momebie: (Architects Derek sit)
momebie ([personal profile] momebie) wrote2011-02-08 12:39 pm

Bandom, I think it's time we had a talk.

No doubt by now you've seen the music video for Panic's new song "The Ballad of Mona Lisa". If you haven't, please go do so here. I'll wait.

Okay, you back with me? I know that was strange for some of you. I know you're not quite sure what to do with all those bits and bobs. I'm here to tell you that it's fine to feel that way. Perfectly normal! And now that we've come to terms with that, we can move on to the important part of this post, which is: THE LEAGUE OF STEAM.

You may have noted that the extras in the video are all dressed a little strangely. (Well, you may have noted that if you could pull your eyes away from Brendon's stupid muppet face. That's okay, I had to watch it four times before I got over his make-up. I was late to work and everything.) Anyway, that's because all of the extras in the video are dressed in the steampunk style. I know those of you who are on my flist have been listening to me ramble about steampunk for YEARS now, but most of bandom is probably a little confused right now so I'm going to ease you into it by explaining some of the extras that appeared in the video and my massive geek crush on them all their affiliation with the steampunk movement. So, down the rabbit hole we go...

The League are something like the steampunk Ghostbusters. They're a cosplay and performance troupe that is based in California somewheres, but they go to a lot of conventions and get up to general steampunk shenanigating which they then share on the internet. We won't go into how giddy I got seeing them around Dragon*Con. I just want to be best friends with all steampunk peoples, you guys. Too bad I'm incredibly awkward and live in Florida where NOTHING HAPPENS. So, on to the members!

This is Crackitus Potts, and he's the first person I noticed in the video that wasn't Brendon.



Crackitus is co-founder of The League of STEAM, and he acts as their Ghoul Containment Specialist. He specializes in non-lethal weapons and equipment, such as the net cannon that is used at the end of the video.

Then there is JayAre, also co-founder and Ectoplasmic Auditory Tracking Specialist.



JayAre has had a recent falling out with Edison Industries and specializes in tracking for the team.

After that we have Baron von Fogel, who is the Aerial Tactical Specialist.



The good Baron has a short-range jump pack (jetpack) which he uses to go after supernatural beings from above.

Next is Sir Conrad Wright III, Vampire Elimination Specialist.



His title says it all, really. Don't you wish Patrick had known about him back during the Little Less Sixteen Candles fiasco?


And if you have a vampire specialist, you have to have Jasper Mooney, Lycanthrope Disposal Specialist to balance it out.



He's pretty much the best at what he does.

And adding a bit of color and sense to any situation is Lady Ameliorette Potts, Co-founder and Tactical Coordination Specialist.



When stupid boys get into trouble, she's the one to sort it.

The League are an adventurous bunch and fly right for the face of danger rather than running away from it. Whether it's Invisible Monkeys:



Vampire Adversaries:



Or their live in Gentleman's Gentleman Zombie, Zed:




They're the guys (and lady!) you want to have around in any sort of supernatural pinch.

In my head, The League of STEAM were at Brendon's wake because someone (possibly Brendon in ghost form) knew there had been foul play and called on them to sort it out. Someone write me THAT FIC. In the meantime, please feel free roll around in steampunk glee like I've been doing since last night. So, was it as good for you as it was for me?


* I'm leaving this unlocked, in case you want to share it.
** All information/pictures taken from The League of STEAM's website and various Youtube videos they've posted. Please go there and learn more about them.
*** If you want more steampunk resources please let me know, since I've been doing pretty much nothing but following and collecting this amazingness since 2008.

