On the eve of any momentous occasion, there are those among us who feel destined and compelled — for better or worse, ’til death do us part — to invest some effort into the art & science of the pregame. The reasons are myriad, all worthwhile, and should be obvious.

That being established, next weekend’s Edwardian Ball [FB] (now in its 18th grandiose year) fits the motivational bill juuuuust right, and thus a splinter cell comprised of his idiocy The Klown [FB] and Chicago ambassadors of neo-vintage expeditionary verve, Vourteque [FB] and Samantha Siren [FB], do hereby invite you down a pregame rabbit hole for an early-warning dose of some of this nation’s best subsonically charged sensory cocktails, equal parts electro-swing, electro-blues and swing hop on the music side, and scintillatingly saucy sorcery on the performance side.

FURTHERMORE, this here one thump of an intimate dance-yer-ass-off affair will throb at none other than the teasingly tantalizing Armory Club (in related news…), one of the more exotically exquisite drinking havens in recent memory. Dance in the basement, imbibe at the bars there and upstairs in our reserved back room. 9-10pm meet-n-greet, 10p-2a DJ-fueled dance and S’Siren action.

MOREOVER, no presale tickets for thisun: At the door, pay just $5 with proof of purchase for an Edwardian Ball event of any kind, or just $10 without … JUST pricing, in the parlance of our times — that’s what THAT’s called, planet.

LASTLY, you’ll find Vourteque the following night headlining the Edwardian World’s Faire and accompanied by Miss S’Siren, and The Klown headlining Saturday night’s Edwardian Ball with his Trapeze Worldwide compatriots.

Saddle up, soldiers! WE RIDE!!