Amanda Fucking Palmer

First of all – here is what I wore:

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Ew, my stockings are falling down a bit. I need to get some garters.

  • Black lace dress with lace tail. (Smoove, on sale for 50%)
  • Black leather bustier (21st birthday present from a big group of friends. One day I will tell the amusing story of how we found this corset.) It’s beautiful and very unique – I think it’s been handmade. It’s lots of little scrappy squares of leather sewn together into the bustier. There’s no boning so I won’t call it a “corset” but the stiffness of the leather gives it a nice shape.
  • Red ribbed thigh-high socks, from Sock Dreams (present from wonderful Mum and Dad Metal.) They’re so lovely and warm
  • Steel-cap NZ-Safety boots
  • Orange scarf, gift from Mum Metal, from Australia (not many of you would know this, but orange is actually my favorite colour. Or would be, if I could see colours.)
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I have a tail!

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Orange Scarf

I’ve seen Amanda Palmer before, when she came with the Dresdon Dolls in 2006, I think it was. They were most excellent then, but now, she’s incredible. Ten minutes before Hera, the opening act, was to start, she came out into the bar to give out hugs and sign stuff. I got me a hug, and one of my postcards signed. She’s tiny, and lovely. I went by my lonesome, but met up with my friend Levi and some of his friends, Max from the good ole Hawke’s Bay, sporting some fine steampunkey threads, Vince and Louisa (hi guys!) who were all very lovely. I squeezed my way to the front for the show.

Everyone’s jostling to get the three inches closer to the front of the stage, the lights dim, and nothing happens. Suddenly, everyone turns around. Amanda’s on top of the bar, dressed in a corset and star-spangled stockings, singing “he’s making whoopie” and strumming her Ukelele. She saunters up to the stage, sits down at the keyboard and hits a dramatic first note. Nothing happens. Que soundman – who manages to make the keyboard work. She opens with two songs from her solo project, Who Killed Amanda Palmer? – “Ampersand” and “Astronaut”.

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Amanda Palmer

If you go to an Amanda Palmer show, you can’t expect to just stand there, arms folded, and watch. It’s an entire performance experience. You, as the audience, collectively create the experience. She encourages this. One of the first thing she said when she saw two of the girls in front of me trying to take photos of the setlist (why? I don’t know) was “Don’t worry about that. I don’t use it anyway. I normally just ask what you guys want to hear. I want you to tell me “.

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Next, we had “Ask Amanda” where we all wrote questions down on scraps of paper and passed them onto the stage. The first one she pulled out wanted her to tell us about the first song she ever wrote. We asked her to play it: Herein follows the delightful video evidence (poor Amanda.)

She then performed an Exorcism on the first Twilight book.

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Twilight Exorcism

What did we have next? More song requests: “Oasis”, “Half Jack”, “Coin-Operated Boy”, a brilliant cover of Michael Jackson’s “Billy Jean” (it has to be good for me to say this because I’ve never liked Michael Jackson songs. Don’t shoot me – it’s just not my thing). Then she played the song she wrote in Wellington, NZ, backstage during her last tour. I have a video of that, too.

10 Reasons Why Amanda Palmer is awesome

  1. She’s a testament the power you have to touch people’s lives with music, especially when you reach out to fans over and above simply writing and releasing songs.
  2. She’s a shining example of how an effective use of blogging and social media can grow your business and totally change your career
  3. When she performs, she gives it everything she’s got. I’ve seen bands who “go through the motions” but when she plays, you feel as though you’re hearing this song as she writes it, with all the emotion dripping from her voice
  4. She is clueless about pop culture
  5. She’s beautiful, inside and out
  6. She writes crazy, wild music about life in all it’s glory, beauty and folly
  7. She loves Black Sabbath
  8. She’s brutally honest and completely open
  9. She creates am incredible live atmosphere because of her devotion to creating the show YOU want to see. Her shows are more a conversation between herself and the audience. I believe they call it “breaching the wall”. I wish more bands would embrace this – I’ve only seen one metal band do this, and that was Opeth.
  10. She’s engaged to Neil Gaimen, which shows us all she has impeccable taste.

So yeah, I had a good night. How did you spend St. Patrick’s Day?

Steff

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Cthulhu’s Closet: 12 March 2010

I got it! I finally got it!

