atlanta goth, why do i even bother...

[funeralcrasher]

Ok Blu, I *knew* there was a reason I haven't gone to many events in the Atlanta Goth scene. See a discussion started (again) about the apparent stagnant ATL scene on the atlgoth mailing list. I didn't start it, but I offered my opinions several posts later, and did so nicely and I thought respectfully. I sure as hell wasn't bitchy toward anyone.

My points were these.. I'm fine with their being a successful ebm night here, but since others have complained so much about nobody going to shows and clubs anymore I said that I am waiting for a night with different music becuase I'm more than burned out on EBM. ok welll maybe i worded that strongly, I said I'd rather push bamboo shoots under my nails than listen to one more set of ebm/techno/rivet again. But still I wasn't commenting on anyone's tastes, just my own preference.
I wondered why the existing scene ignores so many good gothic-rock, deathrock/postpunk bands, too. The only bands I see on atlanatagoth.net are established EBM/rivet groups like Neubauten, Rammstien and Cruxshadows. No mention of Myssouri, Phantom Limbs, Ghoultown, Prids, Turn Pale, ect.. So I was like, what harm can come from co-promoting these bands along with electro bands.

Two people wrote back both saying that I had no business complaining, they'd only seen me at one event, it's *their* scene, i should stop whining and do something, blah fucking blah.

One of these people I'd supposedly met a couple of weeks ago at a private party, and she wasn't -so- bitchy, but god knows who the other person was becuase I sure as Fuck don't want to ever meet that asshole in RL. So much for expressing one's opinion peacefully.

Another girl was attacked for mentioning that she couldn't make it out on weeknights due to work! And these fucking losers complain about nobody coming to their underattended ebm shows, brunch/desserts, Private parties (gee.. what better way to turn people off than talk about private invatation only events onlist that most people won't get invited to) & their crappy fetishgoth nights. Fucking die!

Why can't I meet nice people here that dig the same music I do? Or am I just being oversensitive and not giving people a chance??

Comments

I *KNOW* your pain

[blu-muse.livejournal.com]

Hi.. I typed up a lengthy reply yesterday and LJ ate it! Wah! So I'll try again but it'll have to be shorter cause I dont have much time before I have to leave for work.

Firstly, completely igonre the assholes on the elist. They were assholes then, they'll be assholes years from now. They attacked *me* for saying some of the same things. It got so bad - they actually made threats -- that I was afraid to go out for fear they'd slash my car tires while I was inside, etc. The one thing I finally learned about Atlanta (and Seattle) is that the people making all the noise on the elist and on the newsgroups are NOT the people you'd EVER want to hang out at a club with. They're obviously people with too much time on their hands that relish the idea of sitting on their asses and intimidating people with words.

Secondly, its a complete waste of time to try to change them anyway. They go to clubs to either look cool, get drunk, or get laid. None of them give a shit about music or about musicians or about preserving the underground aesthetic. They'll never change. Let them drown in the mindless beats they're attracted to.

The cool people - the kindred souls you're seeking - don't go to those clubs anymore and probably dont read those elists. That's the problem -- trying to figure out how to get in touch with those people. For years I thought there wasn't anyone in Atlanta that felt like I did -- and it took moving to California to figure out I was wrong. Drew lived in Atlanta the same time as I and I saw him only a couple times when he showed up at a club night... but that was it. All along he liked the same music I did. But I didn't know it. In Atlanta right now I'd say that people like Trey are a good place to start (I never knew him while I was there either!). He might not spin exactly what you like but he, at least, does give a rats ass about music in general. And there's Travis (manager of Salome's Wish) - who's done SO much to try to get dark music into things like The Atlantis Music Festival (he's always been a supporter of bands like Myssouri). Mike Cuccarro - who for years ran the only club I could stomach going to - is now pretty much out of the scene with a little boy to take care of - but occasionally he does some promotions and DJing. Those kind of people are the people who you'd coax out of the woodwork with a night like you are talking about but then you have to realize those people are so busy with lives of their own (something those assholes on the elists know nothing about) that it IS hard for them to make it out to club nights... and this leads me to Release the Bats.

I think RTBs is successful with an older age group who like the music we like because its only monthly and its on a weekend night (Friday). Even people who have to work alot, even people who have kids, even people who live far away (San Diego for Drew and Kerri and Frank), they can alllll make arrangements once a month to come to this club. Its kind of like "If I can only go out occasionally, I'm gonna make it there!" Loyalty is further cemented by "bats" related events outside of the club - doing the Bats Day in the Park, going to Jenn and Dave's for afterparites, etc. And suddenly its just not a club but a group of friends who are usually too busy to socialize but make a point to do this once a month just so they can say hello and dance and be themselves. And it just works. Something to keep in mind if you're there. I think once a month is the ONLY way to go and you'd have to somehow reach all those people who have stopped paying attention to the assholes that now call themselves "goth"...

Re: I *KNOW* your pain

[pkbarbiedoll.livejournal.com]

my roommate's been around the scene for a while and thankfully he's not like the rest.. we don't really listen to much of the same music but John is accepting and after reading yesterday's posts he thought that one person was totally wrong for writing what he did. he also encouraged me not to worry about assholes like that.

going back a few years.. i'm so very sorry I didn't hang out with you more than I did, Blu. I was hurting so much back then, and I *had* to have time away. i hope you understand.

Re: I *KNOW* your pain

[blu-muse.livejournal.com]

Aww...its ok. The few times we did hang out I thoroughly enjoyed so that was time well spent :)

Check out Mikes journal (aquaknot)- apparently he's doing some DJ night soon -- it may be a little too rock'nroll oriented but it looks as though he's open for ideas and hey - he mentions Joy Division ;)

Re: I *KNOW* your pain

[pkbarbiedoll.livejournal.com]

is that Mike Cucarro? I remember him from Girl Pool days.. he was a nice guy!

Re: I *KNOW* your pain

[axiomatic7.livejournal.com]

yah that is him.. had one of the best club nights in Atlanta going and helped it evolve into more of a D-rock, dark indie, etc. format over the years.. I forget what it was called (silly me being it was my fave and I went quite a bit) but it was at Sol then Nomenclature then at Echo Lounge and then NDD (armoury) kind of evolved from it when Mike retired and Trey and another guy of took the ropes..

Re: I *KNOW* your pain (thanks for plugging the SD peeps)

[axiomatic7.livejournal.com]

urgh and if we could only get out more.. it seems like there are even more shows and events happening in LA as of late (the shows at the 'dark bar' venue where BD&S played) not to even speak of Ghoul School (want to go so bad again I could just cry.. I wish it was on a weekend night..).. anyway we will see you at the very least in March.. Frank the Baptist are playing RTB..

AG