Greetings my dear Gothlings!
That’s right! You heard me correctly! Underworld’s next big event on Wednesday, December 23rd, at the Sullivan Room, will feature a most unique Pageant. Wanna part-ti-ci-pate? Click on the graphic below to learn more & to sign up!
Greetings my dear Gothings!
Let me first start off by saying: HO-LEE-SHIT!!! Did anyone catch the license plate number of that party that hit me last Sunday night?!? If there ever was a once-a-year, must-go-to, can’t-miss-this, party in our scene, The Bank Reunion at Club Element this past Sunday night night was it! Virtually everyone in the scene (and then some) attended this colossal shin-dig enmasse, and I have never (in my few years covering the Goth Culture) seen an event this crowded before 11pm! Maybe coming at a close second would be the Bi-Annual SMack! parties, when it was held at the same venue.
From what I heard on the streets, it was estimated to have been approximately 1,200 people in and out of the event over the course of the entire 6 hour evening! At around 12:30am it got so crowded that it was close to impossible to get around, let alone move floor to floor. Moreover, since the venue’s management underestimated the turnout, they failed to employ the proper number of bar-staff, thus resulting in up to a half an hour wait for a drink! At one point, when I was feeling somewhat parched, I simply bought two drinks just to save myself the wait of the next one…smart, huh? And speaking of drinks, the one major gripe everyone had upon their lips that night was the venue’s elevated dink costs. To put it into perspective, they had a Blood Bath drink special…nothing shocking there…but the drink (special) price was $7.00! uh…anywhere else in the scene that would be the normal asking price of a Blood Bath! What was so special??? Mixed drinks, I overheard, were in the $10 to $12 dollar range and above…ouch! And the beers started at $6.00(ish). maybe in hindsight actually was beneficial to your wallet to wait more than a half an hour to get your next drink!
O.k., so the overcrowding and the expensive drinks are really the only negative elements of the night. Other than that, this event was amazing!!! Truth be told, Club Element has one of, if not the, best sound systems in a club, in our scene. Did you know that in the lower level, known as “The Vault,” in those small sectioned off rooms between the bar and dance floor, the speakers on the wall each have a volume control knob that you can adjust?!? That is too cool!!! Check it out when I host Ravenholm in The Vault on October 15th…but I digress. Those getting an extra kick of the state-of-the-art sound system were, of course, the DJs. The impressive, and reunited DJ list included: Ian Fford, Rob Xian, Patrick, Cyn, Hellraver, Krieg, and Father Jeff; each of them concentrating on pure Goth classics. The dance floor was swaying with bodies in unison like a snake under the hypnotic charm of a Fakir…and although the DJs all look very serious and focused as they toiled at their craft, they were undoubtedly loving every last luscious minute of their sets!
The thing I enjoyed most however was how low-key the event was (in form). Let me explain: The upstairs (main) area of Club Element tends to want to be rather ultra-posh and glamorous…something we Goths tend to shy or claw away from, that is why we prefer “The Vault” downstairs. On Sunday, however, the lighting and atmosphere, although crowded, was held constant and not flashy, which was a very welcomed detail. The only other thing I (and a lot of the Goth crowd) wish the promoters would have done was enforce at least an “all black minimum” dress code. I know that they were trying to lure those who have drifted away from the scene, and it goes very well with our “September is…Reintroduce a former Goth to the scene Month,” but some of those people could have made the slightest of effort. Hell! I even saw one guy in a red, white, and blue Hawaiian shirt!!! Really?!? Waddayagonnadoo? Those who did dress the part really did go all out to look impeccable! I still don’t understand how Shien Lee, organizer/promoter of Dances of Vices, got around in that stunning Victorian dress.
With the success of the Bank Reunion attempt, I am not sure if the promoters will wait another 10 years to have another installment or have it become a yearly event (the Club Element management would be fools not to slot this event for next year’s Labor Day Sunday, and more after that), which I would deem as a very wise thing to do! Maybe it is not just a Bank reunion…but a Bank comeback…think about it.
See you in the Dark!
Sir William Welles
Greetings my dear Gothlings!
O.k., I’m not going to beat around the (black rose) bush here: If you have been to the Saturday weekly Asylum Guild nights (now moved to QXT’s every first Saturday of the month) when it was held at The Pyramid Club’s lower level…you are going to be treated to pretty much the same thing, like it or not (I can hear the DJs/promoters grinding their teeth as I type! LOL!). HOWEVER (!!!), the Defcon event does reserve certain (less is more) surprises up its sleeve that separates it from its former self. Think of it as a sort of evolution.
