"Boys and girls of every age,
would you like to see something strange?
Come with us and you will see
this, our town of Halloween!"
-- Danny Elfman, "This is Halloween"

October was excellent. So much to do! Only one month to do it all in!

I should have written something sooner, of course. But STUFF!!!!

So, here's my thoughts on some of the highlights:

PEERS Steampunktoberfest Ball:

This was delightful. Everyone was dressed excellently (including, if the ladies are to be believed, yours truly). Bangers&Mash provided amazingly good music (as they usually do). The drinks and snacks were fabulous (seriously, the people who were constantly bringing out more and more tasty vittles deserve to be lauded!).

And the waltzing was exquisite! I even got to try out a few "scripted" dances with some friends. All-in-all, a truly wonderful evening!

Being in San Mateo, it was a little further away from home than is ideal for me, though Oakland and SF folks shouldn't have nearly as much of a problem with that.

STEAMSTOCK:

Steamstock was, to put it bluntly, fucking amazing.

<== And, seriously, look how awesome I looked!!!

The vendors were really neat and the music was pretty damn epic across the board.

They really packed the musical acts in, but Brian Gardner and the SwingGoth folks had the ingenious idea of having two stages, so that the crowd could run to one stage to watch a performance while the next band was setting up and sound-checking on the other stage.

Abney Park and Thomas Dolby were quite excellent (as was to be expected), and I enjoyed being able to see Vernian Process live. But for me, the highlight was in getting to hear some really excellent acts I hadn't before.

Lee Presson & the Nails were the biggest newly-discovered treat for me. Seriously, a goth swing band? FUCK YES! And Lee was just... excellent. Super high energy, amazing voice, and he looked really god-damned dapper in that all-black zoot suit with his slicked-back hair and pencil-moustache. Now I really wish I knew how to swing dance!

Other delightful discoveries included Hydrogen Skyline and Victoria & the Vaudevillains (Victoria Victrola is fucking adorable, by the by); though, to be fair, all the acts were fun to hear and watch.

Good news is: they're already planning the Steamstock for next year! Personally, I hope they can use the same venue. The Craneway Pavilion was a really cool place; lots of room with an excellent view of San Francisco from the water.

My only complaint (I've always got at least one) -- I wish more of the vendors had more stuff. A lot of the stalls seemed really sparse on what they were offering. Even though what most of them were offering was pretty cool, there just didn't seem to be much of it. The exception was the Holzer & Combe Haberdashery stall -- they were positively bursting with crazy-awesome stuff to buy. You should seriously visit their website.

And a little more seating and maybe an extra food truck would have been nice.

Club Elysium:

I managed to make it out to the opening of the Club Elysium goth night at the new Purgatory Club in Sacramento (on the arm of a very, very lovely lady, I might add).

While the opening night suffered a few hiccups (like the top floor not being open yet and there not being enough bar staff on hand for the crowd), Club Elysium was quite a hit.

The venue is actually kind of swanky. Purgatory is clearly still in some kind of state of renovation, unfortunately, but the underground "Hell" floor was in excellent repair and was packed to the gills with gothling folks. Lots of nice booth seating with tables all around the perimeter. Clean bathrooms. A huge dance cage AND a stripper pole. All on just the bottom floor... I'm actually a little excited as to what the top floor will be bringing to the table when it opens up.

And the music was pretty damn awesome. It's the first time I've had the pleasure of listening to DJs Blixx and Keyz spin, and, I must say, I was impressed.

I do wish that there had been a little more "swirly goth" though, since the single floor issue crimped the whole "two floors - one for stompy/one for swirly" plan. More for others than for me, of course, since I'm a stomp-monkey. But a few breathers wouldn't have gone awry.

Good news is that it seems that Elysium blew the venue owners away as much as it did the Sac-Goth crowd. With only the one floor, the place quickly reached capacity by about 11 p.m. and the venue owners did manage to call in some back-up on the bar.

For those that don't know the background, Club Elysium is a goth night constructed by members of the Sacramento goth scene specifically to fill the wants and desires of their local scene as a whole. And while it's certain that they won't please everyone, they're definitely approaching the whole thing with arms (if not always eyes) wide open and really trying to meet as much of the community half-way as they can. There's an energy, a drive and passion, that really fuels this thing. Hell, they even had folks walking around with clipboards, taking notes on what people liked and didn't and jotting down suggestions their fellow darklings had.