[identity profile] fictionalfaerie.livejournal.com 2011-02-08 05:47 pm (UTC)(link)
ilu, thank you for this.
ext_289215: (Architect Derek)

[identity profile] momebie.livejournal.com 2011-02-08 05:49 pm (UTC)(link)
I'm here to help! Actually, I'm here to flail about steampunk, I just don't get to do it very often in this corner of the internet. ♥

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[identity profile] savingcolours.livejournal.com 2011-02-08 06:14 pm (UTC)(link)
Thank you for this! I have always wanted to know more about steampunk. Basically my brain always goes "pretty" and "interesting" and that's pretty much it :P Maybe I should to search the internet and see what I find!
ext_289215: (PATD Brendon bowler)

[identity profile] momebie.livejournal.com 2011-02-08 06:22 pm (UTC)(link)
You're welcome! I hope people find it interesting. As for places to start on the steampunk thing:

* This is a write up I did (http://momebie.livejournal.com/530744.html) shortly after Dragon*Con in 2008 about why I love steampunk.

* This is the message board where they held The Great Steampunk Debate (http://www.greatsteampunkdebate.com/forum/) last year. Lots of discussion of the politics of it, the scene, and literature surrounding it.

* This is The Steampunk Workshop (http://steampunkworkshop.com/), a place for machinists, inventors, and tinkerers. (And those of us who just likes staring at those things.)

* This is Sepiachord.com (http://www.sepiachord.com/), a site that collects and curates steampunk music. I own several of the albums they've released and every one of them makes me giddy.
Edited 2011-02-08 18:23 (UTC)

[identity profile] starsystems.livejournal.com 2011-02-08 06:18 pm (UTC)(link)
NOOO REGION LOCK. FUCK YOU MTV.
*ahem* No, I'm not impatient to see this or anything, what? XD I'll go hunt down a link that works for THE REST OF THE WORLD TOO UGH UGH MTV I HATE YOU SO MUCH.

*cough* xD;
ext_289215: (A:TLA Zuko Unimpressed)

[identity profile] momebie.livejournal.com 2011-02-08 06:25 pm (UTC)(link)
Ah, I forget that MTV are bastards about the area thing. Can you watch this one that's hosted at Tumblr (http://undahpaaants.tumblr.com/post/3181927019)?

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[identity profile] ninepointfivemm.livejournal.com 2011-02-08 06:57 pm (UTC)(link)
1. There is a WILD WEST CON?
2. Why did I not know about this early enough to arrange getting off?
3. That video must've made you happy in your pantaloons.
ext_289215: (A:TLA Sokka OMFG)

[identity profile] momebie.livejournal.com 2011-02-08 07:00 pm (UTC)(link)
THERE IS A WILD WEST CON. I haven't been paying attention to the chatter about it too closely, because I can't afford to go, but the League did make a commercial for it:


Ah...I forget that videos don't like to show up in my comments. I need to figure that out. The commercial is here (http://www.youtube.com/embed/OvUNlQuQgxU) at any rate.


My pantaloons are near ecstatic. We may have to bear them to the fainting couch forthwith.
Edited 2011-02-08 19:01 (UTC)

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[identity profile] quatredeathlady.livejournal.com 2011-02-08 08:30 pm (UTC)(link)
I am not in bandom (and, like others, only know steampunk enough to think "cool" and "pretty" etc., etc.), but now I totally know what you mean when you say he has a muppet face. I didn't notice it so much in other Panic! videos, but in this one his facial expressions were mesmerizing. XD

Also, showing I know nothing about bandom...I thought Panic! broke up? I love their music, though, so I am not complaining about this surprise song.
ext_289215: (Panic team at the disco!)

[identity profile] momebie.livejournal.com 2011-02-08 08:40 pm (UTC)(link)
A. Panic! did break up. Or rather, Jon and Ryan left to start a band called The Young Veins so they could keep pretending they lived in the sixties and snorting coke. Or something. (That sounds harsh. In real life Ryan is pretty much my favorite, I just prefer Panic's music to TYV's music.) Because Jon and Ryan left and Brendon and Spencer have carried on, people will yell and say they didn't really break up. But they did. They're not the band they were. That said, I'm really excited by this video and the new single and the snippets of album I've heard, because if Brendon and Spencer are going back to something that's more Fever I am ALL OVER IT. I really enjoyed the stories in Fever.

B. Brendon looks so much like a muppet. I just. I think it's in the mouth somewhere. (He's a hot muppet though, which is what I can't quite figure out.)