First, and what I think might be the most important, is the fact that the music isn’t as loud as when it was Asylum Guild…Oh! It’s still loud…just not AS loud (thump-thump!). You have to understand, the lower level has maybe only an 7 or 8 foot ceiling compared to the upstairs section that has a ceiling somewhere between 18 to 20 feet. Sound waves travel faster and have more impact on your eardrums in a smaller space…simple science. Verdict: less loud = more enjoyable!
The second, and my favorite, surprise is that someone had the brilliant idea to quarter off the bar area from the dance floor with a simple, yet effective, thick black curtain. Now, this downstairs area was small enough, granted, but somehow this ingenious detail not only cuts down any music bombardment even further, but it also creates a more intimate area, something the upstairs (main) space severely lacks! Moreover, this simple curtain also forces those entering the space to delve deeper into it to explore it inadvertently creating a more filled venue. And even further, this curtain, on the other side, creates a tighter, more intimate and intense dance floor where one can lose one’s self in the dancing instead of feeling as though they were on stage or on display.
The third surprise is the music itself! The Industrial/EBM/Electro heavy tunes being spun is well crafted by an impressive line-up of resident DJs that are experts at this type of music. The DJ are: Hellraver, Krieg, Stalagmike, Merc, and Wintermute, and that line-up really sets this Industrial events from the others. Plus, being a weekly event you always have the alternative to head on over there if you need to get an EBM fix!
Lastly, not really a surprise but a bonus that is held over from Asylum Guild, is watching daring Day-Crawlers enjoying the 80’s pop night upstairs venture down to explore a slice of our scene and get immediately spooked out and run back to their safe khaki-wearing world upstairs! Priceless!!!
See you in the Dark!
Sir William Welles
Greetings my dear Gothlings!
Wow, it has been a long time since I reviewed a goth club event, but with this nifty new blog of mine here, I figured I’d start to do so again! I will go back to re-review the first club night that I…well…reviewed: Necromantic.
Now, as most of you (should) know, the entire idea/concept behind your be-love-ed New Goth City was a suggestion given to me by the lovely Francine Devi, who is the promoter/organizer behind Necromantic. She gave me the idea (for which I will forever be grateful for) exactly two years ago at a Necromantic night when it was held every Friday night at the (now moved) Knitting Factory on Leonard Street in Tribeca. After some failed new venue attempts at The Annex and Le Poisson Rouge, Francine found a new home for Necromantic at The Bowery Poetry Club, which was a rather curious choice to me, but at least it was in Gothtown! The venue choice seemed odd to me because the Bowery poetry Club was…just that…a poetry club, complete with a coffee bar at the front, a full bar in the back, art hanging on the walls, chairs for an audience, and a stage. Now while poetry readings and shows like the BadAss Burlesque (who doesn’t list with me, why? Don’t know) are quite successful there, I did recall the dreaded Dead Heaven incident.
Dead Heaven was a popular Goth/Fetish event run by Victor Auton who also runs Berlin and several other amazing special events. After Dead Heaven parted ways with the venue M1-5, Victor tried to place his event at the Bowery Poetry Club, on the same night of Salvation’s anniversary party! Big Mistake…but that’s Victor for you…never afraid of big competition. The Bowery Poetry Club’s main room was gutted of its chairs and there was an issue of setting up the DJ table on stage or in the usual crow’s nest across and above the bar. The place was indeed an ill fit for the event. The turn-out was low. The only advantage Dead Heaven had was that it was an 18+/21+ to drink event (Funny story: I was writing in my black leather man-purse/notebook at the Dead Heaven @ The Bowery Poetry Club when this this cute girl wearing a collar started talking to me, asking what I was writing in my book. As our conversation progressed I learned that she was barely 18, goes to college in the city, that this is her first fetish styled party, and she likes being a submissive (spanky-spanky), and likes kinky sex. GULP!!! Moving on…) Needless to say, Dead Heaven didn’t happen there again. I miss Dead Heaven…it was a fun party in a sort of spanky-spanky sort of way.
Back to Necromantic: So, suffice it to say, I was a bit taken aback when Francine submitted her new venue info on newgothcity.com! “Really?!? The Bowery Poetry Club.” I asked. She informed me that she had run out of options and this place was at least willing to offer her the first Saturday of the month slot…a coveted and juicy slot indeed. Moreover, she was was determined to at least give it a shot. Fair enough.
