Field Trip to a Goth Party
Not a lot of subcultures have definite birthdays, but goth does: February 27, 1981, when an article entitled "The Face Of Punk Gothique" was published Sounds, the UK music paper.
"This is Brussells and if you avoid the sex shop neon of the shopping arcades you'll discover a city as lifeless as a month old leg of lamb. The few people you may see wandering about have a glassy-eyed zombie-like appearance and it's only the apparent lack of gaping crimson wounds that assures you haven't waltzed unsuspecting onto the set of a new George A Romero fear fest." [more]
I was never too into goth, although I found the goth kids in my high school both refreshingly accepting of social outcasts and less likely than other groups to brag about sex they weren't having. (If they bragged about sex, generally, they were having it.) But as it turns 30, I'm really impressed by goth's resilience: here in Los Angeles there are goth parties held every weekend at places like Bar Sinister and Club Monte Cristo.
A month ago I went to one, hosted by La Carmina, Japan Goth fashion blogger and writer --
[image error]
-- and Sebastiano Serafini, model:
.
I met La Carmina ago through Marty Beckerman (as always, PARENTAL ADVISORY on all Marty Beckerman links). When she told me about the party I thought it would be a good reason to shave my beard. My wife got into my goth look too, though, and brought it to an entirely new level with Shiseido Perfect Mascara. (I never knew that you put mascara on your lower eyelashes.)
Before
After
I went off to the party. For tonight, I wasn't going to be Ned Vizzini, I was going to be "Ned Edison" (the name I used to use when I played psychedelic metal band):
[circa 1999]
When I arrived at Bar Sinister, the first thing I noticed was the huge line in front, which included a guy with bright green hair. Goths are very polite about waiting in line. I didn't know any of them would have green hair. Luckily it took me so long to park that by the time I came around, the line was gone. I paid and entered.
Inside (Bar Sinister looked like a vampire boudoir), no one was taking pictures. One of the things you pay for when you go to these parties is the comfort of not having anyone take your picture, which goes hand in hand with the comfort of being surrounded by people dressed like you. Luckily La Carmina was authorized to take photos:
There were a few people who decided to wear normal clothes. I felt bad for them; they walked around like people who "don't care" about Halloween but secretly know they're missing out.
I went upstairs, where there was a large metal crucifix that you could get whipped on:
I sat and watched some curious people get whipped by Bar Sinister's "master whipper", who seems to have a great job but could be dissatisfied, you never know. He looked like a maître d' but instead of seating people he twirled flails theatrically in between lashes and arched his eyebrows.
A man sat next to me with a nose ring, tribal earrings, and a close-cropped gelled mohawk. The woman in front of us was getting whipped in a straitjacket (how had I not seen that in a movie before?) but this guy was distracted by something in his lap. I looked over he had his iPhone out:
Some random notes from the party:
"normal"-dressed man throws drunken punch at dark-clad bouncers, carried off after younger women try to intervene, making obscene gestures
band Julien-K plays "Surrounded by Cowards"... good song!
no sugar-free red bull? What do goths drink
a lot of bald guys in black coats with janging chains
"did you see that b____ try to put her hair in my drink?"
shirt: "DANCE F___ FIGHT KILL"
dancer dancing with Slash-like top hat -- keep the hat on, it's sexier!
With the exception of the people who wore normal clothes, not a single person at the Bar Sinister Hollywood Goth Party looked uncomfortable. That's probably why goth is as old as I am and doesn't show signs of slowing down. More than anything else it felt like the Magic tournaments I used to go to, where once you got in the door, you were surrounded by people as damaged as you and nobody would give you any problems.
Unfortunately, the absinthe served at the goth party proved detrimental to La Carmina and Sebastiano Serafini. I'm not sure if they've recovered:
Frankly I'm not sure if I have either:
"This is Brussells and if you avoid the sex shop neon of the shopping arcades you'll discover a city as lifeless as a month old leg of lamb. The few people you may see wandering about have a glassy-eyed zombie-like appearance and it's only the apparent lack of gaping crimson wounds that assures you haven't waltzed unsuspecting onto the set of a new George A Romero fear fest." [more]
I was never too into goth, although I found the goth kids in my high school both refreshingly accepting of social outcasts and less likely than other groups to brag about sex they weren't having. (If they bragged about sex, generally, they were having it.) But as it turns 30, I'm really impressed by goth's resilience: here in Los Angeles there are goth parties held every weekend at places like Bar Sinister and Club Monte Cristo.
A month ago I went to one, hosted by La Carmina, Japan Goth fashion blogger and writer --
[image error]
-- and Sebastiano Serafini, model:
.I met La Carmina ago through Marty Beckerman (as always, PARENTAL ADVISORY on all Marty Beckerman links). When she told me about the party I thought it would be a good reason to shave my beard. My wife got into my goth look too, though, and brought it to an entirely new level with Shiseido Perfect Mascara. (I never knew that you put mascara on your lower eyelashes.)
Before
After
I went off to the party. For tonight, I wasn't going to be Ned Vizzini, I was going to be "Ned Edison" (the name I used to use when I played psychedelic metal band):
[circa 1999]
When I arrived at Bar Sinister, the first thing I noticed was the huge line in front, which included a guy with bright green hair. Goths are very polite about waiting in line. I didn't know any of them would have green hair. Luckily it took me so long to park that by the time I came around, the line was gone. I paid and entered.
Inside (Bar Sinister looked like a vampire boudoir), no one was taking pictures. One of the things you pay for when you go to these parties is the comfort of not having anyone take your picture, which goes hand in hand with the comfort of being surrounded by people dressed like you. Luckily La Carmina was authorized to take photos:
There were a few people who decided to wear normal clothes. I felt bad for them; they walked around like people who "don't care" about Halloween but secretly know they're missing out.
I went upstairs, where there was a large metal crucifix that you could get whipped on:
I sat and watched some curious people get whipped by Bar Sinister's "master whipper", who seems to have a great job but could be dissatisfied, you never know. He looked like a maître d' but instead of seating people he twirled flails theatrically in between lashes and arched his eyebrows.
A man sat next to me with a nose ring, tribal earrings, and a close-cropped gelled mohawk. The woman in front of us was getting whipped in a straitjacket (how had I not seen that in a movie before?) but this guy was distracted by something in his lap. I looked over he had his iPhone out:
Some random notes from the party:
"normal"-dressed man throws drunken punch at dark-clad bouncers, carried off after younger women try to intervene, making obscene gestures
band Julien-K plays "Surrounded by Cowards"... good song!
no sugar-free red bull? What do goths drink
a lot of bald guys in black coats with janging chains
"did you see that b____ try to put her hair in my drink?"
shirt: "DANCE F___ FIGHT KILL"
dancer dancing with Slash-like top hat -- keep the hat on, it's sexier!
With the exception of the people who wore normal clothes, not a single person at the Bar Sinister Hollywood Goth Party looked uncomfortable. That's probably why goth is as old as I am and doesn't show signs of slowing down. More than anything else it felt like the Magic tournaments I used to go to, where once you got in the door, you were surrounded by people as damaged as you and nobody would give you any problems.
Unfortunately, the absinthe served at the goth party proved detrimental to La Carmina and Sebastiano Serafini. I'm not sure if they've recovered:
Frankly I'm not sure if I have either:
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