Group Captain Tony “Bootstrap” Bates

Tony Bates is the Group Captain of Steampunk Doncaster and he’s taken time to draw on his vast experience to give us all a few guidelines when arranging photography shoots outside of steampunk events.

Words by Tony Bates

Image copyright photofairground.co.uk

As a professional photographer and videographer, I have spent many years behind the lens of both stills and video cameras shooting people. I was even employed by the NHS for over a decade. Throughout my time there, I had to learn the delicate art of coaching people to relax and act naturally in front of the lens.

In more recent times, I have had the tables turned on me, as I have become involved with steampunk, I am now being asked to pose for photographs on a regular basis. As the Group Captain, I help to organise Steampunk Doncaster alongside my equally bonkers wife Candice as well as a team of first-rate volunteers and steampunk enthusiasts, all of whom work hard to put on a Charity event in Doncaster raising money for the Doncaster Deaf Trust and having a jolly good weekend festival at the same time.

One question I keep being asked by my fellow steampunks is about modelling for various photographers. Not many steampunks are professional models and very few even consider charging a fee to model. However even if you are appearing on camera just for the fun of it, there are one or two things to seriously consider before heading off with a photographer.

SAFETY FIRST
We have all seen the news and read newspaper reports about the horrors of social media, the internet and the press. But I cannot stress enough the importance of staying safe on a shoot.

Most photographers are genuinely nice people and many are as keen on steampunk and the subjects that they photograph. It is good etiquette to ask permission before taking someone’s photograph and you can always say no if you don’t wish to pose.

If you are in steampunk attire and in a public place, the law is clear about the photographer’s rights to take images freely. If you are on a private site, such as the Doncaster Deaf Trust, then it is the Model/Subject who has the right to refuse.

But this is not the problem area!
What happens when a photographer asks you to meet him at a different location or on a different day? This happens a lot and here are some simple words of advice I would urge you to consider.

Safety Ideas to Take to Shoots
When you have agreed a shoot with anyone face to face or even online the basic information to gather and leave at home, as well as the things to take with you for your own safety include the following:

1. Always take along a close friend or relative to chaperone you while on a shoot. A genuine photographer will always be happy for the chaperone to be there as often they can be roped in to hold bags and provide assistance, as well as look out for the well being of their friend. If the photographer seems in any way reluctant to have a chaperone along with you, you can WALK AWAY!
2. Take your fully charged mobile phone with you. This can also be useful for playing games on or checking in on social media while the photographer sets up his camera equipment.
3. Take your mobile phone in-car chargers with you in case you need to top up the charge on your phone.
4. Take some cash or a working debit/credit card in case you need to grab a taxi at any stage or leave the shoot to get out of a situation.
5. Leave information of your whereabouts with someone at home who you trust and can check in with. This should include the person’s name and mobile telephone number – as well as the shoot address – of who you will be working with. Even with a chaperone accompanying you.
6. Leave the times you are expected back with someone at home, again someone you can trust. It is a good idea to notify someone when you arrive at a shoot and when you leave and get home safely.
7. Text the colour, make, model and car license plate of who you will be working with to a close friend or family member, if you are going to a shoot on location. Try to use discretion with this. You don’t want the photographer to think you suspect him of anything or it will create a bad atmosphere and the shoot will be sour.
8. Take your own water with you, or only accept drinks which are clearly still sealed or from a tap or drinking fountain. Do not drink alcohol at shoots.
9. Carry pain killers with you in case of headaches or menstrual cramps. It is better to not take prescription or over the counter drugs from people you do not know, no matter how honest, knowledgeable or nice they may appear.
10. Look at a map before the shoot so you are somewhat familiar with the area and know a little about where to go if you have to leave a shoot.

This advice is of equal value to all ages and genders, no matter how worldly wise you feel you are.

Finally have fun on your shoot and always ask for copies of the best images for yourself. We hope this advice proves helpful.

You can learn more about Steampunk Doncaster at their website: Steampunk Doncaster

Related articles

• Interview with Constance Bashford
• Interview with Ruud de Korte
• Images from Steampunk Doncaster 2014
• 21 Things I’ve Learned as a Photographer
• East meets West – SteampunkHands Join at Castlefest.

The Copperfield Ensemble Project in the Final of Battle of the Bands

The Copperfield Ensemble Project is an imagining of Victorian music played today: a cross between Chamber Music and Music Hall, this is Classical music to sing along to.
Born out of an experimental attempt to put the ideas Drustan Durman had bouncing round his head in the summer of 2012 into something he could hear instead of being driven mad by, the experiment continues. With Mel Orriss’ incredible musical ability and The Rev JD’s tweaks and engineering, Drustan’s slightly odd song ideas continue to reach reality in a catchy, breathtaking and completely unpredictable way!

The Copperfield Ensemble will be performing in front of 1500 revellers in the final of The Okehampton Battle of the Bands as part of The Big Party in the Park on 2nd August 2014 – http://www.okehamptonbattleofthebands.org.uk/ before undertaking the first leg of the 2014/15 South West UK tour, details attached.

The Copperfield Ensemble Project

From The Okehampton Times / Battle of the Bands Review:
‘The last heat of the 2014 Okehampton Battle of the Bands crashed its way through the Charter Hall on Wednesday night making it difficult once again for the judges but a great one for the crowd. First Band of the night, and winners of the heat were The Copperfield Ensemble Project. This Okehampton based outfit described themselves as Neo-Victorian Steam Punk and came dressed as the part. A string quartet, amazing vocals and percussion and a hauntingly mesmerising performance where dark cabaret meets theatre.’

The Copperfield Ensemble Project Battle of the Bands

As you can see we believe we are the most authentic Steampunk Band in the UK, bringing music of the time into the 21st century and will be playing at a host of major Steampunk & alternative festivals next year.

Catch a live performance of ‘Steampunk March No1′ here –  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mnOZvMIE7r4
The Copperfield Ensemble Project are on Facebook here – https://www.facebook.com/TheCopperfieldEnsembleProject

Knicks Knacks Antiques Emporium front

Introduction
While recently visiting the East coast of England, I stumbled across a small antiques outlet called Knicks Knacks Antiques Emporium which is located in Sutton-on-Sea in Lincolnshire. Easily identifiable by the masses of antique furniture on the pavement and the two mannequins dressed in period clothing, the small shop is owned by husband and wife team Robin & Jeannie Nicholson. What I found on the inside is nothing short of spectacular.

