dancefloorlandmine

This time around The 80s Night was moved across the road from our previous venue to RAW Nightclub - bigger bar, bigger sound system, club lights, bigger dancefloor, and the return of my co-DJ, Kat (retrokitty). Also, an even sturdier booth to make it even less likely I'd endanger the punters with my dancing as well as our music.

Ours was the first act in a three-part night - The 80s Night, followed by a rather good Gary Numan tribute band, and then an alternative club night to complete the night.

The evening also saw the welcome resurgence of the (in)famous queue, much to the confusion of the bar staff.

( Setlist )

¹ And, at this point, we were asked if there was aircon. There was, and it was already running.

Yes, it's less than two months since the event, and I've got the first night's photos up. And all before April's bands have been announced.

Anyhow, without vast amounts of further ado, Friday night at Whitby Goth Weekend November 2016 featured Kitty In A Casket, Manuskript, Sigue Sigue Sputnik Electronic, and Heaven 17 - all of whom seemed very happy to be performing for the crowd, which has a great effect on the atmosphere. There was also an outbreak of levitation among the opening two acts ...

The only first-time Whitby act this time around, Kitty In A Casket are a bouncy, enthusiastic, rock-n-roll-influenced act from Vienna, in a similar musical vein to Zombina & The Skeletones, but more upbeat and with the dial turned slightly more rock than goth. They describe themselves as 'punk'n'roll'. Long-time Whitby stalwarts Manuskript (who, I believe, still hold the record for most appearances at the festival) are a traditional keyboards-backed-by-guitars goth band, with special guests for their finale. Sigue Sigue Sputnik Electronic are a pretty unique hi-energy live experience, and now mostly electronic in name only, with live guitar and bass joining the keyboards. (It was also keyboardist Johann's birthday, resulting in a gleeful receiving of a cake at the end of the set.) And, finally, Heaven 17 should be familiar to everyone - they may not be 'goth', but quite a bit of their discography is 'goth-adjacent', and they know how to put on a great show.

( Sample photos under cut )

Gallery links for more photos

Kitty In A Casket

Manuskript

Sigue Sigue Sputnik Electronic

Heaven 17

(As usual, feel free to share these images with the bands, and they're welcome to use any of them (please credit as Simon Landmine).)

Success! Printed flyers delivered today! Coming to a pub table in a seaside town far from you soon!

(I was a bit nervous about these - other than sending photos to photo-print services, this was the first time I'd sent a design direct to printer - especially one requiring the fun and games of converting to CMYK colour-space and designing-in bleed and exclusion margins.)

Friday night at Whitby Goth Weekend April 2016, featuring Hands Off Gretel, Lene Lovich, The Red Paintings, and Therapy?.

Hands Off Gretel are reminiscent of L7, Hole, Daisy Chainsaw, and the other early 90s acts of that ilk. Lene Lovich is a stalwart of the post-punk genre, with a few hits under her belt, and definite enthusiasm on stage. The Red Paintings were re-visiting Whitby, and were fundraising to complete their next album. Therapy? are a hard-playing three-piece with several alternative club hits to their name.

( Samples behind cut )

Gallery Links

Hands Off Gretel

Lene Lovich

The Red Paintings

Therapy?

(As usual, feel free to share these images with the bands, and they're welcome to use any of them (with credit given).)

Saturday night at Whitby Goth Weekend October 2015, featuring In Isolation, Vince Ripper and The Rodent Show, The Last Cry, and Spear of Destiny.

WGW stalwarts In Isolation and The Last Cry were joined by Vince Ripper and The Rodent Show and headlining legends Spear of Destiny. For the unfamiliar, Vince Ripper et al are stylistically reminiscent of Alien Sex Fiend and The Cramps (including some covers).

( Samples behind cut )

Gallery Links

In Isolation

Vince Ripper and The Rodent Show

The Last Cry

Spear of Destiny


(As usual, feel free to share these images with the bands, and they're welcome to use any of them (with credit given).)

Monday evening on the beach at Whitby, where a bunch of people played with fire in the drizzle. One of them wearing a cloak. Risky, but photogenic. [grin]

As usual, the link to the full gallery is after the samples.






( More samples behind the cut. )

Gallery link

Friday night at the extended Whitby Goth Weekend April 2015.

The second night of the extended anniversary WGW, featuring The Last Dance, Sigue Sigue Sputnik, Bella Morte and The Cruxshadows. This was the evening of guest vocalists, with Ed Tuke of Partly Faithful reprising his guest vocal on The Last Dance's excellent cover of Oingo Boingo's "Dead Man's Party", while Olivia Hyde of Bad Pollyanna joined The Cruxshadows for "Marilyn My Bitterness". Sigue Sigue Sputnik, despite having been billed as "SSS Electronic" had filled out the lineup, with live guitars and bass, which gave the band the raucous edge missing from the keyboard-only version of the lineup I'd previously seen.

Links to the full galleries are beneath the sample images.

( Samples behind cut )

Gallery Links

The Last Dance

Sigue Sigue Sputnik

Bella Morte

The Cruxshadows

Saturday night at Whitby Goth Weekend November 2014.

Saturday night began with the goth metal of Lesbian Bed Death and Bad Pollyanna. They were followed by Rhombus' goth rock, once again bolstered at Whitby by the additional backing singing of the Rhombettes, and now with the addition of Jo of The March Violets guesting on violin and Alixandrea of Last July and Spooks of Dead Eyes Opened on vocals. The final two acts of the night were Hugh Cornwell, formerly of The Stranglers, with Voltaire bringing the night to a close with his usual dark comedy and invited stage-invasion for a rousing chorus of "When You're Evil".

( Samples behind cut )

Gallery links:

Lesbian Bed Death

Bad Pollyanna

Rhombus

Hugh Cornwell

Voltaire

No relaxed weekend on the coast is complete without a trip to the beach, and some people enjoy having a kickabout there. So there was a trip to the beach. At night time. Obviously. Though there was also a kickabout. In a sense.

( Samples below cut )

Links

The whole gallery

Straight to the kickabout

Friday night at Whitby Goth Weekend April 2014, and four bands on the stage. The night opened with Alexa De Strange's glam rock influenced style, followed by Cold In Berlin, with drum-heavy post-punk sounds. Third up were Vince Ray & the Boneshakers with some hot-rod rock'n'roll, with the night being ended by Toyah.


( Samples below )

Gallery links:

Alexa de Strange

Cold In Berlin

Vince Ray & the Boneshakers

Toyah