Image

Image

Image

Image

Image

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[identity profile] spikesnflowers.livejournal.com 2011-02-08 09:07 pm (UTC)(link)
Ahhhh thank you. It actually makes sense now. I've always though Steampunk looked awesome, but I had no idea where to start. Thank you for this excellent introduction!
ext_289215: (FOB Patrick/Pete Dorks)

[identity profile] momebie.livejournal.com 2011-02-08 09:14 pm (UTC)(link)
I love steampunk, but I've been following it for several years now and I know it can be overwhelming. If you're curious about steampunk in general I've left some links here (http://momebie.livejournal.com/775389.html?thread=12207069#t12207069). They're a good place to start. :D

[identity profile] sweetnovicane.livejournal.com 2011-02-08 10:22 pm (UTC)(link)
Even crazier is that two of the AnachroCon directors were extras in the video as well and they pretty much know everyone I know in the Atlanta Steampunk community. And I think Steampunk Fett knows the League of S.T.E.A.M. as well.

I think my social circles have drawstrings.
ext_289215: (Batwoman signal)

[identity profile] momebie.livejournal.com 2011-02-08 11:55 pm (UTC)(link)
A friend tweeted at me to tell me she'd seen [livejournal.com profile] mastergode in the vid. (It's weird how I know about him outside of steampunkness, because two of my friends who DON'T TALK TO EACH OTHER told me to friend him on LJ years ago. Apparently they'd both been at University with him and knew that I had an interest in things he talked about.) And it wouldn't surprise me at all if Steampunk Fett did know them. From the outside--since I'm just a Lurky McLurker--it looks like a pretty small community of people who get on pretty well.

And dude, my world gets smaller every freaking day. Randomly, at dinner tonight Lisa suggested that Panic! should take a steampunk band on tour with them and I was all 'TELL ASH. MAKE THEM BRING THE CONTRAPTIONS.' Because, you know, that would be entirely too amusing.
Edited 2011-02-08 23:55 (UTC)

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[identity profile] baron-von-fogel.livejournal.com 2011-02-08 11:11 pm (UTC)(link)
Thank you so much for this! We were totally surprised and this really made our day. We really appreciate you spreading the word about the League, and this sort of enthusiastic support from our audience is why we absolutely love doing what we do!

We're so proud to have been part of this project... it was really fun to work with such a talented group of performers and filmmakers in this kind of collaboration. I'm so happy that the finished product reflects all of that creativity and hard work from everyone involved.

We're working on getting the entire League out to Dragon*Con this year, so perhaps we'll see you there! Yeah, you heard me right... the entire League. Hopefully that works out.

Thanks again!
ext_289215: (Default)

[identity profile] momebie.livejournal.com 2011-02-09 12:12 am (UTC)(link)
I mostly threw this together because I saw several people about the net comment on how they were confused by the band's style change, but honestly, you guys keep being awesome and I'll keep shanghaiing people into appreciating what you do. I've kind of just become that person on people's flists who babbles about steampunk all the time, and it's really cool to have concrete things on the internet to point to and say 'look, this is why it's so great'. Your website and the videos you put up are a big help there.

I do hope you guys can work out getting everyone to Dragon*Con. That would be fun! It's been really cool watching the way the Alt History track has evolved over the last couple of years, and as the quiet kid who sits in the corner, I can't help but feel that the more sorts of events that are held and people involved the better. I live pretty far away from the dedicated steampunk cons, so I'm generally excited about any sort of steampunk goodness I can participate in at D*C.

So no, THANK YOU.

[identity profile] scribewraith.livejournal.com 2011-02-09 12:37 am (UTC)(link)
Not enough Spencer *pouts*

I'm still undecided about this track, I should through it on my mp3 player for wandering around and it'll grow on me more and I have to admit that I'm curious about their choice to steampunk it up. MCR's killjoys makes sense - they're gamer geeks, they're comic geeks and they've been watching dystopic stuff since they were in diapers for sure, but panic and steam is a little more off for me and I love Pete Wentz but he's shrewd. On the other hand: yay for more steam punk in the media and people getting paid work, right?
ext_289215: (PATD Spencer ruffled)

[identity profile] momebie.livejournal.com 2011-02-09 01:14 am (UTC)(link)
Here you go!