The way in to Knicks Knacks

Overview
Walking in to the shop at first you’d be forgiven for thinking that it’s simply not being looked after with the stock on the floor, but as you turn the corner into the main shop floor area, your eyes are filled with cups, dolls, lamps, cameras and signs. The list is endless, as is the display. From floor to – and including – the ceiling, stock fills the shelves, pushed in front of other stock and piled on top.

The front of the shop is dominated by a centre gondola that can’t be seen anymore because of the amount of stock that smothers it. Walking around just this section of the shop easily keep you occupied for at least 30-60 minutes, depending on your interests.

However, turn your back on that and you have the area that Jeannie sits and serves customers. It’s a typical work space with a till and stationary, except that stock has started to spill over onto the desk making the work area much smaller. Canes and umbrellas fill various stands and pots in front of the desk and I picked up a splendid silver topped black cane for a modest fee.

A sign indicates that there is more stock in the back and indeed, a narrow path leads to the rear of the store. The left side of the corridor is shelved and even more antiques and bric-a-brac stuff each one. a section dedicated to antique cameras is found here with working and non-working models from Praktica to Kodak Box Brownies. If you were to spin around and face the opposing wall, an opening will take you into what would be a staff section, but is now where they keep larger items of furniture such as hat stands, chairs and radiators. You can also go upstairs where there are three rooms of large furniture. Portraits adorn the walls as you scale the stairs to the next storey. they vary in price with the cheapest we saw at £7.50. You can also find various items of vintage clothing upstairs.

Pictures adorn the walls of the stairs

Some clothes are sold upstairs

Medium to large furniture sits upstairs

Back in the corridor and you can keep moving towards the back of the store. Before you know it, you’re outside where a few bits and bobs have been placed, such as large Belfast style sinks.

An entire section dedicated to cups and saucers

However, that’s not all because the large storage area in the back has also been opened up into an extra part of the shop. An entire aisle is dedicated to tea cups and saucers. The rest of the building is a mish mash of clutter, large items, chairs and stuff seemingly thrown into a space. For example, a Father Christmas doll placed on top of a vintage photograph printing enlarger.

A Father Christmas doll sits on top of a vintage enlarger

The outside storage area has larger furniture

After wandering around in there for a good 45 minutes, I realised that I’d still only really browsed. On top of this, the shop unit next door is also owned by the couple. It specialises in music and has many vintage records, record players and gramophones. Along with the came, I managed to get a splendid non-working gramophone with horn speaker for under £50.

The gramophone I bought

Conclusion
If you’re in Lincolnshire and near to the East coast, then make sure you take a detour and have a look at Knicks Knacks. You’ll also have to make sure you have at least an hour spare in order to have a decent look round everything and rummage through boxes.

There are usually a few car boot sales and markets dotted around the local area at the weekend, especially on the main road from Sutton-on-Sea to Skegness. If you find yourself around there, maybe make a weekend of it. That part of the coastline is quiet and a delight to look at. I went during the Summer and the sunshine brightens everything up. There are small chapels, fishing cottages and traditional British coastal towns scattered along the way.

You can visit the Knicks Knacks website here: Knicks Knacks Antiques Emporium website

The address is: 41 High Street, Sutton-on-Sea, Lincolnshire, LN12 2EY

Ratings
Stock range 5
Staff professionalism 5
Value for money 5
Overall 5

Next door has a large collection of records and books along with various record players, wireless transmitters and gramophones

Next door to Knicks Knacks

The window is so full, you can’t see in or out

Paintings start at modest prices

Related articles

• Distractions Eclectic Emporium (San Francisco) review

Polish company Carlex Design have unveiled a BMW Z4 with an interesting steampunk look. The prestigious car modification experts have used a blend of steampunk based components to create the classic look which they’ve nicknamed “PUNK Z”.

Carlex Design BMW Z4 ceiling view

Copper looks as though it’s been used for the roll bars, parts of the dashboard and door handles. The exterior is matte black with a copper roof and copper alloy wheels.

Carlex Design BMW Z4 steering wheel

Interestingly, the BMW Z series was first introduced in 1987, just two years before steampunk was first given a name, so it seems perfectly fitting that the Z4 should be chosen. However, this isn’t the first car that Carlex have given a steampunk look. Back in 2012, they revealed a Mini Cooper with wooden seat backs.

As far as steampunk upgrades go, this is one of the best custom made jobs I’ve seen. I suppose it helps that the car is stunning to begin with. I do wonder how the Z3 would look with a dieselpunk upgrade. I think the 1950s styling would work well.

Carlex Design BMW Z4 side view

Carlex Design BMW Z4 door panel

Carlex Design BMW Z4 seats

Carlex Design BMW Z4 cockpit

Alt-Fest has been cancelled and the organisers have released a statement which you can read here:

“It is with a heavy heart that we must confirm we have had to cancel Alt-Fest. We tried to put on a ground-breaking event for you & the alternative scene, and it was your support that was helping to make it happen. From our early days on Kickstarter through to all of you who have purchased tickets we thank you. We the organisers of Alt-Fest have done everything we can to save it, but this week we ran out of time to raise all the required funds that was needed upfront of the festival.
We also wish to apologise for the delay in releasing a formal statement cancelling the festival. We realise this has severely damaged our personal and professional reputations, we can only sincerely apologise for any additional stress and upset this has caused, we were honestly looking to act in your best interests.
We are very sorry to tell you that we have been advised to not reply to any individual comments or emails regarding the festival and instead make a comprehensive statement. It’s not how we like to do things, it feels wrong to walk off and let your questions, thoughts and opinions go unanswered. So we’ll try to answer them all briefly here.
We were doing very well for a first year festival. We sold over 7.5 thousand weekend tickets, and as you were aware we had a great line up with plenty going on. This however meant we had to pay for over half of all the band’s fees, with the remainder due just before & at the festival itself. Securing bands was not the only cost. The festival was going to cost £1,703,000 in total to put on, including artists, riders, travel, accommodation, production: power, staging, sound, lighting, track way, fencing, water, waste, the venue fee, security, medical assistance, traffic management, health & safety, marketing and much more. We ourselves and all of the Alt-Fest team have put in huge amounts of effort and time over the past two years and done everything within our power to make this work.
If we were to sell a minimum of another 1,000 tickets between now and the festival, we’d have suffered a significant loss that we couldn’t carry. This recently came to light based on a costing error explained below & inevitably down to the fact that the investor unfortunately pulled out last minute. We were expecting to sell more tickets based on our line-up, and if we had sold just 3000 tickets more then we would have been over the break even line, or if we could have deferred a percentage of our contractor’s payment, which they sadly were not prepared to do.
We thought our logic was sound and this was also backed by other promoters and people we respect in the music industry in general – Marilyn Manson can easily sell out a 5000 capacity venue, as can The Cult, Arch Enemy or Cradle of Filth. Then there’s the rest of the line-up plus the circus, steampunk, traders and art installations. Perhaps the people who would go to see them at a gig wouldn’t go to a 3 day festival, but they could still have bought day tickets and seen some of the 60-odd bands on that day as well as the headliners, and bring their kids along for free too – we are still trying to understand why we haven’t sold more tickets despite the offering & energy that has gone into it.