My final summation is that Elysium is off to a really grand start. The only thing I see holding them back now is the venue itself getting fully up-and-running (in other words: more bar staff, opening the top floor, cleaning up some of the place's "rough edges", and making sure the bouncers stop letting people jump past the line ahead of people that have been waiting twenty minutes to get in). I can't see the future, but Elysium certainly felt like a solid heir to the Sunday-night scene in Sacramento.

Other stuff:

There were other things I made it out to, but I don't really have the energy to go into all of it now.

And a lot that I wished I could have made it out to but didn't: like Ariellah's ShadowDance and DNA's Halloween Bash... Lack of cash and an overabundance of depression leads to all sorts of stupid missing-stuff-I-like.

Upcoming Stuff:

Don't forget, my darklings --

Friday:

• Strangelove's Dia de los Muertos in San Francisco
  

Saturday:

• Le Bal des Vampires in Alameda
• Subkulture's DeathWake in San Francisco

Sunday:

• Club Elysium in Sacramento
• Komor Kommando at the DNA in San Francisco

Your friendly neighborhood Spider-Goth,

-- Mr. M.

"Because I could not stop for Death,
He kindly stopped for me;
The carriage held but just ourselves
And Immortality."
-- Emily Dickinson, "Because I Could Not Stop For Death"

So, as of this last Sunday (9/2/2012), Asylum, one of the longest running goth clubs in Northern California (nearly 19 years, I'm told - just shy of our beloved Death Guild), has ended its existence.

It was a lovely and grand going-out party, and I was pleased to see more than a few attendees from the San Francisco scene there. In fact, things got so full that they had to open part of the other half of the club just to make room for the flood of human bodies. One hell of a send off for the ol' girl, as they say.

Personally, I had an excellent time meeting some very awesome folks and dancing with some exceptional ladies (my thanks to Ms. Aly and particularly Ms. J.).

The big announcement that DJ Bryan Hawk promised?

That, yes, Asylum really is closing down for good. But that he would only be taking a few weeks off before opening a new club at a new venue -- all the details to be announced when things are squared and ready to go. This new club is going to be ages 18 and up, which is a huge plus (especially as Sacramento seems to have a disproportionate number of 18-20 year-old darklings compared to the San Francisco crowd). And they'll be having a fetish night once per month, and it also sounds like several other theme nights throughout the year. And, finally, it will be filling Asylum's old Sunday night slot in the Sacramento scene.

(I'll make sure to put the details of the new club up as soon as I have them!)

So, yes Asylum is, sadly, dead and gone. But she is not forgotten and, in a month or so (maybe less), there will be a new weekly club arising to take her place; bigger and bolder.

Furthermore, on the topic of Sacramento:

I want to extend my gratitude to the Sacramento goth crowd, especially those in the SacGoths group on FB (and extra especially Emory, Aly, RC, and Aaron). You are an excellent bunch of people, and I thank you for welcoming me so warmly among you these last few weeks. It's almost enough to thaw this frozen dead heart of mine right back into life. Almost. I can only say that I am sorry we met under the circumstances of Asylum's passing, and I wish that I had made it out to Sacramento more often in the past. But I suspect I'll be managing to get myself out that way significantly more in the future.

So, with that, my darklings, I bid you an unpleasant night and dark and dreary dreams.

-- Mr. M.

"The only way to get rid of temptation is to yield to it... I can resist everything but temptation."
-- Oscar Wilde, The Picture of Dorian Gray

Busy! Busy! Busy!

(That's my pretend excuse for this latest bout of blog silence.)

Last night was spent waltzing my weasely little black guts out with the likes of the exceptional Alexis Berger, under the careful ministrations of DJ goddess Persephone and amazing guest DJ Joan Walton. A delightful evening, across the board, and useful practice as we get closer to PEERS' le Bal des Vampires.

Speaking of le Bal des Vampires, I purchased my ticket this week. As I've mentioned elsewhere, ticket prices go up on September 1st and are likely to run out as we get closer to the date (November 3rd, for those who don't know), so I cannot recommend strongly enough the purchasing of your tickets ASAP. Having gone last year, I know that this ball is extremely awesome. With the Nightfall Club downstairs, spinning Goth-y and New Wave tracks for those who like their vampires a little more like Lost Boys and the Hunger, and an amazingly large ballroom upstairs for those that prefer the grace and charm of a lost age. Go to the One-Time Events page for a link and more details!