The first Necromantic at the Bowery Poetry Club happened on the first weekend in June. Now, the one thing Francine has, whether she knows it or not, is a huge following. I’m even one of that flock. Personally, I think that she is selling herself a bit short by holding Necromantic in such small venues. I strongly believe that she should seek out more medium sized venues (think Don Hill’s (but NOT Don Hill’s!) but not as big as M1-5). With that said, I will admit that she had no problem filling up the newly acquired space.
The music and scene at Necromantic is, of course, stellar! When you get DJs Patrick, Aengel, Templar, and Father Jeff, all together at a single event, you know you are going to hear and dance to the finest Goth music around! Francine went through great pains to secure such an impressive line-up of Djs for a continuous monthly event. I will even repeat what I wrote in my original review and state that Necromantic is actually the purest Goth event in our scene. The event’s focus is solely on the music and has a simple and even minimalistic edge to it. Refreshingly so.
The next Necromantic will be this Saturday on the 5th, and will also be the third one in the Bowery Poetry Club. The only gripe I have with the event is that the start time is at Midnight because the venue likes to squeeze in a show beforehand, which, like most every other show or performance, runs late. The last time I went to Necromantic in August I made the mistake of showing up too early at 11pm and was treated to the tail end of a performance by this Brooklyn Jewish hipster rapping comedic hip-hop rhymes wearing a black cape and a sparkly purple jumpsuit…I can’t make this shit up! Unfortunately, by the time Necromantic gets in gear (the door people who are employed by the venue are a bit slow in their process, thus creating a slight queue) there is only but a few precious hours left to enjoy for the $8.00/$10.00 admission price.
In my honest opinion, Necromantic is, and will always be, a fantastic Goth club event, weekly, monthly, or otherwise. New Goth City was born from it! I sincerely wish that Francine continues to canvas for a slightly larger space that will give her a steady Saturday 9/10pm slot that it deserves and allowing the event to evolve. But until that time comes, you should experience every last treasured minute Necromantic has to offer, no matter where or when it is held. This event, any favoritism aside, along with some other events, is the core of the Goth scene in this city, and while maybe it is not the longest running, biggest, or even the most elaborate event on the block…it is, again, the purest to the scene. Make it a staple on your social calendar!
One last (and awesome) story about Necromantic I simply must share with you is this: when Necromantic was back in the Taproom of the Knitting Factory, it used to be an (if not the only) 18+/21+ to drink party around, and it started at 11pm. For those who’ve been there will remember the large double doors that separate the Taproom from the hallway housing the stairs and restrooms. I stepped out to use said restrooms and was distracted by an acquaintance stopping me to say hello and catch up on the latest scene happenings. That’s when I noticed, leaning against the wall next to the flyer bulletin board, a short, thin, middle aged man who look so out of place there I was even uncomfortable for him! He was just standing there waiting, for what I did not know. Suddenly, emerging from the double doors beside me was a cute little Gothling that was clearly under 21 years old, and she ran up to this man. What I overheard was this: “Daddy, can I stay just a bit longer? I’m having such a good time in there!” to which the man replied, “Ok. I’ll give you another hour.” With that the girl gave her father a peck on the cheek. My heart simply melted! Here was a man who drove his daughter into the city to a Goth club populated by (maybe by his perspective) people dressed like freaks, on a Friday night, patiently waiting for his daughter just outside the club while she danced and enjoyed the darkness, and granted her an extra hour of merriment at 12:30am! The man’s daughter excitedly ran past me to return into the Taproom to enjoy her bonus hour of her Gothic outing. After seeing this, I couldn’t help myself from excusing myself from the conversation with my acquaintance and going over to the father to shake his hand and compliment him on what a kind and understanding father he was. He, in turn, offered me a puzzled smile and we just left it as that. I just thought it really cool of this father to be so supportive of his young Goth daughter that he would sacrifice his time for her sake…very rare.
See you in the Dark!
Sir William Welles
Greetings my dear Gothlings!