We’ve also been contending with a costing error made and ultimately poor advice in the early stages by a company who were supposed to help us work out what the festival would cost to put on. Coupled with the fact that in order for us to compete against the larger festivals then we had to put in very strong offers to be listened to by the agents & hence secure the talent. Additionally during the latter planning stages we were forced to move our main arena, through no fault of our own. This caused many extra costs that further increased the budget upfront of the event.

We have held continuous meetings and tried for months to secure investment & had genuine interest to cover this shortfall from individuals, investment firms and equity funding companies. Whilst there was every likelihood of this happening due to the positive feedback we were receiving, it was this week that our last option had run out. This was mainly because they didn’t understand the festival market or the alternative scene. We even tried, as a last resort to save the festival for you all, going to the corporations that dominate the music and festival industry to offer an ownership over the event to ensure it’s facilitated for our customers, but to no avail. We had exhausted all options but please know that we did everything within our power to make this happen.

We even looked at how we could make it to the festival and then recover this year’s loss from next year’s sales to get back on track. Unfortunately, we can’t manage that either because of the way the festival industry and its operators are prone to work. We would have to pay all the contractors before they even come on site to build the festival – they all want the full fee upfront due to the state of the market. We also had the remainder of band deposits to make up before and at the event. We just could not raise all the money needed upfront to continue, nor offset it against any revenue coming after the event – bar, car parking revenue as examples.

We are so, so deeply sorry, it’s awful to think of all the people who bought a ticket in good faith, who booked travel, some from the other side of the world. We massively appreciate the support you have shown, especially all the people who championed and defended us.

We do want you to know though, that it was never a scam or a con. We tried to do something new and different for you and the alternative scene, which was not easy. We have not gone on any exotic holidays or feathered our own nest, in fact exactly the opposite. We did not embezzle the money, or spend it recklessly, we used it to secure some of those great bands we had in the line-up, who required considerable deposits, and other aspects of the event as previously mentioned. We intended to make it an exciting event that would be enjoyed by every single one of you who supported us, so that we could grow even more in future years. Those of you who know us, we work tirelessly to put on excellent events. We never expected it to turn out this way and tried desperately to stop it from happening. However we could have done with better costing advice at the start and stronger ticket sales in this final period to get us through to the event.

We feel we have let the alternative community down, this saddens us immensely & the process we are about to go through is going to bankrupt us, which as I’m sure you can imagine adds huge strain on us as people & as a family.

It is just simply awful and we can only thank those of you who have shown us kindness and endless support, especially now in our most testing hour.

To claim a refund on your tickets, please look carefully at the following list, and at your email confirmation, to ensure you claim a refund from the correct retailer.

Festival Tickets via Amazon = Amazon Local are contacting their customers direct and processing refunds now.
Festival tickets, Dismembership and addons (car parking etc) purchased through our website via clubtickets.com = by email at helpdesk@clubtickets.com
Festival Tickets via Festickets = direct with them festicket.com

Dismembership purchased through our webshop (with glamping/merch in) = contact Paypal to a raise a dispute.
Glamping purchased through our webshop (with merch etc in, NOT the same as the ticket page)= contact Paypal to raise a dispute
Viewing platform = contact Paypal to raise a dispute
Tangerine Fields = direct with them http://www.tangerinefields.co.uk/
Big Green Coach are contacting all of their customers directly with advice on refunds. Refunds will be issued automatically.

Now that we have had to cancel the festival we need to take steps to place the Company into Liquidation and we want to express our deepest regrets to the artists and to thank all our staff, suppliers and contractors who worked so hard with us.

Our deepest & sincerest apologies go out to you.
Missy and Dom”

Steampunk Experience have eluded to a Plan B and I’ll try to update you as it unfolds.

Steampunk Experience at Alt-Fest have released a statement regarding their future plans after the cancellation of Alt-Fest.
It seems that Dale Rowles of BB Blackdog – organiser of Steampunk Experience – has managed to salvage some form of an event and is now looking to secure last details. Read the official statement here:

” OFFICIAL ANNOUNCEMENT ABOUT THE STEAMPUNK EXPERIENCE AT ALT-FEST
As most of you know, we and a team of good people were running the Steampunk Experience as an independent stage/area as part of Alt-Fest. Now that the main event has been cancelled, I can announce there will still be an event hosted by ourselves. We’re talking to 2 venues, have backers, and another of the stages are on-board.
As the headliners have already been paid by myself, we will be running another event, and full details will be announced Monday Night. As you can imagine, there are a lot of t’s to cross and I’s to dot, so bear with me, but there will be an event on the same dates, and it will be fantastic.
Full refunds for Alt-Fest tickets should be available from the ticket agents, and the new event will be much cheaper, (would like to make it free or donation) Although something of this size will have costs, rest assured we will keep our costings and budgets realistic, as we have all along.

WATCH THIS SPACE
Refunds for traders not wanting to trade at the new event will also be processed Monday, as will applications for new stalls at the new event, ( as the new event will be cheaper to trade at, the difference will be refunded too
Thanks for all the support, Dale.”

