SteamStock

A posted about a group using Kickstarter to fund their steampunk music festival a while back.  Well they met their goal and now it is time to talk about what they have planned.

Steam Stock is October 7 at the Craneway Pavilion in Richmond, CA.  It goes from 1:00pm till Midnight.

It is a is a music festival from another time.  The Woodstock of an alternate past, where airships filled the skies and swing combines with both gothic and electronic, and people were top hats and corsets. There will be music, dancing, vendors, and food carts. Also giant walls of glass to watch the sun set over the bay, the Blue Angels flying over head, and ships racing in an America Cup regatta.

Bands appearing at the fest include the voice of steampunk music Abney Park, 80’s New Wave act turned steampunk musician Thomas Dolby, folk punk cabaret duo Frenchy and the Punk, 8-piece band part rumba band part cinematic chamber group El Radio Fantastique, jump swing from hell by Lee Presson & the Nails, pioneers of steampunk music Vernian Process,  US’s one and only Electro Swing band Good Co., 4 piece post modern jug band 5 Cent Coffee, alternative rock with steampunk visual band Hydrogen Skyline, zombie punk cabaret band Victoria and the Vaudevillains, Industrial Ragtime band Parlor Tricks, folk-punk band Vagabondage, Victorian male singing group Brass Farthing, and DJ JsinJ.

Side show and variety acts scheduled to appear are bellydancer troupes Blackhoodygrrl, the Empress, and Firefly, aerialist Sommer Strangelove, special guest attendees Aether Brigade, and any more they can get before the then.

A large number of vendors will also be at the event.  A special are for children under 6 will be set up for accompanying families to play with them or take care of various needs.

The same weekend there are other events in the area to check out.  On Firday night, Strangelove: Undead Wedding, a gothic party, will be happening at the Cat Club in San Fran.  The Steampunktoberfest Ball is on Saturday at the Masonic Lodge of San Mateo in Alameda.  A unique festival that celebrates Oktoberfest and the Steampunk society.  English dance band Bangers & Mash will play, dance worskops, food and drink, along with a special steampunk-inspired invention exhibition are all part of the festivities.  Passes are $15 in advance and $20 at the door.

Tickets for Steamstock can still be purchased at $42 for adults and $22.50 for children under 12.  A bundle pass for both Steamstock and Steampunktoberfest is $52.  They also have a list of local hotels on their site.

Sounds like a blast for any steampunk fans, or fans of music in general, who can make it.

 

Ten Pirate Songs and Bands to Pillage To

With Talk Like a Pirate Day yesterday, it got me thinking of pirate music and I decided to bring you ten pirate themed songs and bands to check out.

1.  We have to start off with the official unofficial Talk Like a Pirate Day song from Tom Smith.  It talks of the desire to leave the mundane life and to become a pirate, at least for one.  Also, check out his Christmas themed pirate song, A Pirate Christmas.  A series of Christmas songs changed for the pirate life.

2. Pirates for Sail, the crew of the Drunken Ferret, are a pirate who preform at all kinds of different events performing songs, fire spinning, period firearms demonstrations, general piracy (including history and skits) and, for the kids, face painting and treasure hunts.   Their music combines shanty style singing with guitars, violins, and other classic instruments into some real toe tapping tunes.   Their third album, Dark Side of the Lagoon, came out this year and can be got at one of their shows iTunes or CDbaby.

3. Pirate Song by Jonah Knight.  Mostly known for his paranormal folk songs, this one little track he did has become sort of a signature piece for him; being featured on several podcasts.

4.  Space Pirates! by Gekkos, a little rocking ditty about being a pirate in space instead of the oceans.  Taking pirates to a different place.  For those who want more metal pirate shantys.

5. Captain Dan and the Scurvy Crew, a group of rapping pirates.  They have appeared on America’s Got Talent and were described like this, “Captain Dan and the Scurvy Crew are a collection of rapping pirates. Their costumes are great and their rapping is decent…”  Personally I think they are a little bit than just “decent”, I have heard worse.  So if you want some fun songs about drinking rum, smacking winches, and capping people with flintlocks, Dan the Scurvy Crew is for you.

6. A Pirates Life by Sci-Fried.  A reggae grooving beat that tells you all about pirates and how ninjas suck.

7. Pirate Ship by TV’s Kyle with Insane Ian and Austin Aeschliman.  A strange song about them selling around on a pirate ship.  I real ear worm, but in a good way.

8. The Brigands, another preforming pirate band with over ten years experience together.  Preforming at all kinds of pirate events up and down the coasts.

9. The quintessal steampunk by Abney Park.  Again bringing you a different type of pirate, this one an airship pirate.  They have a number of songs about their exploits as pirates.  You can also check out the novel based on their story or play their table top RPG.

10. Blow Me Down by Moneyshot Cosmonauts.  A parody of Thompson Twins’ 1984 synth-rock classic “Hold Me Now” that shares some of the demands of being a pirate.  Originally performed by Robert Lund.

Honorable mention goes to the  The Pirates Who Don’t Do Anything from the Silly Songs of Veggie Tales.  They even got their own movie.  Again, no idea why I like it.  Guess I am just weird.

And if you want to hear more pirate songs, the German Pirate Party (actual political group) collected a number of different pirate songs from around the world  and put them in a free downloadable album.  You can get here,  but the page is in German.  Just click there on the right for the link.  Takes a while to download since it is from Germany.  I have not gotten a chance to listen to it myself, but it does have Jonah Knight’s song so they do have some good taste.

There it be me hartys.