In more scene info: last week I got a chance to hit the opening night of the Witching Hour out at the Cat Club. Going forward, it will be filling the 3rd Friday slot left open at the Cat with the departure of Dancing Ghosts. The latest brainchild of DJs Melting Girl, Daniel Skellington, and Sage, the Witching Hour sets out to embrace a two-fold goal:

1) Fade to Grey: playing older club favorites that don't really get much time in many other venues anymore; and
2) The New Black: exposing club-goers to new dark music that isn't exactly getting much play elsewhere and doesn't always fit exactly into the expected for a goth and/or industrial club.

I'm going to admit that I do somewhat agree with some of the criticism I've heard leveled concerning the former goal - nothing really stops the DJs (especially these DJs, who have a standing in the scene community that grants them a great deal of freedom, dare I say immunity, in their music choices) from playing some of these older "lost" hits at the other clubs that they're part of (specifically Death Guild and Dark Shadows). That said, it was nice hearing and dancing to some music that I haven't heard on the turntables in a while.

Regardless of all of that, though, I find the latter goal highly laudable. As much as I like to hear songs I know and love, it is a refreshing change of pace to hear something totally new (to me, anyway). I like getting some exposure to the direction that "goth" (that fuzzy word that many of us define in so many different ways) may be heading in the future... And even if it isn't, my tastes are wide enough that I can appreciate some of the truly amazing directions these acts are exploring. So, bravo for the so-called "New Black".

In further news: the week before that I was able to get out to the return of the Cell, that salon of dark dance and performance art.

The dark, ritualistic dance performance by Vulgaire (whom I'd never had the privilege of seeing before) and the light-hearted technical elegance of Shondell (whom I have seen and enjoyed in the past) was certainly what I'd come to expect of the Cell based upon previous experiences. Nor was I disappointed in the least.

Artistic performances by experimental cellist Angela Roberts, spine-chilling contortionist Michael Curran, and the sensual ululations and ritual chanting of Irretitus Fesol were stunning, disturbing, intense, and, in one case, more than a bit erotic. And, in this regard, this was the Cell truly embodying its highest form - that of a venue for performance art of a nature strange and sensual, deviant and delightful, haunting and perhaps a bit horrifying.

This is where we get to what some might consider to be "bad news" - due to the nature of its content, the Cell is choosing to become an invitation-only salon for the time being. Word is that invitees will be able to bring a single guest and that only by being brought a few times will said guest become a potential invitee to future Cell events.

In some ways this concerns me, for fear that this mostly-closed circle may result in the Cell losing a portion of its audience (some of whom are just "friends and family" of the performers). In others, though, I agree with Madame Anaid's reasoning and decision - as I suggested above, this last installment really waded into some fairly intense territory that may not really be palatable to those unused to or unprepared for the types of performance that the Cell seeks to make available. Also, the comfort of the performers is absolutely paramount and, in many ways, this is as much for them as it is for unintended audience members.

Ultimately, I applaud Madame Anaid's daring, extend my support, and hope for the best.

That said, I will be removing information about the locations and times of installments of the Cell. This will not preclude me from mentioning the artists or even offering my experiences on this blog, of course, but really, that can only wet the tongue to see that actual performances in person (at least, that is, if I'm doing my job correctly).

If you are interested in attending future Cell performances, I recommend finding an acquaintance among the invitees who is willing to initiate you into this lovely mystery cult that seems to be in the making.

For something in that actual "bad news" category: it sounds like Sacramento's Asylum, one of the longest running goth clubs in the area (running nearly as long as Death Guild), may be closing up shop within a few weeks. There hasn't been an actual "official" confirmation yet (supposedly that's set for this Sunday), but DJ Bryan Hawk and a few people "in the know" have made statements suggesting that this is definitely the case - at least at its current venue.

As we've seen, the club scene for us goth and industrial kids is often fluctuating and shifting as time goes on. Many good clubs and bad have vanished even in the short nearly-year-and-a-half that SFGothic has been around, and others have come into existence to replace them (and some have even been reborn).

But Asylum was Sacramento's "Death Guild". It was the weekly club out on the eastern end of California. So it carries a bit more of a  "holy fuck" element to it.

Some folks have already begun casting aspersions about the local darklings "not supporting" Asylum enough, which I do feel is more than a bit unfair. Especially since what might actually be at issue is the venue choosing to drop them or even the resident DJs just being tired of managing it any longer. Or, gods forbid, maybe the economy is still just doing its damage to the things we love (partly due to it stripping us, the clientele, of the finances that make hitting a favored event viable).