Copyright photofairground

Scarlet Butterfly has burst onto the steampunk scene in the past year with a unique act which involves moving around on a pole, making it look far easier than I’m inclined to think that it really is. One delightful summer evening, we had a wonderful chat about the inspiration for her character Scarlet Butterfly, the idea of Fairies and how hurtling to the ground at terminal velocity is actually a good thing.

How did Steampunk Faery come about?
Steampunk Faery is my fourth act that I’ve put together and because I started to get into steampunk about a year ago, I always had themed acts that were always fantasy or Faery inspired, so my three other acts are the Fire Faery, Art Deco Faery – which I recently showed at 1930’s Berlin Diaries – and then there’s my new act which I’ll tell you about later as I’m still working on it.

Once I’d developed the original idea, I started to think carefully about how I would create this steampunk Faery. I started with a picture board of the ideas and it took quite a long time to get the whole thing arranged.

What time frame are we looking at here?
About nine months, from start to finish and in that time period, I had to source the people to make the costume, so I had this idea of a leather costume and I wanted the Steampunk Faery to be kind of a post apocalyptic Faery that’s had to get a bit tough. There’s quite a bit of attitude in the act so I wanted there to be lots of leather, but also for the act to look quite elemental. I wanted it light and Faery-like while still tough looking. I collaborated with Jackie Hyde (Jacklyn Hyde) who is an outstanding leather worker. I also worked with Julie “Scrumptious” Walton. I went to meet them with my picture board and they just got it straight away.

They were like a pair of ping pong balls bouncing ideas off each other. They measured me up and six weeks later it was done. I knew it was going to be right and it was.

Once I’d got all the other accessories together such as the hair accessories from Indigo Thunder and little Faery hair clips that I made myself, it just all worked!

During the time that this was being made, I was collaborating with my choreographer on the pole. I would develop the routine ideas and she would say “Yes that’s good” or “No, that won’t work”. Getting the entire act together including clothing, accessories and dance routine it took around nine months. It took a long time.

And you kept it all to yourself?
I did put a few things on Facebook so people knew that Steampunk Faery was on it’s way. When Steampunk Doncaster asked me to perform, I knew it would be the perfect time to showcase this act.

Because I’m new to the steampunk community, the steampunks have been fab and really supported me. They’ve given me opportunities to perform. I performed at Howarth back in November and Michael (Young) has managed to get me a few gigs. Then people like you, John (Birley) and others have come to the Berlin Diaries and supported me so I wanted to give something back. I’m totally inspired by steampunk and I wanted to create a new act. I don’t know if it would fit in at a burlesque evening. Maybe cabaret, but I wanted Steampunk Faery to be a gift to the steampunk community as well as a reflection of my interests so I decided to debut it at Steampunk Doncaster.

Explain a little more about your other acts.
I developed them for both cabaret and burlesque. I became interested in burlesque about two years ago and I have an act that I call “Mission: Strip-Possible” which uses black and red feathers – I use the outfit in the Berlin Diaries show, so some people will be familiar with it – and it’s like a showgirl routine done to the Pink Panther followed by the James Bond theme tune. The idea is that it starts out as a classical showgirl routine but then half way through the act Scarlet Butterfly finds the pole and it becomes a challenge and she wants to climb up it but she can’t without taking her clothes off and she has to do that while mid-air. It’s an aerial strip-tease. I’m a pole specialist which gives me a different act to others and that’s what I want.

That’s the only burlesque act I’ve got, because I’m very inspired by Fairies so I have an act that I’ve called Fire Faery. In the act, she flies through the tree tops of forests and the pole is a metaphor for a tree. She creates havoc throwing fire balls and causing mischief. I also use a couple of big, beautiful fiery fan veils in this act. That’s darker and there’s different facets to Scarlet Butterfly with the darker Fire Faery and the more light hearted Burlesque character. Now Steampunk Faery has joined them.

Copyright Ruud de Korte

Scarlet Butterfly is an umbrella name?
Definitely.

Like a brand name?
She is! Scarlet Butterfly is my alter ego. Fire Faery can be used in Burlesque even though there’s no stripping, it’s purely theatrical. I’ve always been attracted to flight and the colour red, so for me the name Scarlet Butterfly is perfect. A Butterfly dances on the air, so it fits what I aim to do perfectly.

I’m attracted to anything that flies and anything that’s a bit kooky. Anything that’s a bit freaky, off-the-wall; Lord of the Rings; Fairies. I’m there. That’s what inspires me, it’s where the influence for these acts comes from.

That’s the good thing about burlesque though (and often a misconception); it doesn’t have to be stripping.
That’s right and the Fire Faery has been very well received by the burlesque community. Then the Berlin Diaries happened, so I developed a 1930s Scarlet Butterfly act called Art Deco, which you’ve seen.

That’s right.
I performed that to Ravel’s Bolero and the idea with that act is that I try to replicate the 1930s Art Deco Ballerina statues using the pole, so I’m doing slightly different things. Then there’s the Steampunk Faery which is the newest of the group. I have a wide range and the next one that I’m developing is what I mentioned earlier on.

I’m calling it Elven Queen and it’s a purple and black theme. I have a big crown and I have a very long, sweeping beautiful cloak and a gorgeous corset. I look like something out of Lord of the Rings. And of course, there’s wings.

Interestingly, what I find is that this act was developed as a pure burlesque strip tease type of act, but a lot of promoters are saying “Will you not do a reveal because some places don’t want that” and I’m also getting them saying“We’d like you to be the different act. We want variety, so will you do the pole routine?”

I developed the Elven Queen as a burlesque act that didn’t need the pole in case the venue couldn’t accommodate it. I was approached by a promoter and they asked if I had any new acts that they could have the debut for and I replied that I had, then explained Elven Queen and they said “Great, but can we not have a reveal as we can’t have one at this venue and I want to still use the aerial act” so I’ve had to adapt the one act I developed without the pole into a pole act and also avoid a reveal. I’m getting asked a lot for that.

I have one further character in development at the moment called Butterfly which was the very first idea that I had. I’ve been collaborating with an amazing costume designer so the outfit is inspired by Butterfly wings.

That’s going to be revealed next year because I’m a stickler for detail. I spend far too much money making sure the outfits are just right.

