Search for Meaning
I suppose the Goth part of my trip around the world starts in Cairo, mysterious ancient and historic. It was all overwhelming along with the heat and pollution which knocked me out. Still it's the adventure of a lifetime to see the pyramids and the tombs in the Valley of the Kings.
In Berlin I expected to be able to find my own way around, at least read the street signs. First disappointment Y-Front the French answer to Rammstein, well Rammstein were probably the german Labaich, who were the yugoslav Residents, who were the Californian Da-Daists etc. Better luck with a show Grufties gegen Rechts in the Kopi squat. Endzeit cureish vocals with a loud rock band, Korbak very Sisters/Bauhaus with a singer who threw himself around like Iggy pop and then a group made up from the guys from both bands playing a mix of big pompish goth with a real Discharge punk,very heavy. The night was a benefit for the zine Die Geister, die ist rief.. a zine which exposes the nasty side of the Darkwave/goth scene.
In London at Sacrosanct 98 a two day festival I ran into some of the German people who had been at the Gruftie gig. Bands on included Nostalgia(UK), This Burning Effigy (Irl), Star Industry (Belg), The Breath of Life (Belg), Killing Miranda (UK), Fallen Apart (Germ), Inkubus Sukubus (UK), Excession (UK), Emma Conquest (UK), Kiss the Blade (Austria), Sepulcrum Mentis (Germ) and Leisure Hive (UK). Lots of industrial dance sounds.
On to Toronto for Convergence IV the net goth convergence. Starting with a High Tea at the Royal York Hotel, scones and cream at the poshest of posh places to first meet and put faces to names for fellow net goths and share in the gift exchange. Pictures should be at www.GothicChicago.com. Things got going with the fashion show and performance by Masochistic Religion at the Opera House.
Saturday was the big show at the Opera House with My Scarlet Life, The Changelings, Rhea's Obsession and Faith and the Muse.Sunday was the wind up for the scavenger hunt and a show at the kareoke bar with An April March.
San Francisco is the home of Shrine of Lilith
Interview with Star Industry
Outside Sacrosant 98 I sat in with the guys from Totem ( Europes best Goth Zine) as they conducted an interview with a very exhausted band. They had driven straight from Belgium to perform a set early in the afternoon. The band formed about two years ago at a party when the guitarist's precious band finished a set and invited the audience to get up and jam and it sounded so good that everyone involved decided to stay together as a band. The name came from their industrial sound and wanting a name that suggested their big ambitions. Influences they cited included Front 242, Sisters of Mercy, but privately they listen to music as varied as classical or underground techno.
The band has played at the big Black Easter Festival and has the opening track on the Nightbreed 4 compilation. They plan to release their new CD on their own label with new songs and 5 old songs recorded when they first started to give fans some idea of how their music has progressed. They have recently added a violin player to add to their more atmospheric numbers and the singer feels he is finding his own style and moving away from his Sisters of Mercy influences.
Christbait-dirtypunkmutha
The new album from 
Owned by...
crust