Bristol Renaissance Faire Braced for Steampunk Invasion This Weekend

Polish your goggles and grab your gears.   It's time for the annual Steampunk weekend at Ren Faire July 21 & 22!   Check out ChiIL Mama's coverage from last year's Steampunk Invasion by clicking the link right here.
Steampunk Weekend 2011-Photo Filled Recap

Steampunk Invasion - July 21 and 22, 2012. 
Where do steam, gears and inventions ahead of their time fit in to the
Renaissance? Just ask any apprentice of Leonardo DaVinci and you’ll see
how the consummate Renaissance man paved the way for this
outside-the-box invasion.

Absinthe Cocktail Bar (July 21 & 22)

Explore the delicious art of sublimation with six exclusive Absinthe cocktails
this weekend only. The bar will be moving to shadier grounds this
year. Stay tuned for the final location!

Steampunk Promenade Contest - Saturday July 21, 2012 - Globe Stage - 5:30pm

All the aetherometers point to a glorious stroll this Saturday. Polish
your combobulator pistol and tighten your high-altitude airship
goggles. Whether you're the legionnaire, the engineer or the clockwork
servant, we're looking for the best man, woman and couple to win prizes
in gold coin.  Cheerio!

The "Fantasy Facial Hair" Contest - Sunday July 22, 2012 - Globe Stage - 5:30pm

You are not too lazy to shave. You are preparing for Bristol's manliest
competition to date. Bristol invites men (and ladies!) everywhere to
join us for our fantasy facial hair competition to win prizes, the
adoration of the women and the envy of the men.

How to Enter:

It is FREE to enter the competition. Come to the Globe Stage
at 5:30pm. Entrants will be invited on stage by category. Each entrant will
have a brief moment to take center stage and showcase their "hair". A
winner will be chosen from each category by our panel of judges. All 6
champions will receive a prize worthy of their dedication to the contest.

Rules: You may only enter one category.

Categories:

Best Fake (This is the only category where
synthetic hair is accepted. All other categories are for naturally grown facial
hair.)

Best Shaped / Waxed

Vividly Colored

Ultimate Adorned

Full Beard Freestyle (aka Beard Topiaries)

International Historical (see graphic below for qualifying styles)

Check out Steampunk Chicago right here, for more steampunk events, fashion, music, books, film and fun!!   Here at ChiIL Mama/ ChiIL Live Shows we've thoroughly enjoyed shooting a ton of photos and videos at steampunk shows like steampunk burlesque extravaganza, Carnivale Delirium at Reggie's Rock Club here.   




Check out these photos from Steampunk Thursdays that ran briefly at Elate and have now turned into a jazz night.

We've still got lots more to come.   Check back here like we vote in Chi, IL...early and often, for more steampunkery fun. 

  

Reggies Round Up-Past Photo Features and Upcoming Shows on Our Radar

Reggies Rock Club is one of our Chi-Town favorites for great sound, a sweet selection of beer for those who go for quality or cheap quantity, and excellent line ups.  

Check out ChiIL Live Shows archives for loads of live show shots from Reggies with many more to come.   We've shot an eclectic assortment from a bunch of hard core and punk shows, to Nashville Pussy and Steampunk burlesque.   
 
Check out our past coverage of one of our up and coming home town favs--O' My's right here.


Past Reggies favorites shot by ChiIL Live Shows.   Click the links for our photo filled features:

Nashville Pussy
Carnivale Delirium (steampunk music, burlesque & side show oddities)

Supersuckers

D.R.I.

The Stranger

World Inferno Friendship Society

Macabre-Yakuza-Novembers Doom-A Corporate Death

Pig Champion & War Brides

Coming Soon:   
ChiIL Live Shows video interview with The English Dogs with a cameo appearance by The Casualties.   Live show videos and stills!


Here are Reggies upcoming shows on our radar.

Friday, April 13 • 8:00 PM • Ages 21+

NERD CITY PRESENTS C2E2 AFTER-PARTY "MONSTER'S BALL" $10 ADV / $15 DOS

BUY TICKETS!

CHICAGO AFROBEAT PROJECT Website As the world’s cultural and political climate evolves, so does its music. Rooted in the turbulence of social change, afrobeat coalesced decades ago from a fiery political landscape of Nigeria in the ‘60s and ‘70s. Now, with the polarized state of the world since the turn of the millennium, afrobeat again grips the world – this time, the American musical climate. EUFORQUESTRA Website The band is known for their diverse sound and eclectic repertoire, covering a number of traditional and progressive sounds ranging from (but not limited to) reggae, dub, afrobeat and samba to ska, highlife, funk and jazz.