Unfortunately, this is, at this point, all just idle speculation. I may try to head out there myself tomorrow night to see if I can get the low-down.

Ultimately, I hope for the best for my fellow darklings in the capitol. And, with time and if Asylum is truly down for the count, perhaps another "central" club will arise from the ashes... and there's a good chance that Asylum itself will be reborn like the proverbial phoenix to re-take its own place.

But, until that time, it's a bit depressing.

-- Mr. M.

"Night the voluptuous, night the chaste
Spreads her dark limbs, a vaulted splendour,
Above the intolerable waste."
-- Aleister Crowley, "A Fragment"

So, last month I got myself out to the revival of Solace at its new venue, the Prop Box Theater out in Oakland. (Yes, I'm only just now getting to writing about it. No, I refuse to take responsibility for my own laziness.)

Solace, itself, was exceptional and elegant as always, with Persephone and Burning Skies spinning for us while some of those with better dancing skills than your own dear Mr. M made excellent use of the new dance floor.

The new venue is really lovely. Bigger dance floor than the previous space - or maybe it just feels like it. Definitely more room for a bigger and better bar (provided by Lorelei). The only complaints I have are: a) that there is less seating (tired legs); and b) less parking.

That said, I'm going to be in attendance at tonight's Solace anyway because, as always, I love the ambiance and the culture of the attendees and the ability to converse over the music and dance in a variety of fashions (well, observe others dancing in a variety of fashions, anyway - I am learning to waltz, though, with the help of Persephone and her main squeeze Charles).

In further catching up news: I also managed to make it out to the Aesthetic Perfection show back on 6/24. Amazing performances by Blackopz and [X]-RX as the opening acts, building the energy up for the headliner. And, of course, the AP part of the show was, to put it bluntly, really fucking awesome. They did an excellent job of taking the "turned up to 11" energy from the openers and cranking it up another notch or two with a lot of stuff off of the last two albums.

Anyway, hope to see you out and about, my darklings!

-- Mr. M.

"I bet you miss
you miss my head!
I bet you miss my head!"
-- The Voluptuous Horror of Karen Black, "Do You Miss My Head"

So I'm just going to admit to being a big slack-ass over the last two months.

Now that we've gotten past that and you've all forgiven me, we can move on to more important matters that have nothing to do with my failures as a human being.

The timing of my return to civilized discourse is, of course, excellent because it means I get to announce the return of that most awesome Oakland goth club/salon -  Solace!

They've changed venues over to the Prop Box Studio (925 45th Ave) and are having their first return event on Friday, June 8th.

For those of you who haven't been to Club Solace before - it's a combination of dark ambient music club and gothic social salon. The music is elegant and the volume kept low so that even though there is waltzing and swirly dancing going on, one can still sit with a drink and converse with one's fellow darklings (on art, philosophy, history, and many other topics) without having to raise voices or keep commentary terse to minimize misunderstanding. While I am (clearly) a fan of loud, beat-driven music and the clubs that play it, Solace provides a delightful change of pace - re-introducing some Victorian-style sensibilities into the gothic scene and allowing a little more substance to bleed into our morbid stylings.

I hope to see some of you there in the near future!

In other news, it seems SFGothic.net has seen a steady influx of "likes" in the last month or so... but, much to my surprise, a fair number of them seem to be from places like Italy, Germany, and Brazil. Now, I'm not one for humility (seriously, guys... read some of my other posts). But this surprise definitely falls into the pleasant yet radically unexpected side of things. The internet still occasionally leaves this deviant a little in awe, what with all the inter-connectivity and stuff.

That said, I'd like to voice my welcome to our new readers from other continents!

And now some upcoming events!

06/02 - Some Like It Hot Ball (San Mateo) and Empire of Death photo exhibit (San Francisco)
06/08 - The return of SOLACE!! (Oakland)
06/16 - Club Nocturne (San Francisco) and King Kong vs. Godzilla showing (San Leandro)
06/20 - iVardensphere at DNA  Lounge (San Francisco)
06/24 - Aesthetic Perfection at DNA Lounge (San Francisco)
06/26 - God Module at DNA Lounge (San Francisco)

And don't forget about Death Guild every Monday night at DNA Lounge and Dark Shadows on the second and fourth Fridays at the Cat Club.

-- Mr. M.