Copyright Ruud de Korte

I suppose they have to be well made too, for the amount of use they get?
Absolutely, they’re always having to go for repair. The skirt with the red and black feathers I mentioned earlier is constantly being returned for more feathers which have come loose to be re-attached.

Do you ever get people taking the feathers as momentos?
I try not to give them the chance, although I did once have a woman dancing on it and in doing so she pulled out a load of feathers. That was painful.

Do you find that people outside the cultures get the wrong idea about what you do?
All the time. But when I perform I feel like I’m on a mission to change people’s perspectives about what I’m doing. You’ll never see me do anything remotely seedy on a pole. Everything I do is theatrical. The burlesque act Mission: Strip-Possible is more playful and sensual – I suppose they all are a little bit sensual in a way – but I don’t do anything that’s in your face like what you’d see in a lap dancing club.

I love performing because without fail at least one person will come up to me at the end and say “Wow, that was really different”, “Not at all what I was expecting” and it’s lovely that I’m changing people’s perceptions. That’s one of the reasons I enjoyed performing in Marks & Spencer’s and it was such a pleasure to help promote cabaret and burlesque in such a conservative environment. To see people walking past and going “Wow!” It was fantastic and I loved it.

I only know Sir Midnight Blues in terms of other pole artists.
There are a few pole artists out there, but fewer still that work in the burlesque industry. There’s not very many that do the theatrical costume that Sir Midnight and I do and I think that’s a unique selling point that we have. My suspicion is that many of the performers don’t want the hassle of taking that gear and transporting it. It can fit in a car and transported anywhere and I can set it up in minutes, but it’s heavy. It can put people off and get in the way of other performers so I think it can be too labour intensive for some people. I’d rather put in the effort because I think it’s more worth it. People really appreciate it and it’s what I do best. I feel a bit odd on the stage without the pole.

Even though you’ve developed a character without it?
I’ll be out of my comfort zone, but I’m going to go for it. What’s really funny is that I did ballet when I was younger and all my reports would read that I was “very enthusiastic with a lot of creativity but a little bit too much vigorous hand waving” and I’m a little bit like that now. I never know what to do with my hands, so the pole is perfect because it gives me something to do with them and I don’t have to worry about it. (laughs)

Do you have something that helps you be more creative? A place you can go or something you can do?
I actually wanted to talk to you about skydiving. It might seem weird to some, but skydiving is where part of my experiences come from. The creativity comes from skydiving and once I’d got onto this creative roll from skydiving, it just kept coming. I have so many ideas for acts and I’m just going to keep working on them and keep working the bookings that I have and continue getting more.

I started skydiving about seven years ago after a tandem dive for charity. I decided that I wanted to do that a lot more and in the same week I decided that I wanted to learn how to pole dance. Back then, I didn’t know where that idea came from. But that was the week that changed my life and what happened was that I then started getting into the skydiving and skydivers are always having parties and they’re always fancy dress. I was always a goth in my younger years and going to these fancy dress parties sparked my imagination and I began to think up costume ideas.

All of a sudden my alternative side (where the goth came from) returned and I started going back to wearing different clothes and just becoming more “me”.

What skydiving also did for me was make me learn a lot about myself. It’s quite a big thing to sky dive and throw yourself out of a plane. I went through so much soul searching, thinking I couldn’t do it, messing up the jumps and I learned a lot about myself. But eventually that gave me more confidence and I met new people while the parties gave me performance opportunities. I actually cut my teeth in terms of performing and costume making in the world of skydiving. I got my first big gig from the British Parachute Association about 18 months ago. It was the British Parachute Association AGM (Annual General Meeting) which is quite a big thing of about 400 people. It was my first burlesque foray and very important to me because I then had a video of me performing that I could send to promoters. That got me my first booking in a cabaret show where I debuted Mission: Strip-Possible and Fire Faery. That was last October.

So I have a lot to thank skydiving for because it brought out of me – in a very odd kind of way, that you’d never think jumping out of planes would – the real me. I was able to find myself through skydiving.

What an unusual predicament to find yourself in.
I know. Also when I’m skydiving, I don’t want to do that formation, flat flying stuff, I want to do pretty dancing and there’s a type of skydiving called Freestyle where there’s lots of pointing toes and turning and stuff. It’s like ballet in the air and I’m so inspired by that. As a child I’ve always been fascinated by dance and flight. I love the idea of being able to dance in the air and pole dancing allows me to do that, too.

Is all this your plans for the future?
I’d like to take my acts global and perform an act like the Steampunk Faery at an international steampunk event. That’s something I’d like to work towards.

Do you think that if you gain international status you would do this full time?
I love my day job and wouldn’t like to give it up. The entertainment business isn’t stable in terms of regular work, so while I’d love to go abroad and perform, doing this more than I do now and maintaining my day job would be tricky. Plus if I was doing this as my main job, it would become something else because I’d be relying on it to pay the mortgage. I think it would take an element of fun from it. I don’t want it to be a place where I have to fight all the time to get gigs because I love what I do and I want that to show through in my acts. I think if you’re there for the wrong reasons, people will notice.

In terms of going international and making performing my day job, I think it would cost me more than I’m willing to lose. It’s a nice idea and if it works out, then great! (laughs)

What about long term? Do you think you might want to open a school and teach your skills?
I thought about that. Around 2 years ago I was thinking seriously about what I wanted to do with pole. I’ve been pole dancing for a long time, but I decided that I didn’t want to teach it. I decided that I would much rather perform than teach. It’s a great outlet for being creative.

Would you like to take your performance art abroad?
It would be wonderful to be able to go to another country but it would have to be doing something I love such as performing. I like where I live, though, I love my little Faery cottage and I have a good circle of friends and it would take a lot to uproot me and leave it all behind.

Do you believe in Fairies?
I love the idea of Fairies and I’d love to believe in them, but I don’t know. I have hidden Faery doors around the house.

There’s been photographs of Fairies in gardens and sceptics have jumped on them, claiming they’re dolls or forced perspective.
I have a reasonably scientific brain, so I’m inclined to agree that the pictures are fake. I do like the idea of them, though.

I suppose it’s nice to have that mixture of real world and whimsical fantasy.
I’m a very whimsical sort of person. I have romantic ideas of there being this universe that we can’t see. I have a book about how to see Fairies and it’s fantastic.