Last night I was fortunate enough to be accompanied by Zoe (here from England doing research on the Goth scene for her PhD!) in going to Underworld. I was glad to see that it was very well attending. Being that Underworld is on every other Wednesday night, sometimes the crowd is very weak in numbers and I always feel bad when it does for them considering the venue is perfect for our scene. It was good to see all the familiar faces, as well as some new ones too…that is…some new faces. Let me explain:
Within the darkly clad crowd there were six individuals that…that…well…Let’s just say they walked through the wrong door (read: Day-Crawlers)! Now, don’t get me wrong, Underworld is an event that doesn’t enforce a dress code and I even encourage those outside of the scene who are curious to go to this event, BUT(!!!), I also suggest that those people be respectful of our scene and at least wear black jeans and a black tee-shirt. What I witnessed last night was anything but.
These six individuals (4 dudes, 1 short-shorts wearing girl, and 1 butch lesbian (it think), already pretty drunk by 11:30pm) were huddled by the back corner of the bar or dancing sloppily close by. Pretty soon it started…while they danced as if they were in a house/techno club (Ironically enough, the venue there, The Sullivan Room, is a house/techno club the rest of the nights), they started to scream out the “Fratboy mating call” WHOOOOOHOOOOOOO!!! Followed by a loud and piercing whistle as if they were at a football game. Needless to say, numerous squinted eyes were upon them. I joked with those around me that they were the “hired entertainment,” kind of like a sick and twisted go-go concept. Then…things got even stranger…
I don’t know which Dj did so, Aengel, Templar, V-Christ, or Bride of Wire, but one of them put on the theme song to TrueBlood, Bad Things by Jace Everett. Now, in my opinion, the opening title sequence is the only best part about that show (but it’s supposed to be campy! I know, I know). Even for a southern, twangy, country song, it’s a pretty cool song, although I always thought the chorus lyric should be “I want to do bad things TO you.” Anyways, as soon as the first few recognizable notes played most of us were like “Huh?” with that confused head tilting thing dogs do, but the six individuals in question screamed like schoolgirls at prom when a Jonas Brothers song starts playing!
Then…like a bolt of lightning…it hits me! These Day-Crawlers think that they are in “Fangtasia!” If you haven’t seen TrueBlood yet (your intelligence thanks you for not insulting it), Fangtasia is a Vampire bar in the show. Funnily enough, the first time they show you the interior of the club in the show, I remember thinking to myself, “Ha! It’s like where I go every night in the scene!” But that’s just it! Someone in the group, at one point during the night, suggested something like “Hey guys! You wanna go to a Vampire club like in TrueBlood?” to which someone in that group would have replied, “There no place like that here in the city!” and then the response would be: “There sure is! I found one in the Village going on tonight! Let’s go! It’ll be soooooooo coooooool!!!” I just hope that my very own website wasn’t a facilitator of this idiocy!
See you in the Dark!
Sir William Welles
Greetings my dear Gothlings!
After a strange and unsettling end to my night at Salvation (read: I don’t really enjoy the habitual “I just like you as a friend” speech…but I am very used to it by now), I woke up to a very hot and muggy Sunday afternoon and scampered to get ready and left my apartment to meet my good friend Cindy at the Landmark Sunshine movie theater to see a screening of Thirst. When I got there I had to get into the huge line for tickets. The long line was largely in part because there were several films starting at the same time and only one cashier at the box office window. Long story short: Cindy showed up late but just in time (thank Hollywood marketing for the additional 15 minutes of buffer time due to trailers!), and we only found seats on the front row, toward the right side, making the screen look like some sort of strange trapezoid with subtitles…no problem though…Cindy and I are a bit nearsighted anyway (damn computers!).
The movie, Thirst, if you don’t know anything about it, is…as a friend of mine put it to me: “different.” Basically throw away any ideas of Vampire films you might once had. The cultural differences between Korea (yes, that’s right…this is a Foreign Korean Vampire flick! You’ve been warned) and the Western culture really does come into play here, and you have to pretty much succumb to those differences and just accept them as is. For the most part, Thirst treats Vampirism as a sort of horrible disease and has a very scientific/medical slant to it. In contrast though, the “Hero/Vampire” of the film is actually a Korean Christian priest and orphan who gives last rites at a hospital, moreover, he is bent on helping the sick and dying. In being so he takes part of a medical experiment that ends up turning him into a Vampire from a blood transfusion tainted with Vampire blood. After surviving the suicidal experiment, he is re-united with a family he once new as a child, befriends them, and falls in love with their adopted daughter/daughter-in-law (remember: cultural differences), who is basically being kept as a servant/puppy.
