You gotta see this:

A few days ago the call went out for all local Steampunk aficionados to come join a photo shoot that was to take place in the historic precinct on Saturday morning. The purpose was for a spread that the Automobile Association is planning for the autumn issue of their members’ magazine, which will cover road trips in this part of NZ. We have been working with the Steampunk groups to promote their activities, so while we don’t have fully-formed Steampunk personae yet, we do have the beginnings of a Steampunk ensemble, so we thought we’d join in.

If, like Homer Simpson, you’re not familiar with Steampunk, it’s a genre of science fiction that assumes that fashion and technology have not advanced beyond the Victorian era, so the doodads and whatsits that a futuristic person might need (like ray guns, teleporters, and the like) are all steam-powered, using lots of brass, dials and pistons, and their clothing is based on Victorian style. Imagine a Jules Verne or HG Wells movie and you’ve got a good picture of the style.

For a small town like ours, it’s perhaps surprising that there are two Steampunk groups, each of which has its own particular take on the genre. One is quite a bit darker than the other, and has as its symbol a skull-and-gear motif. The other group is more light-hearted, and gets involved in creating modernistic penny farthing bicycles and fanciful characters with interesting back stories.

After taking a bunch of photos in and around the Harbour-Tyne precinct, we adjourned to PYB for some interior shots, which included some fun scenes of Steampunk billiard games and guests playing with some of our gizmos that have a Steampunk look to them. But photos speak louder than words, so take a look at the gallery to get an idea of what went on:

Steampunk car being relocated

JLG in front of Steampunk HQ

An updated penny farthing

Iain and his “Penny Fake-thing”

J2 and the Mayor

J2 at the Steampunk Train

A duel erupts!

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