Saturday, April 14 • 8:00 PM • Ages 18+ • $15.00

Steampunk Chicago & The Squidling Brothers Circus present:Gearbox Fantastique II

BUY TICKETS! $15.00

THE SQUIDLING BROTHERS Website With glass walking, human block head, sword swallowing and other such feats to shock and amaze by The Squidling Brothers Sideshow! JELLYBOY T CLOWN Website Master of Ceremonies and clown extra-ordinaire Jellyboy T. Clown HELLBLINKI Website Live gothic cabaret by Hellblinki! V IS FOR VILLIANS Website Theatrical electro rock by V is for Villains STEAMPUNKS! And steampunk DJs The Lords & Ladies DJs on the Fusion-O-Scope!

Friday, April 20 • 8:00 PM • Ages 17+

$8.00 ADV / $10 DOOR

BUY TICKETS!

THE O'MYS THE O'MYSWebsite The O'My's are a band of scoundrels and hooligans holding down Rock'n'Soul for the windy city. They will not be stopped and are taking all of the booty. "Free your mind and your ass will follow" WILD JESUS & THE DEVIL LETTUCE FAMILY PARTY BAND Website Wild Jesus and The Devil’s Lettuce Family Party Band is a community of musicians with the uncanny ability to surprise you every time they take the stage. As one might expect from such a strangely named group, Wild Jesus’ sound ranges from noir waltzes all the way to effects laden, impressionistic, psychedelic grooves. KIRBY KAISER Website A melting pot of soul, jazz, doo-wop, vintage pop, and harmony-driven '60s girl group music.

Saturday, April 21 • 9:00 AM

RECORD STORE DAY IN RECORD BREAKERS!!

We'll have exclusive RSD releases, free hot dogs & soda, and in-store performances including... SWIMSUIT ADDITION Website Swimsuit Addition embody both the fierceness of Rrrrriot Girrrrl rock and the melodic sense of power pop. ELECTRIC TOUCH Website Incendiary rock band originating in Austin, Texas fusing classic and contemporary influences resulting in a high energy live show and arena-ready anthems. MAGICKS Website The beauty of Magicks sound is that it is as accessible as it is indecipherable. Although the Chicago native cites hip hop, rhythm and blues and shoegaze as initial influences, the end product is much more. Magicks is a high minister in the "Church of What's Happening Now", managing to blend a virtual primer of today's most influential sounds into one cohesive package that actually sounds good (to even the most jaded critic). This is dreamy pop music crafted by a psychick warrior. Equal parts pleasure and challenge to the modern ear. SEAN AND TOM OF EMPIRES Website A HARD DEDICATED BAND GOING THROUGH THE TOUGH TIMES IN LIFE AND STILL MANAGING TO PUT OUT GOOD MUSIC AND PLAY SHOWS CLOSE OR FAR...AND AFTER THE UPS AND DOWNS WITH BAND MEMBERS THAT ARE DEDICATED AND THE NON DEDICATED ONES WE APPRECIATE AND RESPECT YOU FOR THE HELP.. OWEN Website In the past decade, Chicago's Mike Kinsella has played a variety of instruments in a handful of bands including Cap'n Jazz, Joan of Arc, The One Up Downstairs, American Football, Owls, Maritime, and Aloha. Owen is his solo project. THE SWEEPS Website The Sweeps could never disappoint. Their songs are catchy, their stage presence is amazing, and the energy from their fans is intoxicating! MITCH MEAD Website Mitch Mead's songs are equal parts heartbreak and humor, misery and mirth, sci-fi and fantasy. And each one is roughly 25% alcohol by volume. This Michigan-born, Chicago-based singer/songwriter wields an energetic and highly literate brand of folk rock that is as much melancholy as it is euphoria. Call it what you will, this is folk music that refuses to sit down. NEW DIET Website

Wednesday, June 13 • 6:00 PM • All Ages

mPshows.com presents facebook.com/mpshows twitter.com/mpshows

BUY TICKETS!