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Velvet Mechanism steampunk corset

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You can even see the straps where the spats were attached to the soldier's trousers

I am wearing:

    Corset, from Velvet Mechanism, made from an upcycled pair of WWII army spats.
    black shirt, the Warehouse
    black skinny pants, Just Jeans
    pirate belt, Supre
    leather pouch – the case from my binoculars
    boots – Jeffrey Campbell
    cross necklace – brought from an amazing little gift shop in my hometown. I’d originally brought it to wear at the wedding, but when I put my wedding dress on, it didn’t actually need a necklace.
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The cross is made of blown glass, and is reversable - the other side has an amazing rainbow of swirled colours

I couldn’t be happier with the corset. I perhaps ordered a slightly smaller size than I should have, but it still looks amazing (I tied it myself in these photos, so it’s quite loose). It’s not a tight-lacing corset like my Gallery Serpentine one, but it does give a very nice line to the upper torso, especially because the stiff canvas fabric doesn’t have much give. I love the dangling straps and grommet detailing from the original spats. If you want one for yourself, there’s still a couple left in her shop, last time I checked. These spats are quite rare, so I’d hop to it, if I were you.

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Steampunk corset!

We’ve just been out to buy a DVD from a horror film – Deathwatch – CDH saw years ago and can’t get out of his head. I am head to desk, finishing off some copywriting work (I’m so late! It’s been a hectic week) and working on my novel. I am not emerging from my office till I’ve fixed 100 pages of text. I’m on page 36. It will take awhile.

Have yourself an amazing weekend \m/
Steff

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Cthulhu’s Closet: Rocky Horror Picture Show

I know it’s been a week, but I took these before the Rocky Horror Picture Show hen’s night I went to last weekend, and totally forgot to post them.

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I am wearing:

  • white shirt with ruffly sleeves, Farmers
  • satin slip nightdress, present from mum
  • black dress, from Salvation Army op shop
  • black shirt, from Salvation Army op shop
  • black wool stockings, present from CDH-in-law
  • Jeffrey Campbell boots, present from Mom and Dad metal :) (love you guys!)

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I am meant to be Magenta, although I am more like “Magenta after she’s had her hair straightened.)

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I am re-re-re-RE-editing my novel before it goes to the editor (hopefully end of March-mid April) and adding more paintings to the shop. What are you up to today?

Steff

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Steampunk Birthday Party: The Great Bogan Train Robbery

What did you do on Sunday? I had the best day ever.

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See? We did actually hijack a train.

CDH and I and 20 of our closest friends spent the day at Glenbrook Vintage Railway. Now, this may not sound exciting, but with 20 metalheads, anything can … and does … become automatically awesome.

I decided I wanted a steampunk-themed birthday party, to celebrate finishing (and possibly selling) my steampunk novel this year. As you all know, metalheads love to dress up, so the idea of pulling out the corsets and crinolines and bustles and fantasy goggles appealed to all our friends, who put serious effort into their costumes for the day.

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Amy and Kelli rocking their handmade steampunk outfits

Amy and Kelly came around to our place earlier to get dressed. They made their steampunk outfits themselves, and had raided the local antique shops for their hats and watches and telescopes.

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Gallery Serpentine corset

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I'm on a train! (it's cooler than being on a boat)

I wore:

  • black tulle skirt, $4 from second-hand shop
  • black ruffled shirt, from Smoove, a present from friends for my last birthday
  • Forest green corset, from Gallery Serpentine
  • Pandora beads, including cute new Pumpkin bead from Jessocles and JP for my birthday
  • Top hat, from Camden markets – with Essex badge and cameo broch on it.
  • fingerless gloves, Glassons
  • chainmail spike bracelet, gift from BFF linley from the US
  • Leonardo de Vinci socks, from Sock Dreams (gift from parents – who rock!)
  • Jeffrey Campbell boots (another gift from parents – who doubly rock!)
  • studded SDP belt (from somewhere in Aus), Skull and crossbones belt (Supre, of all places!), eyelet clip thing from bondage pants, chains (from Glassons, years ago!), leather pouch from a pair of binoculars
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Iris and Steff

Iris looked beautiful, as usual, and had her goggles made by a friend who creates movie props. They looked amazing.

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Kelli, Aaron and Amy

Aaron looked like a dapper genteel serial killer. He made his glasses himself, including the laser sight.

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You rang?

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Liz in her steampunk costume

Liz had another awesome costume – she made her goggles and watch herself, and found her jewellry and her wicked camera (you cn just see it behind her arm) at an antique store.

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Tarah and Tim in steampunk costume (beautiful photo by Ryan Fogarty)

Tarah – who I think must be one of the most beautiful ladies in the world - and Tim, looking quite dapper for a drummer.

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Levi's got me!

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CDH - the "running wild fan"

CDH came dressed as “a Running Wild fan”. He prefers to stand behind the camera.

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Help!

If you want to have a similiar birthday, these tiny vintage railways exist all over the world. They’re usually run by volunteers and are quite inexpensive to visit. We chartered a carriage for the entire day for $250, which split between 20 people, turned out to be about $12 each, plus $1 extra for a jigger ride. The railway put some trestle tables in the carriage for us and we each brought a plate of food and drink to share.

