[4][5] Steam Powered Giraffe (sometimes abbreviated as "SPG") has its own fictional mythology, in which the characters portrayed on-stage and on-record are a troupe of robot musicians constructed in the late 1890s.

This fictional universe, influenced by the steampunk subculture, has been explored and expended in the band's albums and on-stage performance, on official web pages, and via comics primarily written and drawn by Isabella Bennett.

Since its conception, the band has performed at venues including the San Diego Zoo, Legoland California, Downtown Disney, and numerous science fiction, fantasy, anime, and steampunk conventions.

Several of the members of Steam Powered Giraffe met while attending Theatre Arts courses at Grossmont College in El Cajon, California, particularly the pantomime classes of Professor Jerry Hager (26-year Seaport Village mime "Kazoo"[6]).

The original four performers—twins David and "Bunny" Bennett, Jonathan Sprague, and Erin Burke—began busking as quirky robot characters on January 22, 2008 in San Diego's Balboa Park.

[8] David Michael Bennett has stated on the twins' podcast, The Bennettarium, that losing his job in the wake of the 2008 financial crisis spurred him to begin producing the band's first album and subsequently turn Steam Powered Giraffe into a full-time career.

The Bennett twins have stated that the intense repeated performance schedule of the San Diego Zoo shows—every day for 10 straight weeks— was "maddening", but was helpful in honing the group's discipline in live performance;[16] they have also said that despite the exposure and popularity they afforded the group, the early zoo shows were "a poor version of the act", and did not represent their own vision for Steam Powered Giraffe going forward.

[22] On November 2, 2012, Hatchworth made his stage debut with the group at Youmacon in Detroit, Michigan, with Mike Buxbaum of A City Serene filling in on drums.

on July 18, 2013, Steam Powered Giraffe hosted their own one-day convention, Walter Robotics Expo 2013, with vendor tables and appearances by fellow steampunk performers Professor Elemental and The League of S.T.E.A.M..[23][24] On August 9, 2013, the band announced the title to their third album, MK III.

At the beginning of 2014, the character of Rabbit officially became female, coinciding with performer Isabella Bunny Bennett's own public transition as a transgender woman.

[27] On March 18, 2014, it was announced that backing musicians Michael Reed and Matt Smith would no longer be performing members of Steam Powered Giraffe.

The Bennett twins stated on their podcast The Bennettarium that this was to focus more on the theatrical elements of the act and to reduce the cost and logistics of touring.

[28] In September 2014, Steam Powered Giraffe gave their first international performance, playing at the Grand Canadian Steampunk Exposition in Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario.

[32] On December 19, 2016, Steam Powered Giraffe announced that Samuel Luke would be leaving the group to focus on his independent work as an artist and musician.

[citation needed] On January 27, 2018, Steam Powered Giraffe celebrated the band's 10th anniversary with a special concert at the California Center for the Arts in Escondido.

In July 2020, the band announced that due to inappropriate interactions with fans which had come to light after his departure, Steam Powered Giraffe would not be working with Michael Reed again.

Live show sound technician Steve Negrete also resigned from the band in July 2020 due to conduct (not directly related to the Reed allegations) which came to light at the same time.

[47] The Spine (David Michael Bennett) is a futuristic silver robot who wears a wide-brimmed black fedora, and is often the "straight man" in the band's comedic skits.

The Jon (Jonathan Sprague) was an art deco robot with a paneled gold face and a whimsical personality, who wore a stovepipe hat, red suspenders, and a bow tie.