The scene has broad appeal. Not only is the music upbeat and exuberant, but it goes hand in hand with the rise in popularity of burlesque nights and a desire for clubbers to dress up. It’s also probably no coincidence that it soundtracked some of the leanest years of the last century. “Yes, there’s a parallel,” says Steamboat Bordello organiser Jake Evans. “It’s a response to things getting grey, mean and pinched on the financial front. People like a bit of escapism, to be able to pretend for a few hours on a Saturday night that they live a champagne lifestyle that harks back to the flapper era.”