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Horns Up! \m/

We had heaps of fun taking crazy photos on and off the trains. The Glenbrook railway stops at the maintenance sheds for 10 minutes each trip, so we had several stationary trains to climb over as well. The other visitors kept stopping us for photos – and the volunteers thought us great fun.

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So long! Do forget to write!

I’m going to have to think of something extra-awesome for next year to top this. Any ideas?

Steam up!
Steff

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Cthulhu’s Closet: What I Wore 17 Feb

Guten Tag!

I wore this outfit to the old-timey theatre my husband discovered just around the corner from our house last weekend, and I liked the combo so much I wore it to German class this week, too.

steff-metal-cthulhu-closet-red-dressI am wearing:

  • red dress from everyone’s favorite alternative NZ shop, Smoove – a gift from the gorgeous Elizabeth
  • black sparkly belt from a ValleyGirl skirt. I would much prefer a studded belt here, but I didn’t have one that sits up this high. I intend to remedy this forthwith. At least this one is black.
  • Red and black striped skull-and-crossbones socks, from … um, I’ve totally forgotten. I’ve had them for YEARS. They have no heels but I can’t bear to part with them.
  • black short-sleeve shirt, Salvation Army second-hand shop.
  • Black workboots. My usual.
  • Blue (I think) stone necklace from Indigo – a hippy shop with particularly wicked jewellery – in Hawke’s Bay. Mum brought me this necklace for my seventh form ball.
  • Red velvet bag with jesters bells, a present from CDH, from the medieval market in Hamburg.

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I am listening to Arch Enemy as I type, Doomsday Machine. Fuuuuuuk, it’s a good album. That perfect mix of death and melody. I love it.

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you can "kinda" see my necklace here. I have to get better at taking these bloody photos

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My parentals are coming to visit this weekend, yay! I have a few ideas for things we can do, and I can’t wait to show them our house and my studio and artwork, and maybe go to the old timey theatre and see Astral Forge play.

I’ve written my two article posts for next week, and they are ho-ho-larious, if I do say so myself. Thank you for reading Steff Metal, because without you, I would feel pretty silly writing all this stuff.

Horns up to you, my friends \m/ Tschuss!
Steff Metal

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Cthulhu’s Closet – what I wore 9 Feb 2010

I am bumming around le house. It is bloody hot here. The poor cat is just rolling on the concrete downstairs, mewing at me to put her out of her misery.

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I make a face

I am wearing:

  • black GLP skirt
  • black hippy top with lace panels over tummy.
  • Wacken wristband (always and forever)
  • Egyptian amulet (dead man) and replica Saxon coin (Oxford, England) necklaces.

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Oooh, I found an ancient book
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I'm hiding!

I do so adore these coin necklaces – I have a few of them now – everyone knows how much I love ancient things.

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Coins on chains

Many things are happening this week. Today I venture to the market and go back through my blog and correct every misspelling of “krieg” I can find :). On thursday Ryan comes over to drop off my brand new (re: secondhand) photo printer, so I can start making artwork prints for the Steff Metal shop. On Friday I am having dinner at Revive with a friend – it’s “S” week, so I get $4 off my meal, yay. On Saturday I am hopefully going to Paganfest (the Morrinsville one, not the Hamburg one, sadly) so I can wear my pretty medieval dress. On Sunday I am editing the seven thousand, eight hundred and twenty two things CDH found wrong with my novel.

A lady from Woman’s Weekly interviewed me about our wedding, so that will be appearing in an upcoming magazine. Fun!

What are you wearing and what are you doing today?

Steff

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Cthulhu’s Closet – What I Wore Jan 15 2010

Today I am dressed up to go see “Where the Wild Things Are” with friends. It is stinking hot here, and I an trying to dress accordingly. The movie was good – a lot better than Avatar in my opinion. There were no straight cut good guys/bad guys. You left the theatre not sure if everything was actually resolved. It really made you think. It didn’t have a neatly tied=up happy ending, which I appreciate. Yes, it was a good film.

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We had friends over to chill out afterward, and I’ve made an apple crumble and defrosted some lamb racks to make for the in-laws, who are coming over for dinner tonight. Eeeee!

And yes, I sorta, kinda understand that red and orange and paisley don’t really go together. I also don’t care.

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I am wearing:

  • Orange shorts from H&M in Norway
  • Wacken shirt, from Wacken, Germany
  • black military vest, boys deparment of Postie Plus
  • Paisley necktie, worn as belt, from second hand shop in Hawke’s Bay
  • black stud belt
  • black eyelet belt
  • Red and Black striped socks with skulls and crossbones, under steel cap boots.
  • Necklaces: Thor’s hammer, and celtic knotwork. Cuff: skull, gift from friends
  • Sword: all mine! Made by husband for our swords training.

See my necktie belt?

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What are you up to this weekend?