Without spoiling to much of the film’s plot: Vampire Romance–> Passionate Sweaty Sex–> Murder(s)–> Ghost–> Insanity, and lots of blood and slurping sound effects, is what you should expect. Oh, and by the way…it’s 100 times better than Twilight…sorry Twilight fans. This film is 133 minutes long…standard for a foreign film, if you can stand a film that takes its time to tell its story, as opposed to the 1 hour and 15 minute films created for us attention span lacking Americans! If many of you saw Let The Right One In (and I know most of you have), you should expect this film to have the same cadence. Seriously though, if you haven’t seen this film yet, go see it as soon as you can! It is such a strange and refreshing take on the entire “Vampire” film genre. Furthermore, this film is more of a “forbidden romance goes very wrong” tale than anything else…you will be amazed, or at least left scratching your head in wonderment.
After the film, my friend Cindy and I had our typical post-cinematic discussion talks as we strolled uptown with an hour long pause in Washington Square Park as the sun set. Hanging out in that park, surrounded by a bunch of lunatics and stoners, was something I haven’t done in way too many years and was glad to do so (Thanks for the suggestion, Cindy!).
Soon it was 8:30pm and I had to make my way up to Lillie’s Irish-Victorian Bar (17th Street between 5th Avenue and Union Square Park West) at which I scheduled an impromptu Gothic Gathering! Lucky for me, Cindy accompanied me for the seven block trek up 5th Avenue, and even had a glass of wine with as I waited for those kind enough to join me at this experiment outing (those of you who showed up…and you know who you are…thanks again! I think we had a fun time, no?) and partake in New Goth City’s first ever Gothic Gathering!
We were about 20 in all and occupied a small tabled/stooled nook toward the middle of this very long and lavish gem of a bar. All of those who showed up, and had never been before, were indeed quite impressed with the wonderful Victorian decor, and were glad for it too. However, here is the weird thing with Lillie’s: the decor does not match three other key elements in the place: the music playing (very top 40), the sports playing overhead on flat screens at each end of the bar, and more importantly, the clientele! Most of their customers are 20/30something yuppies and the women that want to marry one…a slight better than a room full of hipsters, granted, but the crowd was pretty slim by the time 10:00pm rolled around…or maybe we just scared them away. LOL! Our waitress, Katelyn, even though she was cursed with blond hair and a bubbly personality, was really on her game with multiple separate tabs, was really nice with us stranglings, and was attentive and on top of the constant drink orders…I am proud to report that I bled their entire Pinot Grigio stock dry! Don’t look so shocked…they only had a few bottles and it is their more popular white wine there…I moved onto Sauvignon Blanc! After a while as proving ourselves as worthy clients we asked Katelyn if we were ever to come back on a semi-regular basis on a very slow night…more notably Sundays…if we could “tweak” the music selection to a more “darker” persuasion. No go, was the response. She informed us that the management of Lillie’s is very “corporate” and has even edited the music selection list themselves and require that each song be played in that order. Wow. But we’ll work on that angle…it’s pretty worth it.
All in all we stuck around until 1:30 or so and then we disbanded…just when the clouds above decided to have a “piss-like-a-race-horse” storm all over the city. Did you guys see that rainfall? It was insane!!! But with that aside, I had a really good time with some very good friends…also, it was great to finally meet Zoe, all the way from England! Be sure to keep an eye out on NewGothCity.com for further Gothic Gatherings, either at Lillie’s or other fun spots!!!
See you in the Dark!
Sir William Welles
Greetings my dear Gothlings!
It is with great regret that i must inform you that we are officially removing the weekly Wierd @ Home Sweet Home event from our listing roster. Sad, but true…and don’t fool yourself in thinking you didn’t see it coming! Progressively this weekly event has become increasingly hipsterfied. At first an even mix of hipsters and Goths was fine(ish), but there is only so much plaid shirts, Buddy Holly glasses, bad hair cuts, scruffy beards, sandals, brown 1940’s era crumpled hats a Goth can take!!! They’ve overrun the place like vermin! Even the music being spun there has a slightly more nerdy/80’s edge to it…like the stuff DEVO would find nerdy. *SIGH* I really like this weekly event (admittedly, whenever Underworld wasn’t happening), and I gave it so many chances (remember the emergency Gothic Gathering last Fall), but the truth of the matter is that the promoters rather it NOT be considered a Goth event.