SIX FEET UNDERWebsite Tampa, FL's SIX FEET UNDER (SFU), featuring legendary godfather of death metal vocals Chris Barnes, has been delivering unapologetic death metal since 1993. SFU continue to do what they do best; delivering bludgeoning slabs of metal that leave fans hungering for more. Legendary death metal vocalist Chris Barnes, along with guitarist Steve Swanson continue to follow the dark and demented path that merges what Outburn Magazine calls "tried and true death groove" with stomach-turning lyrics and themes. DYING FETUS Website Self-reliance and musical integrity are two principles which Dying Fetus have always lived by. The band formed in 1991, during the height of the death metal explosion of the early '90s, and have matured into one of the premiere extreme death metal/grind-core acts ever to come out of the massive global metal underground. The band is recognized worldwide as a prime example of songwriting perfection, combining an innovative mix of technical virtuosity and catchy song structures to create the ultimate blend of death metal, hardcore, and grindcore. Intensity unparalleled, and musical power unrivaled, they are the leaders of the new generation in extreme music. Their sounds and lyrics are a brutal response to the everyday stress and pressures of reality in our age, while also providing the ultimate escape from it. REVOCATION Website REVOCATION combines the energy of old-school thrash metal and the twisted musicianship of death metal. In May 2008, Revocation self-released their debut full-length CD 'Empire of the Obscene.' It highlights each band member's individual talents and showcases their ability to write memorable songs, while still maintaining complexity and aggression.

Saturday, June 16 • 7:00 PM • Ages 17+

PUNK ROCK PSYCHOBILLY! TICKETS $12 ADVANCE, $15 DAY OF SHOW

BUY TICKETS!

KOFFIN KATS KOFFIN KATSWebsite With over eight years of touring internationally and 1000+ shows, the Detroit based Koffin Kats new home is on the road. This trio kicked it off in June of 2003 with the mission to not stop for anything. Vic Victor (Lead Vocal, Upright Bass) would join forces with long time friend Tommy Koffin (Guitar) and start laying the ground work for the sonic assault known as The Koffin Kats. They put together songs with subjects ranging from Sci-Fi to dealing with the horrors of the real world. With Eric “E Ball” Walls (Drums) they began in small local bars playing for beer and eventually made their way out of the Mid West. The next couple of years proved to be up with numerous North American tours and down with drummer changes. During this time they released their first three albums - S/T (2003), Inhumane (2005), and Straying from the Pack (2006). These releases and the tours caught some attention and helped get the name of ”The Koffin Kats” noticed in the wide world of punk & psychobilly. In 2007 Vic and Tommy hooked back up with Eric to get ready for the fourth album, Drunk in the Daylight (2008), and began what the Kats are now known for… NON STOP TOURING & TRYING TO MAKE EVERY SHOW A PARTY. With their love for their fans and for the road they set out to play everywhere willing to listen to them. In the recent years they have been able to make a name for themselves in Europe as well and have been included on tours with some of the tops acts in psychobilly such as Mad Sin, Nekromantix, & The Meteors. In 2009 they released “Forever For Hire” and at the years end Tommy left the band to pursue a normal life. Shortly thereafter EZ Ian Jarrell took over the guitar and hopped on tour. While on the road they worked on material that would become featured on a split album with The 12 Step Rebels in released in Spring of 2011. Now The Koffin Kats are currently on a North American Tour and have signed with Sailors Grave Records to release the next full length "Our Way & The Highway" in January 2012. HORROR IS DEAD Website Horror Is Dead was formed in the lifeless, grey city of Bartlett, IL in 2006. With harmonized vocals, intricate bass lines, technical drumming, and dramatic guitar riffs, HID brings a new element to the Horror Punk genre. The outspoken, now mastermind behind HID, Johnny Marland has given a new way to look at horror lyrics, and a new chemistry to the music. With original member "Mega" Mark Harrison, and new drummer Brian Leh, HID intends to beat the life back into what is believed as a dead form of punk music.....

Saturday, June 23 • 1:00 AM • All Ages • $10.00

SCHOOL OF ROCK

BEST OF THE SPRING SEASON BEST OF THE SPRING SEASON Website The Best of Season show is an arrangement of the best songs from the School of Rock spring show season. This show is special because we get to see the students perform their best one more time and we partner up with the other schools in the region (Chicago, Highwood, Evanston, Mokena and Naperville!)