There’s been lots of different theories on Fairies and how they exist, do you have your own theory?
I’ve read some books about it and a couple of years ago I had an idea to make a Faery garden. I spent ages planning this garden, then about June I put all my pretty flower pots out – which I do every year. I like the idea of having the Faery garden not being obvious. I didn’t particularly want people passing by to see it. Maybe a glimpse. I like the thought of the Faeries being subtle.

I invited a lot of my friends who have young daughters round to my house and had a big Faery afternoon where we played games like “How many Faery Houses can you Find?” The next day I went to work and when I came back there was a Mushroom Faery ring in the middle of the lawn.

Real Mushrooms that have grown from the ground?
Yes. And I like to think that it was a thank you from the Fairies for having the party.

Do you think that has compelled you to do what you do the Faery acts?
Probably. But I also think it’s the visual stuff and the creativity. It’s the whole thing of having a themed act of an Art Deco Faery, or a Steampunk Faery or Fire Faery. What does one of those look like? How can I create a costume and behave on the pole in a way that can embody that? How am I going to portray this character? What moves am I going to do on the pole to emulate that?

Related articles

• Secrets of the Boudoir Burlesque 6th Birthday party Review
• There is no shortage of Beauty amongst the stars of our Burlesque Community

Press release:
Steampunker is a new point and click adventure game for iPads. The game has been developed by Telehorse, a company established by Mariusz Szypura – a graphic designer and musician.

Steampunker, which was made in Unity 3D, is his first game to be published. It should be noted that Szypura created the game entirely on his own, also composing and producing the soundtrack.

Steampunker is inspired by sci-fi books by such authors as Jules Verne,
H.G. Wells, H.P. Lovecraft and Stanislaw Lem, as well as by Victorian graphics and Steampunk and Dieselpunk styles.

The player takes on the role of a gentleman hero named Vincent who, facing the invasion of evil robots from space, needs to save the world. In order to complete the mission he has to fix a variety of machines and mechanisms as well as solve a series of puzzles and brain teasers. The puzzles are linked
together into a traditional “point-and-click” adventure story. The ultimate
mission of the game is to save the planet and deal the final blow to the
evil robots.

Steampunker has been selected for the Indie Prize. The game will participate
in the Indie Prize Showcase at Casual Connect in Belgrade in November 2014.
The iOS version is scheduled for release on September 9, 2014. It will be
followed by the Android version towards the end of the year.

The price is yet to be announced.

Links:
Website: www.steampunkergame.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/steampunkergame
Twitter: twitter.com/steampunkergame
Trailer: http://youtu.be/rlNKj7bmWI0
Screenshots: http://www.steampunkergame.com/pictures/gamescreenshots/

Attack of the Atomic Airships front cover

Introduction
Great steampunk adventures do not feel complete without airships, action, adventure and Queensbury rules. Attack of the Atomic Airships! is a fantastic book filled with adventures, mechanical wonders and an abundance of humour that would be a great read for most young adults. This book can be found on Amazon.co.uk brand new priced at £6.99 and is also available on Kindle for £1.98.

Review written by Tobias Blake
Overview
Attack of the Atomic Airships is a fun-filled story that takes you on an action adventure from the rivers of the Amazon to the skies above Paris, offering plenty of humour to boot. This book is about the adventure of Air Group Captain Sebastopol Valiant; a British officer who has a love for brandy, women and the open skies. As the synopsis states ‘A damn fine man to have standing beside you in a fight as well as at a bar’. Based in an alternative timeline of World War 2 our hero finds himself getting into all sorts of situations that otherwise would be considered hairy and all starting with a card game in the Amazon.

Sebastopol Valiant is a lovable rogue of a character who finds himself having to tow a mighty airship over the streets of Paris which just so happens to have an atomic payload. A well written book which had next to no grammatical errors and kept a good pace during the action but seems a little slow between fight scenes. The story has many whimsical wonders such as the tiny message trains that come out of the skirting boards in Government buildings and mechanically enhanced horses.

Conclusion
Attack of the Atomic Airships! is reasonably good value for money and bursting at the seams with Steampunk themes, It is a book that can be enjoyed by all – although does seem it is aimed more towards a younger audience – but this does not detract from the quality of the story telling.

Ratings:
Features 5
Pace 5
Value 4
Overall 4

Related articles

• Set it in Space and Shovel Coal into it book review

A Steampunk Guide to Tea Dueling by Khurt Khave

Introduction
For those of you that are unfamiliar with Tea Duelling, it’s a high pressure, high octane game of wits, intelligence, timing, bravery and strong biscuits. A Steampunk Guide to Tea Duelling is a handy book designed at shining a guiding light on a successful duel. Written by Kurt Khave, a paperback copy costs around $9 from Amazon.

Overview
The book opens with a simplistic, yet clear explanation of steampunk followed by a quick start guide on tea duelling.

To make sure that you can get a game going as soon as possible, the following five pages are a step-by-step illustration of tea duelling, from preparing tea and presenting biscuits, to the end game.

That’s tea duelling pretty much wrapped up – or so I thought. However, Khave then describes several optional duelling styles.

The book offers various tips and hints and the accompanying photographs are splendidly produced. They’re taken in a Mad Hatter’s Tea Party scenario and really work well with the topic of the book.

You’d think that once all aspects of tea duelling is covered, the book is done and finished. However, he’s dedicated several pages in the back to simple recipes for your party; from cucumber sandwiches, to cakes and biscuits.

Conclusion
If you’re after an amusing little book that covers a highly popular and entertaining corner of steampunk events, then A Steampunk Guide to Tea Duelling is great, simple resource for improving your technique from “pro” tips to cheats.
Khave begins by saying that he’s not going to use the American term “cookie”, but the British term “Biscuit”. However, amusingly he calls them Cookies by the following page.

This doesn’t come across as a professionally authored book, but a project written by a steampunk, for steampunks.

For the tips, tricks and superb photography, A Steampunk Guide to Tea Duelling is a great little conversation starter. Just don’t leave it on your coffee table.

Ratings
Features 4
Pace n/a
Value 4
Overall 4

Doctor Who series 8 open sequence?

Steampunks into Doctor Who are in for a treat if the opening sequence for series 8 is in fact the real one.