Looking around now (I am writing this in my trusty man-purse/notebook at Wierd right now) it is a virtual sea of hipsters, and I am being gawked at as the freak in this place! Who is that weird guy writing in his journal, I can feel the staring eyes saying. Such a shame…such a great venue…such a great bar staff! But , to quote a very dear and special friend of mine, “It is what it is.” And what this event is is a full fledged hipster joint…I feel dirty just still being here (think being at a frat party in a bad 80’s movie).
So, it is with a very heavy heart that I must bid Adieu to Wierd…maybe only until they even out the hipster : Goth ratio…it is simply just not “our type” of place anymore. Sorry.
See you in the Dark!
Sir William Welles
Greetings my dear Gothlings!
For those who wanted to see more pictures of Jillian Venter’s Gothic Charm School Tea Party/picnic in Green-wood Cemetery, here is your chance! A photographer for Time Out New York Magazine has posted them on their website. I do say that the picture of me and my friends Cindy and Leah (no.8) is quite splendid!
To see said photos venture to: http://newyork.timeout.com/articles/own-this-city/76595/gothic-charm-school-tea-party-picnic
See you in the Dark!
Sir William Welles
Greetings my dear Gothlings!
Yesterday I had the great pleasure of attending The Lady of Manners’, Jillian Venters, Gothic Charm School (www.gothic-charm-school) tea party and picnic/book release party at Green-wood Cemetery in Brooklyn. Wow! That was a mouthful!!! let me tell you all about it:After forcing myself out of bed at the unGothly hour of 11:45am, I got all dandified in my finest Goth garb and headed downtown to pick up my dear friend Cindy…she provided the Parasols! very essential equipment, considering we were going to be out in the summertime sun. Granted, the weather, although sunny and warm, was much more welcomed than humid & muggy with a 50% chance of a tropical downpour, the way it has been since March.
Cindy and I made our way to the 8th Street/Broadway “R” station and we were on our trek toward 25th Street in Brooklyn. It was a bit of a ride, but when you are in good company, it seems to fly by, and soon we were at our stop. From the train station it is an uphill walk of one block to get to the Cemetery’s main gate. On the way there we accumulated two other Goth girls fearing getting lost in this massive resting place searching for this elusive tea party…to tell you the truth…we had no clue exactly where this was being held either. luckily for us the guard at the main gates pointed us in the right direction…hmm, how did he know where we supposed to go, I wonder?
The picnic was held just outside a lovely little chapel and on the side of a small, somewhat shaded, hill. I was saddened to see that the turnout was rather smaller than I expected…it was about 50 people. I was surprised to see more of a “Dances of Vice” crowd than the usual faces I see out and about in the Darkness…you know who you are! For shame!
Although I was a bit skeptical at first, I must admit that this event was indeed outstanding (save the multicolored beach umbrella in the background there)! Moreover, I’ll add that our community needs more of these “other than nightclub” events. In any case, tea, pastries, cookies, and cakes were generously served…sucked for me since I don’t eat sugar/carbs…but it look all very tasty! After some time we were treated to a reading from the Lady of Manners’ new book, more specifically, a very apropos chapter about how Goths should cope with the summer season, sunlight, parasols, and how to wear billowy, yet dark, clothing. Some very good advice!
Outside of some media presence (Time Out New York & NY Post.com) shooting photos and video (mind you they did ask nicely before clicking away), this turned out to be fairly intimate outing.
The, Cindy, a friend from her Bellydancing troupe, Leah (did I spell that right?), who knows the lady of manners personally from when she lived in Seattle, and myself went for an exploratory stroll throughout the immediate vicinity of the Cemetery, parasols in hand, to marvel at the historical tombs and gravestones that litter the Green-wood grounds. At this point I should mention that the Green-wood Cemetery is more of historical landmark/museum than it is an actual Cemetery. It has a bunch of events and tours throughout the year…of which I will gladly start listing on NewGothCity.com! Plus…this is one of my favorite N.Y.C. history factoids…before Central Park was created just over 150 years ago, Green-wood Cemetery was considered the city’s largest attraction and destination for picnics, walks, and outings! Plus there is the cutest doggy there…take a look:
All in all we had a fantastic brief hours there. So much so that New Goth City is planning a similar picnic event soon…Septemberish, when the weather is a bit cooler for our kind. Stay tuned…
See you in the Dark!
Sir William Welles
Greetings my dear Gothlings!
