Image copyright photofairground.co.uk

Image copyright photofairground.co.uk

Image copyright photofairground.co.uk

Image copyright photofairground.co.uk

Image copyright photofairground.co.uk

Image copyright photofairground.co.uk

Image copyright: photofairground

Related articles

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• Report on Doncaster steampunk Fayre

Constance Bashford
Copyright photofairground.co.uk

Constance Bashford is an enigma. She began modelling only a few years ago and has built herself up seemingly from nowhere to become an iconic figure in European steampunk. For the two years that Steampunk Doncaster has been running, she’s been on hand to help notable steampunk photographer Ruud de Korte with his workshops. Photographers like me can only wish for an alliance such as they have where they work for each other and get the quality photographs that they produce each shoot.

I managed to pull Constance to one side after a shoot workshop at Steampunk Doncaster and I had a chat with her about her modelling, what her future plans are and her obsession with Kato.

Constance Bashford
Copyright photofairground.co.uk

Would you categorise yourself as a steampunk model?
Yes.

And did you just fall into it or is this how you set yourself up?
A few years ago, I went to a Ren’ Fayre (Renaissance Fayre) and I saw steampunks for the first time and I thought “Woah, I want to do that.” I went there with my Mother and sister. I saw the steampunks and I was so impressed and I got really into it, so started to find objects online that I could use with outfits. The following year I did my first steampunk event and I used the mask. I suppose that was the moment I realised that Constance was born.

It was supposed to be a one time thing, but everyone loved the outfit and loved the character so I kept doing it and got requests for shoots. I grew into it from there. I didn’t think it would go like this.

So you didn’t start out to be a steampunk model?
No.

Have you had any well known publications or photographers ask you to work for them?
Yes, I’ve been published in Ladies of Steampunk twice now; once Ladies of Steampunk, once in the Bronze Age magazine. I’ve been approached by Steamgirl – you know Kato?

Yes, of course
I’ve been approached by them, but I haven’t figured out yet if I’m going to do it, it’s er..

Constance Bashford
Copyright photofairground.co.uk

It’s a different style of photography, shall we say?
(Laughs) Yes! I’m not sure if I want to go that far yet.

I’ve never looked on Steamgirl, but I don’t think they go.. to the end, if you like.
I talked to Professor Elemental and he said that by the end of the shoot I have to be naked.

I don’t think that will be Professor Elemental, then. Although I don’t think he’d object.
Professor Falconer!

Yes, that’s the fellow!
(Laughs)

I can see the headline “Professor Elemental gets women naked”. His wife will love that!
The internet world is so funny, because you meet so many people like you and Kato. Steampunk Boba Fett is a great friend of mine. I haven’t spoken to Kato yet, but I would like to.

She’s from Wales originally.
Really?

I wrote an article on Steampunk Couture, her business model. She’s extremely driven, always doing something be it making clothes or taking photographs. She never seems to just stop.
With that in mind, is their anyone that you really want to work with?
I think Kato. She’s on my wish list. Just to have and to keep in my house, like on a shelf.

Like a little doll.
Yes, I’d love to meet her. Also, Ophelia Overdose, she’s a latex model. She’s such an inspiration to me. There’s a lot of people in America that I’d like to meet and I’m planning on going to Dragoncon next year so I hope I meet some people there.

Do you think you’re settled in the Netherlands or do you see yourself moving out to America?
That’s a good question. I’m a modest person, but I don’t think there’s a lot of me to achieve in Europe any more. America would be the place to go, but I’m not sure what I would do there. I have my job here, my friends and family. It’s a big step to take and if I get there, will people pay me to work for them? At the moment I don’t think so.

So I’ll just go there for a month or so and do some shoots, meet some people but I don’t think there’s an actual future for me there. I would love to make my money with this.

Constance Bashford
Copyright photofairground.co.uk

You have a wonderful outfit, does it take a long time to get yourself ready for an event?
Well I start by doing my make-up..

