Gearbox Fantastique II! (Updated!)

So guess where I was on April 14th!

Damn straight, I was at home having a quiet meal wishing that the day would end so that I could get some sleep, only... NOT!

I was at the freakin' GEARBOX FANTASTIQUE II  "A steampunk Circus Spectacle Extravaganza!"

Okay, honest truth, I was pretty much only there to hear V Is For Villains rock the crowds fucking socks off!

A small example of V.i.f.V's epicosity

But while I was there, I suppose that it wasn't so terrible to stick around for the Squidling Brothers and Dead Man's Carnival sideshow acts. Unless you have a weak stomach. Actually unless you can stand watching a man eat his own semen or attach weights to his scrotum (or watch and audience member staple a clowns scrotum to his own leg...) this might NOT be the carnival for you. I unabashedly admit that I spent half of the time with my back to the stage. By the end, myself and two of the other Villains fans had formed a dash (too short to be considered a "line") facing the bar on the back wall.

The ladys who faced the back of the room with me.

As far as I can tell (but don't hold me to it), if you want rat traps on tongues and such, Squidling Brothers is the place to be, if you want magic and gasp-worthy tricks without the flinching and sympathy clutching of certain body parts, may I suggest the Dead Man's Carnival.

Other than that, I really did enjoy the show. Some of the sideshow acts were really great. Betty Bloomers was a pleasure to watch both with blades and with fire, and Prof. Pinkerton Xyloma... well, who could resist that mustache!

All images courtesy of John Conner and Steampunk Chicago

In the middle of the show came Bluebeard's Pirate Comedy, which is always good for a laugh. V Is For Villains, and the other band, Hellblinki, each did two sets, with the sideshow acts laced between everything. It seemed a bit awkward, but certainly kept things going. There were also several vendors with some fantastic merchandise up on the second floor of the venue. Had I the money, I would have gone hog wild at the Highwind Steamworks booth!

Video from that night, courtesy of Steampunk Chicago

While the photography for the night was a bit scattered and I don't know where to find some of it, I believe that most of the pictures may be found in Wes Bolton's facebook album of the event (warning: pierced and stapled testicles ARE visible in some pictures, only less so because they removed the worst of it) and in the John Conner Photobooth album.

Miss DollFace and V.i.f.V's own Mr. Agitator

If you haven't ever heard of Reggies it's a great Chicago venue and the shows there are definitely worth checking out. A slight suggestion though: go with a friend. South Loop at night can get a tad shady. I was there until about 2:30am hanging with the crowd, being entertained, and talking to the performers, when I got out, I found that my car had been stolen. Not the most positive way to end the evening.