Steff

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Cthulhu’s Closet – Black Metal Inspired

We’re going out tonight, to dinner and the movies with friends. We haven’t decided whether we shall see The Lovely Bones or Avatar. It is a surprise movie!

I have been listening to lots of black metal lately, so I tried to create a black metal-inspired outfit for tonight. I don’t wear makeup so I haven’t done any corpse paint, but I have even brought out my old 1 inch spikes!
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Steff’s Black Metal playlist (and yes, I know some of these wouldn’t “technically” be considered Black Metal. Bite me.):

Behemoth – Evengelion
Blut aus Nord –
Emperor – In the Nightshade Eclipse
Bathory – Hammerheart
Bathory – Under the Sign of the Black Mark
Bathory – Blood Fire Death
(in case you couldn’t tell, I’m a bit of a Quorthorn fangirl)
Mayhem – Die Mysteriis dom Sathamas
Ulver – Nattans Madrigal
Darkthrone – A Blaze in the Northern Sky
Darkthrone – Transylvanian Hunger
Enslaved – Eld
Immortal – Pure Holocaust
Carpathian Forset – Black Shining Leather
Burzum – filosofern
Burzum – Hvis Lyset tar Oss
Storm – Nordavind
Summoning – Dol Guldur
Rotting Christ – Thy Mighty Contract
Rotting Christ – A Dead Poem

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I am wearing

    Bloodstock tee shirt
    Black straight-leg pants (Just Jeans)
    Black boots, Number One Shoe Warehouse
    Studded belt, SVP, from Australia
    Spiked and studded cuffs, various $1 shop stores around NZ
    Thors Hammer, Wulflund, gift from a friend

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What are you up to tonight? Have fun and stay kreig!

Steff

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Cthulhu’s Closet – Christmas Edition

I have returned from the Hawke’s Bay, and I am wearing christmas presents!

my hair got in my face

I love the skully stockings!

Bogan Baby tee

I am wearing:

    “Bogan Baby” tee shirt, made by my sister, featuring the world’s awesomest nephew (mine!) wearing a shirt I brought him from Wacken and looking totally kreig
    orange shorts from H&M
    Skully tights from Jessocles in Sydney. I loves them, thank you Jessocles!
    work boots
    lapis lazuli beaded necklace, from my Mom.

Look, ORANGE! BAM!

I’ve had a wonderful couple of days chillin’ with my family. We had 14 people over for Christmas lunch, and my mom managed to cook the most AMAZING Christmas spread (turkey, ham, THE WORLD’S BEST STUFFING, salad, potatoes, peas, bread, pickles, gingerbread cookies, pavlova, trifle (well, I made this, and it was yum), jelly, fruit and christmas pudding with custard. She did all this with minimal help and while still being involved in Christmas fun , which officially makes her the best mom ever.

I was, as usual, spoiled. My folks got us ACDC tickets and a new towel set. CDH’s folks got us English comedy DVDs (apparently it’s blasphemous I’ve never seen Porridge or The Two Rhonnies or One Foot in the Grave), and tickle me elmo gloves (Why, oh good lord why?) and a lovely dining room table so we don’t have to eat on the floor. CDH brought me a multi-colored drawer unit for my office (it’s seriously awesome and I’m enjoying filling it up with stuff) and a Hammer Horror book, my sis made us both Bogan Baby shirts. Friends gave us trinkets from England (skull pens and pewter tank statues FTW), a book on Greek cooking, an outdoor lantern and my new skully socks.

Merry Christmas everybody \m/

I hope you’re having a wonderful holiday so far. Mine is filled with writing and more writing. And then I take a break with more writing. But seriously, have awesome fun, whatever you do and wherever you are. Stay Kreig \m/

Horns Up for the Holidays!
Steff

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Cthulhu’s Closet: What I Wore 18 December 2009

Today, I am Gypsy Metalhead, ready for a day of lounging around the house, looking at the train shop with CDH, writing my novel, baking cookies and quiche, and going to a gig later. Even though I’m just lounging around the house I’m trying to come up with outfits that make me feel happy.

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I am wearing:

    3-tiered long green skirt, from the NZ Gypsy Fair
    Orange gypsy bell ankle bracelet, brought by my awesome mother for my 21st costume (I was Cleopatra)
    Black leather corset (also a 21st present, from a group of friends. The corset was originally attached to a hideous seventies-style tiered skirt, but we cut that off and HELLO AWESOME!
    Eyelet strap (decoration from a pair of shorts) worn as a collar.
    Egyptian Cartouche, Saxon coin and Egyptian medallion necklaces.

My ankle bracelet makes jangle jangle bells everywhere I walk. It’s awesome. The cat keeps trying to bite my ankle.

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Ooooh, the buzzer just rung on the oven! I must go tend to the goodies!

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Horns Up \m/
Steff Metal

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