Do you just do the bit that people can see or your whole face?
I do my whole face as I do have to take the mask off and it would look unusual with just the top of my face in make-up.

But you’re the only one seeing it.
(Laughs) You’re right, but I hate doing my make-up. Some shoots I have a make-up artist to do it, but sometimes I have to do it myself. Today went “ok”.

It would take about an hour and a half to get completely ready.

Are you thinking of changing the colour of your hair?
I really like my red hair, but I have some different coloured wigs, to change it up from time to time.I have a curly wig that is a reddish brown and I use that for the sweet and softer shoots. I also have a blonde wig at home, but Constance looks bad in it. It doesn’t work at all.

I imagine that you’d look like Babydoll from the Sucker Punch film. Would you be the person to pull off a steampunk Babydoll?
I’m not sure if it would label as Constance if I did that. I like Sucker Punch even though a lot of people hate it.

I agree, who wouldn’t like girls in armour running around fighting Dragons, Nazis and Demon Samurai?
I know, right?

Constance Bashford
Copyright photofairground.co.uk

So what do you think your next steps are career-wise?
That’s a tough question. I’ve started selling photographs recently, so there’s some money in that. It’s hard to know what you can achieve even with 3,200 people following me on Facebook. So I try to sell pictures and it’s going ok. I’m here doing workshops with Ruud (de Korte), that’s a lot of fun to do. I don’t think there’s a lot more to do. I need to get some more publications. I have some fun stuff planned with Ladies of Steampunk for the next year.

So I’m just rolling with it, I like doing what I’m doing and I like the results. I like the feedback that I get from the people on the workshops.
I can give you a hint that I’m working on a very special project at the moment with my Airship The Peregrine. Our new attire, as you’ve seen me wear today is a teaser of what’s to come.

That sounds interesting. Is Ruud the only steampunk photographer you work with?
It’s hard to categorise someone as a steampunk photographer. I work with a lot of photographers that do many styles including steampunk.

Fair enough, well let me rephrase it then. Is Ruud the only photographer that you shoot steampunk with?
No, I also work with three other photographers. Ruud shoots the most powerful images.

Do you prefer the gritty, adventure style images?
Sometimes, not always. I recently did a shoot with Emma McMurphy and Lennart Tange on a motorbike which was very different. Roy Blokvoort is the one I did the lingerie shoot with. He shoots the softer side of Constance and I love his style.

You can learn more about Captain Constance Bashford by visiting her website:

Captain Constance Bashford website

One thing you should do above all else is follow her on her Facebook page:
Capt. Constance Bashford Facebook page

Constance Bashford with Steampunk Journal Editor Matthew deMaris

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Gear Con 2014 poster

It’s back again and this time celebrating the skies. If you’re happening upon Portland, Oregon, during the American Independence weekend, you could pay a visit to Gear Con 2014.

Burlesque shows at Gear Con

The organisers have managed to acquire an impressive array of presenters at the convention including Katrina Acaster, Blythe Ayne and The Notorious Mrs Sullivan.

Displays and events throughout the weekend include Victorian Martial Arts (Bartitsu) hosted by members of Academia Duellatoria, Cabaret of Curiosities – a steampunk Concert and Ball, a fashion show, burlesque with appearances from Kama Sintra, Vanity Thorn and Russell Bruner.

Gentlemen’s Parlour will be open for lessons in courtesy

There’s also an art gallery, gaming parlour and lessons in “Manly Deportment” which includes ettiquette, grooming and – most interestingly – cultured misbehaviour.

There will also be plenty of opportunity to part with your honestly acquired monies including La Vie Macabre, SteamBaby, Guardian Games and Aeroporium.

Gear Con 2014 will be held at DoubleTree by Hilton Portland, 4-6 July 2014. Tickets cost $55 for the weekend until June 30, after which it could rise. Children under 6 are free and 7-13 year olds are half price.