Saturday, September 22 • 7:00 PM • Ages 17+ PSYCHOBILLY ALL THE WAY FROM BERLIN/UK!!! $15 IN ADVANCE AND $18 AT DOOR BUY TICKETS! FRANTIC FLINTSTONES FRANTIC FLINTSTONESWebsite THREE BLUE TEARDROPS Website Three Blue Teardrops formed in the fall of 1991. A three piece trio of drums, upright bass and guitar, the band began writing and performing original songs that combined elements of 1970’s punk , gut bucket blues, jungle swing, gospel, garage rock, hillbilly jazz and country harmony to the 1950’s style raw rockabilly sounds of our Rock-N-Roll forefathers to create their own contemporary sound that was not stuck in the trappings of rockabilly, psychobilly, punk, blues or any single musical sub genre. GAMBLERS MARK Website It all started in the foothills of the San Gabriel Valley, where a young David discovered great Blues music at the local pub in the city of Arcadia. It wasnt long before False Idols was formed, they became an eclectic trio whose music style was difficult to coin. After invading the local music scene for nearly three years, the trio dedcided to go their separate ways. Meanwhile, the skills of a young musician were forming, as Dan-e took on the task of learning to play the drums. Inevitably, Dave and Dan-e decided to join forces and establish Gamblers Mark. They had a great run the first time around, but were faced with obstacles to overcome. In reinventing themselves and reinforcing the GM unit, they decided to let Dan-e take over the upright bass and call on Ricky Lobo to take over the drums and back-up vocals. With over nine years drumming experience Ricky proved to be a good choice for the missing link. Gamblers Mark fronted by guitarist and lead vocalist David Arechiga, with Dan-e Arechiga on bass and back-up vocals, and Ricky Lobo on drums and back-up vocals remains a trio whose style isnt easily coined. They bring together many sounds including Rockabilly, Psychobilly, Surf, Ska, Corridos para mover las nalgas, and reved up 50s rock n roll. NOTHING TO GAIN Website From the fires of hell they rise with powerful guitar riffs, pounding bass lines, and intense drummming to make a permanent scar on the Chicago music scene. With influences such as The Koffin Kats, Mad Sin, Eddie Cochran, and Johnny Cash they're not here to tell you how to dress, who to be, or what to believe in. They sing of your nightmares and quiet possibly some of your dreams. Lifes to short to worry about money, politics, and religion so fuck all of that and lets have a good time!!

Photo Filled Recap: Carnivale Delirium at Reggie's Rock Club

Double click slide show for full screen and other options.

There was a fun bit of Steampunkery goin' down at Reggie's Rock Club Friday night, with the second annual Carnivale Delirium.   We enjoyed circus arts for the 17+ crowd including burlesque hooping, freak show tricks like the old nails up the nose bit, lifting heavy things with body parts, juggling, magic and acro.   We also enjoyed fun music from:

Vagabond Opera - Portland, OR

www.VagabondOpera.com

"Unbelievable vaudeville cabaret show and music!"

Veronique Chevalier - Los Angels, CA

www.WeirdVal.com

"Master of Ceremonies and polka aficionado!"

The Dead Man's Carnival - Milwaukee, WI

www.DeadMansCarnival.com

"Circus sideshow and magic act!"

Eerie Twilight - Washington, DC

"Sensual steampunk burlesque!"

Candy Town - Chicago, IL

www.Reverbnation.com/CandyTown

"The ultimate cabaret act!"

The White City Rippers featuring Lula Houp-Garou! - Chicago, IL

www.Myspace.com/BodiceRippers

www.youtube.com/watch?v=V3vwdT-zkP0

"Mechanical squeeze box and theremin band w live sideshow burlesque!"

with additional accompaniment by the...

Lords & Ladies DJs!

"Vaudevillian disc jockey extra-ordinaires!"

www.Soundcloud.com/Steampunk-Chicago-Djs

We particularly dug Vagabond Opera and The White City Rippers with their theremin!!   And of course, the crowd was full of characters and character.   We love an excuse to play dress up.   



Raffle benefits and "Betty Page style retro calendar" sales benefited our friends over at GIRLS ROCK! CHICAGO.   Check out ChiIL Mama's own Sagezilla performing with Girls Rock! at The Metro in June.    Here's Octopie-her first band/first show ever, performing their original Sugarcubesesque punk song, Bloody Unicorn.



 



Thanks Steampunk Chicago!

Check out their site for area Steampunk events and more.