The Convention: Gear Con (Steampunk)
The Place: Lloyd’s Center Doubletree Inn
The Dates : 5 -7 July 2013
Gear Con is Portland’s premier Steampunk convention. Both Hello Kitty and Chococat plushiest were my companions. I was apprehensive at fist, notably this was my fist Steampunk convention but not sure I would be accepted. I am gladly report I was wrong.
Saturday: I skipped out Friday because I w as busy and head over to the convention and bough an one day pass, nit sure I wanted to stay a second day. My plan was to get a full Steampunk experience, I marveled at the creations in the art solon, I sat in some of the Steampunk author readings and sat in on some panels. Most of the time I took a lot pictures and talk to some others. I found them to be very friendly group of people, calming my fears I would be shunned buy a clichéd fandom for even daring to show up in street clothing. After dinner at a local Ethiopian restraint I check out the evening entertainment. I was a little annoyed that the consort started late. First up was a set by Poplock Holmes, a Steampunk Rapper and his DJ who use a Theremin instead scratching recodes. Unfortunately the vocal sound channel was not very good and I could not hear him very well. After a swing group came the main attraction Abby Park. They were ok it just I not a Rock n Roll guy. I went home after the first set.
Sunday: I had so much fun Saturday I decided to make it a weekend. There was not much in the way of panels but I did like the Victorian Martial Arts Symposium and (Bartitsu Work-shop) I never know such martial arts exist. I spent the rest of the time hanging around until closing ceremony.
The Good: Meeting other and a new fandom
The Bad: a minor issue about sound quality at the Saturday Night concert.
The Ugly: Nothing
Notable Quote: Steampunk is where Anime fans go with they are sick of anime fandom.
I enjoyed going t to Garcon. I find Steampunk a open and friendly fandom. Steampunk share in a trait with the Fury fandom: both Furries and Steampunk are fans of their own creation. I am not suppressed that furries cross over to the Steampunk culture. Steampunk can teach the Furry fandom what is like to be an intergenerational fandom. I seen babies dressed in Steampunk to elderly couples.
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