Visit the Gear Con website for more details: Gear Coin 2014 main website

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Ali Baba and the Clockwork Djinn front cover

Review written by Louise Segar

Introduction
This is a new take on the Tale of Ali Baba and the Forty-Thieves – Ali’s family have a secret. When he receives a puzzle box from his father and a summons to return home he sets off on his journey. Ali Baba and the Clockwork Djinn costs around $3.12 for Kindle or $12.26 in paperback if you buy it from Amazon. The link to do so is at the bottom of the review.

Overview

Charles Babbage

The story follows Ali Baba who is working for Charles Babbage, the famed “Father of the Programmable Computer” in England. I like the fact that it merges real life characters with obviously fictional ones as it gives an air of realism to the overall story.
Ali is summoned home upon the death of his father when he receives a letter from a clockwork Falcon. His faith, determination and clockwork knowledge are tested. His journey is fraught with danger as he tackles thieves to get home. Thieves that hold secrets they wish to remain hidden in shadow.

It’s not easy to say what the target audience is with this story, but I would say that it’s suitable for anyone over the age of about ten. I’ve not read anything similar to this on sale so can’t compare. One thing I did notice is that the glossary at the end is very informative.

The story is well paced and keeps the reader interested. I found it to be well structured and informative. While there were no noticeable spelling errors, there were some sentences which didn’t make sense at all such as “He then took the copper bands and formed of them and the bronze a sheath for the sandals that would cushion his feet as he marked across the desert in his metal soled shoes.” I also found some sentences to be broken up with commas which weren’t necessary as I believe these changed the meaning of the sentence. Without wanting to reveal spoilers, it’s difficult to work out what has happened to a major character  as they seem to simply not have had there story completed as though forgotten.

Conclusion
I have read many versions of this story and I thoroughly enjoyed this one. I felt an affinity to the characters and their story. The added steampunk aspect was well done and I would give it a good mark for originality.  It would certainly appeal to anyone who has an interest in the stories of Scheherazade, Sinbad and the like.
Steampunks will also be pleased with the clockwork elements as will the blossoming Clockpunk movement.
Arguably with one more read through by the author, any errors will be cleared up and you’ll be left with a thoroughly charming story.

Ratings (out of five)
Features – 4
Build quality – 4
Value for money – 4
Overall – 4

You can buy Ali Baba and the Clockwork Djinn at Amazon by following this link: Ali Baba and the Clockwork Djinn on Amazon

Playbuzz asks what icon of steampunk you are.

Sometimes I have the urge to categorise myself and on this particular occasion I tried to get some help. It seems there are a number of websites out there with the intention of helping you from finding out which steampunk icon you’re most like, to being able to take your own character test.

Playbuzz seem to be popping up more and more on social media websites by creating useless, yet irrationally addictive tests that tell you what sort of person you are, from Star Trek characters to which soap opera you represent.

Do you want to find out what icon of steampunk you are? Take the test here: Playbuzz steampunk icon test

What steampunk character are you?

The steampunk character test on Quibblo asks five pertinent questions and one numbered with the infinity symbol. It’s only a one page test, so Quibblo – unlike Playbuzz – haven’t worked out how valuable click-through-ratios are to advertisers yet.

You can play the Quibblo steampunk character test here: Quibblo test on steampunk

Find out your steampunk style.

The Hello Quizzy page has multiple pages asking about various points of your life, such as fashion. It uses Victorian imagery to help you feel at home.

Try the Hello Quizzy steampunk character test here: Hello Quizzy steampunk test

Take a steampunk character test to get a date.

For all you singletons out there, you could try the steampunk character test on mass advertised, fake-profile swamped (I say that from experience) dating website OKCupid. It covers rather inane areas of your life and won’t guarantee you a date, but then we do have to consume everything steampunk, don’t we?

Have a go at these tests and let everyone know what the results are, we’re simply dying to know!

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Pansy Cheung, a burlesque dancer from Sheffield. This is probably the first photograph I took on behalf of Steampunk Journal.