It has indeed been a while since my last Nocturnal Diary entry, but I reason that my experience at the Peter Murphy Concert last night duly deserves one!
Before I proceed to give you my insight, I wish to share with you my dear friend Earienne’s account of the first Peter Murphy concert night at Highline Ballroom…she was my guest of two compt’d tickets (Heehee, PERKS!…the tickets, I mean). She has a wonderful way with words. Read on:
I found myself in the fortuitous position of being graced with the chance to see Peter Murphy on stage tonight and I left feeling very grateful.
There are many reasons it is grand to be Goth, and Peter Murphy continues to be one of them. Tonight held many memorable moments including: the fantastic cover of We All Shine On was a sweet surprise; the gorgeous I’ll Fall with Your Knife; and Time Has Nothing To Do With It. Of course a snippet of Bela Lugosi’s Dead made its way into the playlist along with the popular Cuts You Up; and another great cover Ground Control to Major Tom.
Looking around the very mixed crowd at the Highline Ballroom gave evidence of the ability his music has to bring together seemingly incongruous company – I am ever astounded at the power music has to unify – even if it is momentary it is a worthwhile alignment (politics could use to take a page from the book of music in this regard).
I am a fan of the theatric, but also have a deep appreciation for the potency of simplicity – this concert is a great example – nothing between the musicians and the audience but a few well placed lighting instruments – and Murphy’s intense focus and poised presence. I am uplifted by the music and his energy and left the concert in a better place than I began. And isn’t that part of the essence of art? The ability it gives the viewer to transcend whatever burdens they have for a bit – a blessed respite to regain strength and get back to business perhaps even with a new perspective.
It is a special province of Gothic music to help ease a bruised heart – hearing another voice singing of familiar pain is like a temporary antidote to loneliness. May the poetry do the same for you while the music lifts you up. Many thanks to Peter and his fantastic band, enjoy the rest of the America that you have yet to see. –Earienne DeGrey
Wasn’t that special? Now my turn:
There is something about a voice. When it comes to certain distinct singing voices that helped shape and solidify the basis of the early Goth music sound it laid the groundwork for many Goth bands to come throughout the years…and Peter Murphy is in possession of one of those iconic voices. Even though, admittedly, years and a slight shift in musical genre separates him from the Bauhaus days, Peter Murphy and his band mates, now on a major American tour, perform a concert that exceeds the extraordinary, whilst remaining truly simple in form.
Last night was the first of a two night run stop on the tour at Highline Ballroom. Rather oddly, the opening band, Modwheelmood, is a very “alternative” band that will transport you back to college in the 1990’s…even if you didn’t attend college in the 1990’s! In-between sets, if one should take a deliberate glace across the audience crowd, one will be quite amazed at the diversity of people amassed as Peter Murphy fans. You have the young and the old, nostalgics, hipsters, rockers, ex-Goths, closeted Goths, actual Goths (although an alarming few of them at last night’s concert…yeah…Monday…I know), and even some that looked as though they walked in through the wrong door (you know who you are!), and they all were there for the same unifying reason Earienne wrote about. But here is the rub: the apparent diversity of Peter Murphy’s fan-base is in direct correlation to his musical range. In simpler terms: there is something there for every one! Murphy, in an approximate 2 hour set creates a musical blanket that spans from 1970, with a kick-ass cover of John Lennon’s We All Shine On, to his newer, more “rock” intensive songs of today, without forgetting the Goth roots. And that brings us back to his voice. No matter what “type” of song he belts out with the energy of a teenager, you will always catch that sorrowful, bass-heavy, lamenting Goth voice that is hardwired into your brain. And as the concert progresses, the songs just get better and better, topping the last, until the crowd is literally begging for an encore. The best part for me was being able to pick out the ex and current Goths in the crowd out of the rest of the more mundane crowd because as the more recognizable Gothy songs such as Cuts You Up & She’s In Parties are being played the mundane crowd is doing their usual rapid bopping up and down, while the Goth silhouettes are transfixed into “the slow shoulder sway!”
If you get the fortunate chance to catch the next concert tonight (all the info is…of course…on NewGothCity.com), DO IT!!! I know for some a $35.00 ticket price is a bit much right now…but you have to trust me on this…if you ever claimed to even like Bauhaus, you’re gonna LOVE this man’s live performance with all of your blackend heart. YOU GO NAO!!!
See you in the Dark!
Sir William Welles