Steampunk thoughts

(I haven't blogged for ages-Well that't not strictly true, I have written many drafts but not felt like posting anything) So in a couple of weekends is The Asylum, probably the 'biggerst' event in the steampunk calander, its like Whitby for Goths, Download for Heavy Metal fans and Glastonbury for Hippies. The Asylum is a event we have't yet attended. Partly for ££££ reasons and partly because as I understand it its a huge old asylum, not the most wheelchair/disabled freindly of places. There was also another event planne for this weekend-The Workhouse. More of a festival type event with camping, bands and traders, which for reasons I don't fully know so cant comment on, has fallen through and been cancelled. And there are a lot of unhappy people on facebook posting about the late cancellation of the event. Even though the acts and some people in the Steampunk community are trying to pull something else together at the last minute (After all Steampunks are nothing if not inventive and resourseful) Now people who know me IRL would attest to how pissed off I would be If I had brought tickets to the Workhorse and it been cancelled. Never mind getting the money back for tickets, there are the transport costs, outfits, accomadation everything else. At the end of the day a cancelled event means out of pocket for the attendees (as well as the organisers). But. And here is the other side of the argument. Something important that I feel has been a bit overlooked, what with the general finacial meltdown for everyone concerned: Steampunk is still a young and evlolving movment. It is in the main organised by Steampunks for Steampunks, its not driven by big buisness. Looking at events like Download. I don't think they are good value for money. Yes if you break down the ticket price then you can get to see a healdine act for about 30 quid. Less than the 30-40 quid to see similar act at the Motorpoint Arean. But you can't see everyone, especally with a multi stage event You can't be in 3 places at once. With the big festivals, the headliners pull out, strop off, get suddenly sick (KoRn are pretty renowed for doing this at Download!) With the Steampunk events this hasn't happened-yet. The events we have attended don't have roped off VIP areas, Steampunk personalities such as The Professor are approachable freindly and down to earth. Its also a lot easter to find (and loose) 50 quid than 200. I know any event takes a lot of organsation behind the scenes, and hats off to people like Darkshines, and Rachel for organising the South Wales events, We as punters just don't see all the hard work they put into them. I for one don't want Steampunk to evolve into some corporate monster, and the price to pay for being a grass roots movment is that sometimes things like the cancelled workhouse event will happen. I will be atendning and trading at Matlock Steampunk Market, With all the flack that has been flying around regarding the Workhorse. I'm hpoing we as a community will pull together again and keep making Steampunk events the sucess they deserve to be.