Steampunk Journal is 1 today. It’s a place that I never thought it would get to as I didn’t know anyone in the culture but after putting myself about a bit (no innuendo intended) I got to meet some wonderful people. Most notably I’d like to mention the people that have helped me by introducing me to others that would help build the Journal:

Jules Evans allowed me my first entry as a press official into the Alternative & Burlesque Fair in Sheffield. I’ll be visiting there this Saturday after (possibly before) an alt photo shoot.

Kathryn Downs advised me on who to talk to for more info on steampunk and has been a constant friend over the past 12 months.

Professor Elemental introduced me to steampunk after allowing me to take his pictures at IVFDF in Sheffield back in March 2013. He also gave me my first interview which I would like to do again sometime.

Michael Young gave me my first in-depth interview and has constantly helped me know what events to attend and kept me laughing throughout.

Erica Malady allowed me to review her accessories without even really knowing who I am. I’m thankful for her letting me borrow her property to review and I urge you to look at her lovely pieces of jewellery.

I’ve met contacts and people along the way that have helped me with various stories and exclusives. Gary Nicholls has trusted me to get his stunning photographic story online with teasers and full displays. Titan publications have given me copies of splendid books to give away in competitions. Ruud de Korte and Constance Bashford have welcomed me with fantastic interviews and photographs. Deadly Nightshade and Ryvita von Cheese allowed me to attend and review their wonderful burlesque nights.

Last but not least I’ve made wonderful friends along the way. I’ve been able to indulge in a fashion lifestyle that I’ve been interested in for as long as I can remember and not been considered as being a bit odd. Arguably because there are people more odd than me among us!

I’d like to end this post by saying thank you to everyone who I’ve been in contact with and have made the Journal possible. Steampunk Journal is now the most popular steampunk news site in the United Kingdom. With your help, I’d like to take that to the World.

Silver Mirrors by A.A. Aguirre

Introduction
As the sequel to Bronze Gods, Silver Mirrors picks up directly after the first novel. Detectives Mikani and Ritsuko now have to investigate unusual happenings in the city they thought they’d already saved. Priced at £7.99 from Titan Publishing, Silver Mirrors is part of the Apparatus Infernum novels.

Overview
As a sequel, Silver Mirrors has a difficult job. It has to continue a previous story element while also standing as an independent novel. I get the feeling that this doesn’t quite make the grade.

I tried to treat it with a “Star Wars” approach in that you seem to be entering a story that has been going on for a while and there’s the occasional reference to a past that you’d like to know more about. Star Wars did this with lines such as “There’ll be no escape for the Princess this time”. Because of the lack of visual stimulus, a book has the extra task of creating a vision within the imagination of the reader and I think that because the author did this in the first novel, they felt it was unnecessary to do so in Silver Mirrors. Characters were introduced that had been present in Bronze Gods and it was assumed you knew what they looked like and what characteristics they had.

The novel starts off very slow, but it could be explained as a continuation of the end of the first book. Things start to pick up towards the end of the first chapter with extremely unusual happenings. It’s then up to the two Detectives to figure it all out. Throughout the start of the book there’s little reference to any kind of steampunk world around the characters. There’s no period vocabulary, no mention of old fashioned vessels. In fact, it does mention cars, which I didn’t expect. I do realise that steampunk isn’t without it’s creative licence and I wouldn’t mark it down for having cars, I just feel that with little other mention of Victorianisms I was conjuring up a modern day world with oriental influences thanks to the surnames of the protagonists.

Conclusion
Despite these issues that I raised through the review, it’s a very pleasing book to read. Once it gets started, the pace is good and the black humour from the Detectives gives a welcome light relief in the drama of the plot. It does get a lot more steampunk influenced throughout the book.

I had trouble getting into it because I felt that I needed to read the first book to understand the characters which had most likely been given background explanations in Bronze Gods. Once I was in, I liked the book. The story line is good, original and funny.

