Wings of Steam

Merry midsummer to you, readers!

I certainly hope you have all been keeping yourselves in good health. I sadly confess that my planned articles have not exactly panned out- my excuses are numerous and satisfactory, but the truth of the matter is that newer and shinier things have caught my attention, and I have decided to share my findings. Consider this a hodge-podge post of several things steampunk, packed full of delicious and distracting topics.

Steam Con

First and foremost, there is the matter of the Steam-Con, to be hosted in Seattle on the weekend of October 23 thru 25^th of this year. A plethora of activities awaits the attendees, from the traditional con staples of a dealer room and art gallery to an exciting Uhallowed Metropolis LARP. (If you are unfamiliar with Unhallowed Metropolis, I highly recommend you go seek information as soon as you are able.) The important guests and speakers are numerous and quite prestigious- Tim Powers, one of the earliest writers in the steampunk genre, Paul Guinan, an artist with a thousand mediums whose History of Robots in the Victorian Era is both entertaining and educational. Then, of course, there is the esteemed Abney Park, who need no description.

Infernal Machines? More like Hellishly Good Music.

Now, I know we at Wings of Steam pay a rather large amount of lip service to Abney Park, so I thought that I would share with you another delightful musical group that I have been enjoying lately. My significant other-half introduced me to Secret Society by asking the question, “Do you like Jazz music?” They are described as “an 18-piece steampunk bigband that envisions an alternative musical history, one in which the dance orchestras that ruled the Swing Era never went extinct, but continued to evolve with the times, remaining a vital part of the musical landscape straight through the present day.” That elaborate description illuminates Secret Society’s style more than any words I might have used. It’s a mix of swing band, ambient music, and just general awesomeness. The best part being, these fine individuals (and I do mean fine- their website’s bio section is worth a look) stream their most recently released album on their website for free. Of course, I encourage you to buy their music so you can enjoy their wonderful tunes offline. Honestly, readers. Do yourself a favor and seek them out, give them a listen, and revel in their greatness.

Lex.

Remember my Steam-Powered Gaming article? I have an addition to add to it. No, I’m not talking about Damnation (though that is worth a glance, should you find yourself wanting more games in your life), I am talking about Edge of Twilight. Look at the picture above again. Now, tell me you don’t want to play that character. His name is Lex, a half-breed who has the ability to go between the realms of Night and Day, with two different forms for each realm. Any of you who have a passing interest in all things fae should be equally entertained- this game looks as though it mixes steampunk with just enough fantasy to create a rather unique experience. If you have not seen the trailer, I do not know why you are still reading this. The environments shown are beautiful and the camera angles dynamic. Those of you who like a little blood with their morning tea will find that there is a pleasing amount of hack and slash to the game to slake their bloodlust.

I daresay I’ve rambled enough. May the summer continue to treat you well, and not maim or disfigure you in any way. I hear the sun tries to do that, now and again.

Always Passing Strange,

Oddessa Gooding