Radio Times website have reported that this is the new sequence for Peter Capaldi’s jaunt as the Time Lord which is essentially a sequence that was made by a fan of the show last year.

It matches exactly the fan made sequence – which is fine – but Radio Times have explained that it was inspired.

Steampunk elements are rife throughout the 44 second video as we travel through the inner workings of a clock, a spiral clock face and Peter Capaldi’s face appearing on the pocket watch used by David Tennant.

This isn’t the first time a steampunk theme has been used in Doctor Who. The Boxing Day episode featured a giant steam powered Cyber-man with The Doctor battling him from a hot air balloon.

Doctor Who has always had a vintage look to his fashion, but recently it’s started to turn more Victorian and with the science fiction element, it’s only natural that it goes more steampunk.

Read the Radio Times article and watch the video here:
Radio Times Doctor Who open sequence

iO9 talk about the Forrest Gump effect

Back in January 2014 I reviewed a pleasant book by the Sheffield Science Fiction writers. It contained a foreword by noted SF writer Ian Sales who was polite enough to point out that steampunk only takes the desirable elements of the Victorian era, missing out the less desirable parts.

Now, iO9 are at it with a scathing attack on steampunk and other science Fiction/Fantasy films and novels. They article’s author points out that protagonists only ever meet important historical figures or show history in a pleasant light. For example, medieval films are always set in shiny, clean castles with characters that have good teeth and no diseases.

That author of the article – Charlie Jane Anders – calls it the “Forrest Gump effect” which is a link to the scene where Forrest Gump meets famous people. That’s the first mistake that Anders makes; the scene in Forrest Gump has him meeting famous people, yet the article is discussing, well ranting about really, science fiction stories that only ever meet famous people via time travel. Forrest Gump doesn’t travel back in time to meet these characters, he meets them through his life because he’s a war hero, so the link is tenuous at best.

She complains that steampunk and other genres ignore the disease, grime and misery of the age we emulate in favour of upper class citizens, high society and cleanliness.

Why would we want to, though? Steampunk is a hobby, so why would we want to contract diseases to be “more realistic”? Steampunk is fantasy and the clue is in the name. If steampunk is our fantasy, why would we want to ruin it with work houses, slavery and poverty?

What will Anders turn her attention to next, I wonder? Will young girls have to simulate their castles under attack, toilets as holes in the wall and being forced into marriage in order to dress like a princess?

The article asks why science fiction films only ever meet important figures in history and not locals and peasants. The answer that seems to evade Anders is that watching two hours of film footage about someone travelling back in time and meeting a generic civilian, such as a market trader would be boring as hell.

It seems to be that steampunk is getting mixed up with Victoriana which more closely mimics the age. Steampunk doesn’t have the same rule constraints.

It’s a shame that people with seemingly no knowledge of the genres they’re discussing will openly slate it. Yes, there is a place for realism within film but only if it adds to the plot. Similarly, there’s a place for realism in steampunk, but that doesn’t mean we should – or indeed have to – include it.

Will Smith and Kevin Kline

Filmonic posted an interesting article earlier this year which showed a list of the 11 (why that particular number is beyond me when 10 is a perfectly rounded figure) films ever made that have a steampunk element.

They’ve listed them as:

1. Metropolis (1927)
2. The Fabulous World of Jules Verne (1958)
3. Castle in the Sky (1986)
4. The City of Lost Children (1995)
5. Wild Wild West (1999)
6. The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen (2003)
7. Steamboy (2004)
8. Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow (2004)
9. The Golden Compass (2007)
10. Sherlock Holmes (2009)
11. Tai Chi 0 (2012)

Of course the list could have been condensed to a more satisfying list of 10 if they’d left Sky Captain off. Not that it’s a bad film, I secretly enjoyed it. However, the era is arguably too late and is more dieselpunk – something that Filmonic mention in the article as well.

Metropolis has been long regarded as one of the earliest steampunk films, but I can’t help but feel that it’s essentially dieselpunk and the steam elements are only there to add dynamic movement to the set because sound wasn’t used back then.

Would you say this is the final list of films with a heavy steampunk theme running through them? I think that replacing Metropolis with Hellboy and taking Sky Captain out would balance things a little bit more.

What do you think?

Related articles

• Steampunk enthusiasts bring out imaginations, costumes at Old Cowtown
• 10 Movies to Help You Figure Out What Steampunk Is
• 10 Tips for Steampunk Writers
• Sherlock Holmes Steampunk Book in need of funding
• The Weird Weird West

The highly-anticipated 3rd season of The Adventures of the League of S.T.E.A.M. web series kicks off today with “Now You See Me…” – the first of 10 thrilling new episodes.

In this episode, the League is visited by Dr. Herbert Griffin, a scientist who, after an experiment gone awry, has become invisible!  Can the brilliant minds of the League of S.T.E.A.M. cure him before he’s doomed to remain invisible forever?

Dr. Griffin is played by famed voice actor Phil LaMarr (Futurama, Samurai Jack)

Also included in the new season’s guest star lineup are:
Milynn Sarley (Team Unicorn)
Chloe Dykstra (Heroes of Cosplay)
Piotr Michael (The Impression Guys)
David Vega (Airplane vs Volcano)
Jenny Newman (There Will Be Brawl)
Michele Morrow (Chaotic Awesome)
…and more!

Those jolly fellows at Titan Publications have announced a new book from George Mann. Ghosts of Manhattan is set in a not-too-distant steampunk future. The roaring ’20’s are in full swing except the world is still full of steam and airships, mobsters and World War I heroes.
I’ve requested a review copy as it looks thrilling. If you’d like to review the book on behalf of Steampunk Journal, get in touch for full details.

Press release:

1926, New York. Jazz. Flappers. Prohibition. It’s the roaring twenties but not as history remembers it. Coal-powered cars line the streets of Manhattan, while zeppelins and biplanes occupy the skies. And the US is locked in a bitter cold war with a British Empire that still covers half of the globe. 

This is the alternate vision of the most opulent era of New York. It’s a darker version of history. One steeped in fantastical steampunk innovations and a dark undercurrent of supernatural treachery. Organized crime rules the streets, with speakeasies on every corner. And while a run-down police force battles mobsters and their protection rackets, the “Lost Generation” is drinking away the recent nightmares of the World War. It’s a society on the brink of destruction, where any low level crook could be the tipping balance into lawlessness and disorder.