Ratings: (Out of five)
Books
Story: 3
Pace: 4
Value: 4
Overall: 3

Ahead of my article about the Alternative & Burlesque Fair that I revisited in Sheffield, here are 63 pictures featuring a dance from burlesque performer Slinky Sparkles and pole art from Dance Blush studios.

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Two ladies in Victorian outfits set up a table and chairs then had tea in the middle of London Bridge.

A member of the steampunk community posted a link to a news story about two ladies that got dressed up and had tea on the central reservation of London Bridge on Monday morning. No-one is entirely sure why they did and it doesn’t look like anyone has found out who they are.Were they wearing Victorian? Someone has speculated Georgian.

Could it be a PR stunt? Prank? Or they simply got thirsty and just happened to have a full brew kit, china cups, Victorian outfits and a wrought iron bistro table and chairs on them at the time.

Whatever the reason, the term “Teabombing” has been coined and I’m willing to create a page dedicated to examples of it. Well as long as it’s in more sensible areas than the middle of a road in one of the World’s busiest cities at rush hour.

Image provided courtesy of @VEaslea on Twitter

Slinky Sparkles. Copyright photofairground, used with permission

I mentioned in the Journal’s birthday post that the Alternative & Burlesque Fair was my first official press event, so I thought it fitting that, as they were back in Sheffield so close to the anniversary, I would pay them another visit and I’m ever so glad that I did.

Copyright photofairground, used with permission

The first time I went to the Alternative & Burlesque Fair in Sheffield, it was held in the Corporation nightclub. The market was separated from the burlesque dancing, so that when a performance was on, everyone trooped out to watch leaving the traders twiddling their thumbs.

Interestingly, it coincides with the 1 year anniversary of the Journal that Heresy & Heelz are using a new venue in Sheffield and this was the first time they tried it out. The Foundry and Fusion is a bar and dance area in the SU building of the University. Situated across the road from Firth Court – the big red brick, castle looking building – and keeping company with the likes of the Octagon centre.

Copyright photofairground, used with permission

The Fair is packed into one room which makes it a lot more interesting to look at. It’s a lot more cosy yet the traders seem to have more space. It’s darker, which suits the atmosphere perfectly and it’s cooler because of the brand new air conditioning system.

Steampunk stall. Copyright photofairground, used with permission

Regular traders were there as well as a steampunk stand in the shape of Pat Osborne. I also got to meet Simon Bailey and Karen Dore. We all seemed to flock together in between photographing the performances.

Burlesque performances were provided by internationally known and extremely lovely Slinky Sparkles and up and coming Tahlullah Manhattan. Blush dance Studios were also there to show us some pole art and aerial performances.

Cheekington cheeky gifts. Copyright photofairground, used with permission

An interesting trader that was new to me but has been going to a couple of the Fairs is John Cooper from Cheekington. First of all, I adore the name. His stand was adorned with what he calls “beautifully cheeky gifts” such as table mats and coasters. Of course, it’s not them that are cheeky, it’s the content of the design. You see, John will supply them with superb images of burlesque dancers. Alternatively, you can select different images or even supply your own. The photographs he had on display are taken by a photographer that he knows and they are wonderfully shot. If you want to know more about this product, I recommend you visit his website cheekington.co.uk

Cheekington products. Copyright photofairground, used with permission

Music was provided by the ever wonderful Paul DoMaster and compering by the fiendish Kieron O’Toole.

Copyright photofairground, used with permission

Copyright photofairground, used with permission

If you’ve not been to the Alternative & Burlesque Fair, then I suggest you give it a go. It’s not all chains and masks, but they’re there if you want. The great thing about events such as these is that no-one judges you. You can go dressed up in liquid latex or jeans and jumper and no-one will bat an eyelid.

You can learn more about the Alternative & Burlesque Fair on their website here:

The Alternative & Burlesque Fair

Or you can follow them on Facebook:

Alternative & Burlesque Fair Facebook

All photography is copyright photofairground, used with permission

Slinky Sparkles. Copyright photofairground, used with permission

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