Image

You know what I honestly see it as? A return to Fever. Sure it's not straight up circus stunts any more, but it's a similar feel and a sense of story that things off Pretty. Odd. didn't carry with them. At least, in my opinion. I'm not sure why they decided to work it into a steampunk motif, but I feel like it works with the story of the video, as rules for the dead aren't something that are widely respected these days (I don't believe) so you have to throw it back a bit. Would I have enjoyed it just as much if they'd gone realistically period with it? Yes. But I don't hold them wanting to have fun and explore this element of style against them. Of course, I am always happy when people in my favorite little sub-culture get more exposure and paid to do awesome work. Do I expect Panic to keep up with the theme? No. But I'll be amused if they do.

The track I've been singing to myself for weeks.

As for Pete, he is shrewd. The video for 'A Club Called Heaven' was kind of ridiculously inspired, when you take the feel of the song and current internet trends into account. One of the steampunk DJs spins it in his sets, and I didn't hesitate to post it to Retrofuturistique, because it DOES have that retro-futuristic feel to it.

I do agree that MCR's fling with dystopia feels a little more genuine, but any time the Universe wants to take two of my interests and mash them together (as it has done with each of the bands/songs I've mentioned here) I'll be stoked about it.
Edited 2011-02-09 01:36 (UTC)
ext_303: ([bandom] don't panic!)

[identity profile] barbed-whispers.livejournal.com 2011-02-09 12:46 am (UTC)(link)
brendon with the graying hair shouldn't be hot, AND YET.
ext_289215: (Bleach i <3 nerds)

[identity profile] momebie.livejournal.com 2011-02-09 01:18 am (UTC)(link)
The world works in strange, miraculous ways.

[identity profile] seratonation.livejournal.com 2011-02-09 07:28 am (UTC)(link)
*rolls around in the new AU canon*

thank you for this! will be spreading it because people need to know more :D:D
ext_289215: (Abraham Lincoln!)

[identity profile] momebie.livejournal.com 2011-02-09 03:29 pm (UTC)(link)
Please do! I love getting new people interested in steampunk. ♥

[identity profile] mrsquizzical.livejournal.com 2011-02-09 09:12 am (UTC)(link)
i do love that they have these 'real deal' people in there! that's awesome. i hope it becomes the 'theme' of the tour and everything!
ext_289215: (Nerdfighters Looking Good)

[identity profile] momebie.livejournal.com 2011-02-09 03:31 pm (UTC)(link)
They definitely put themselves in good hands for this video. And I wouldn't mind at all if they carried that look on for a bit.

[identity profile] brilliant-snark.livejournal.com 2011-02-09 05:05 pm (UTC)(link)
I am late to this party, but having caught up and watched the vid, and read comments so far, I can only go "fffffffffffffffffffffffff".

LEAGUE! DRAGON*CON! THIS IS MY YEAR TO STOP LURKING AND DIVE INTO STEAMPUNK!! (OH GOD, I HAVE NEWS, I SHOULD EMAIL YOU...)

Oh, and considering I've liked Panic for a while, how did I not realize the drummer was so cute?
ext_289215: (Doctor Who Eleven arms open)

[identity profile] momebie.livejournal.com 2011-02-09 07:02 pm (UTC)(link)
DRAGON*CON. DIVE INTO STEAMPUNK AND TAKE ME WITH YOU. You know, so I stop just sitting in the back of the room during panels and taking massive amounts of notes. I do pretty much camp out in the Alt History track, though, so I will totally be your buddy there.

E-MAIL ME NEWS.

Spencer's adorable. But then, they're all pretty adorable.

[identity profile] airgiodslv.livejournal.com 2011-02-18 08:41 am (UTC)(link)
I am SO FASCINATED by all of this. I've been scratching my head in intrigue at steampunk for ages now. Thank you!