It’s a time in need of a hero.
It’s a time in need of The Ghost.

Mann’s sinister take on this period of history is absolutely fascinating. With beautiful prose and a thrilling plot, this novel will appeal to a wide range of audiences as well as his fans.

You may remember I began a competition to win a copy of Steampunk Style – the wonderful steampunk How-To book with oriental inspiration. You can read the review by following the link below.

It was a writing contest to submit a short story of 2000 words of an original steampunk tale. Sponsored by my splendid friends at Titan Publications, the winners receive a copy of Steampunk Style to hopefully help them immerse themselves into steampunk more, start tinkering or even give them more inspiration to write steampunk themed novels. The winners will also have their stories displayed on the Titan Publications website.

The stories were judged by Chloe Seger at Titan Publications and myself. The quality of the stories we received is very high and we were both highly impressed with the plots, writing styles and some of the steampunk technology that our entrants conceived.

It is my great pleasure to announced two winners as I split the competition into Under 18 and Over 18 categories.

The winner of the Under 18 category is Finlay Worrallo and his story entitled The Great Outer Space Travel Engine. This fantastic first person adventure explores the fear and trepidation of Man’s first flight into space.

The winner of the Over 18 category is Nemma Wolfengang with Clockwork Evangeline. It’s a wonderful story of a clockwork android in the service of an aged tailor. A visitor become entranced with her and there’s an interesting twist at the end.

Congratulations to you both, I will be in contact to get your postal details so your prize can be sent to you.

I’d like to also take this opportunity to thank and congratulate all the entrants to the competition. I know that both myself and Chloe had a really tough time choosing a winner.

Keep an eye out for further competitions on Steampunk Journal’s Competition page.

Review of Steampunk Style on Steampunk Journal

On Sunday 31st September, I visited Sheffield’s first Science Fiction & Comicon which was held at Motorpoint Arena.

I always say that if there’s one thing the British are good at; it’s charging the British. Therefore, the cost of tickets – £8 for the day – I thought was surprisingly reasonable.

Entrance to the main trading floor was via the mezzanine which was temporary home to the various celebrities that were visiting the event. Famous types I noticed (and recognised) included Dr Who hero Sylvester McCoy, one time Dr Who and McCoy replacement Paul McGann, Doctor assistant Bonnie Langford (made me want to “thcream until I was thick”). The highlight was A-Team and Battlestar Galactica legend Dirk Benedict.

The sales floor was rammed with vendors. I found the aisles to be a little too close together. There were three stalls with noticeable steampunk attire being sold including Jacklyn Hyde – notable steampunk leather worker. She had a marvellous array of work from tea and saucer holsters to purses and shoulder armour.

Comicons could be thought of as an unusual place to find steampunk vendors but we do deal with science fiction so there’s no reason why not. As I walked near the steampunk stalls I did hear a few excited comments such as “Yes! Steampunk!” and “There’s a steampunk stall!” It seems popular among other cultures and interest groups too.

If you get the chance to visit a Comicon then you must do so. There are some wonderful costumes and the occasional celebrity.

Front cover of Steampunk Style

After the announcement of the Steampunk Style competition, the winning stories have been published on the Titan Publications website.

You can read them by following the link here: Steampunk Style competition winner stories

Related articles

• WIN! A copy of Steampunk Style
• Steampunk Style competition winner announced!
• Steampunk stories are old hat

Introduction
The Adventures of Alan Shaw follows a young boy as he gets into various scrapes in the mid-19^th century. These aren’t run of the mill scrapes, though. They involve brass robots and mechanical squid among many other wonderful creations. Written by Craig Hallam, The Adventures of Alan Shaw is available for £3.50 for Kindle or £8.99 via Amazon.

Overview
The Adventures of Alan Shaw covers five stories of the main protagonist over roughly a decade. It sees him start from his humble beginnings as a young boy fighting for survival on the tough streets of Victorian London. In “Fate of the Automatons” he is enlisted by a mysterious stranger to deliver a package to his old workhouse. Each story has a few years in between them and interestingly, though the author is located in the North of England, he refrains from setting any stories in areas that would be obviously familiar to him. Despite this, the geographical descriptions are precise and create enough imagination to build an idea of the location.

The book is well paced with each chapter giving a little bit of a cliff hanger to keep you moving on to the next. Hallam manages to make characters easy to get along with and you can feel for them as the stories progress. The final story ends with an easy lead in to sequels.

There’s a heavy use of metaphor and the first story begins with a couple of spelling errors in the first few pages.

Conclusion
While the setting of the stories are more of Victorian England than a purely steampunk alternate reality, the time frame is comfortably at the dawn of what could arguably be the steampunk era. The machines are wonderful in their imagining and they’re described in the book sufficiently that you can mentally create a picture of their appearance.

There’s a distinct possibility that the artwork has been used to match the type of writing style that Hallam has used. The covers of each story have a cartoon style image with Alan Shaw flanked by supporting characters in that story and a landscape that gives a rough idea of the premise. I felt that it put me in a certain frame of mind about the type of book it is, but then reading it was different. There are some sad areas within the book and it doesn’t have that harrowing heaviness that some stories will use. In that way it’s a more light hearted story even though it deals with death.

However, on a personal level I don’t really think cartoon characters do the book justice. I didn’t get the idea of a cartoon world while reading the book. On the contrary, I got the idea that the London that Alan Shaw grew up in was dark, smelly and covered in soot and grime. Of course, this is a minor point and purely subjective, so wouldn’t affect my appreciation of the book or any ratings I give it.

As each story unfolds, they get progressively longer which is good because they slowly introduce the characters to the world which you’re reading about. The first two stories are only four chapters long – as though prologues to the main piece.

Alan Shaw is a great story to take with you on a weekend away or a long journey. It’s easy to read so you’ll find yourself whizzing through the chapters. The cliff hangars and warm characters will draw you in and you’ll want to find out what they’re going to do next. If you’re on your way to a steampunk event and you’re not driving, you could do worse than to download Alan Shaw to your Kindle before you go.

Ratings (out of five)
Story 4
Pace 5
Value 4
Overall 4