It’s Saturday and it’s been drizzling rain all morning, so I thought this would be the perfect time to write an update and try to get in the habit of writing a bit more. I wanted to give an update on SLM 2020 and maybe talk about some things that have been brought to my attention. Before I go into anything I just want to state these are just my opinions and thoughts, everyone is entitled to their own but these are mine.
So far the line-up for SLM 2020 is Ana Curra (Spain), She Past Away (Turkey) I hope they bring some imam bayildi for me and The Vanishing (SF). More announcements are coming soon. Robert Sullen organizes this event yearly. He works really hard on this event, he almost never does benefit shows to help pay for cost that this event incurs. He works for this event, meaning all the money that goes into it come from his own wallet. I am really sick of people trying to tear him down and talk bad about him on the internet. It’s really sickening to me when I think about it. First, many of the people that have complaints about the fest or Robert straddle the idea that he takes money from this event to line his wallet. Like he’s making big bucks and is pocketing the door money instead of paying these sucky bands gas money. Let’s be clear with the term I use sucky, because I’m not gonna allow someone to get all twisted, if you play this event and just want to get him to pay you money for your travel expenses out of his pocket, then yes you are sucky! I don’t know what is going on anymore in the DIY community, and how all of a sudden bands that are DIY get off relying on door money and go on the internet and blast someone for not getting enough or what they wanted. As a band I think you should be self reliant, you should have merch and if your merch sales don’t add up to much of anything then that means no one was there to see you anyway, you were NOT the draw. Even big mainstream bands rely on merch sales not the door money from the venue.. this is just a fact. If you want to play SLM then you should write him and ask or if he asks you if you would like to play and you can’t afford to, then just don’t play. We are all adults and I just don’t know how some bands that want $100 for 5 members which comes out to $20 each is like a big deal to you financially (see I can do math just like Andrew Yang). For Robert it is because you are talking if every band wants even a $100 that adds up to thousands. With headliners he has always had contracts or tried his best to give what he can even after he has paid their flights.. but I’m just sorry this is a small scene and for these fringe bands to expect $$$ and then just go around talking smack is just lame.
Secondly, I don’t get what the end game is for these people that are constantly talking bad about SLM, what do you want for him to just not do it? Make him go away? To not have a dark music fest in Texas? I mean, what’s the end goal? If you have such a problem with him and the fest, then don’t book the same bands at your fest and have it the weekend after his, don’t try to pick up his crumbs and book the bands and then talk trash about SLM. Can you just be cool? This is Texas not California. Do your own thing, but don’t pretend like you want to work collectively then go around being a gossip.
Lastly, I really think there is room for everyone in this small scene. I understand it’s hard for people to travel, gas prices are rising and my Tesla only gets about 250 miles on a full charge so I can’t make a low cost drive from California to Texas. So you do your thing and Texas will do their own. Texas is a fun time, and I really look forward seeing all my friends again. http://www.sanlamuertefest.com/slm
Suzi of Masquerade (Finland) has a new project with her partner. Wild Roses of Winter are a darkwave band but it’s just misses, I’m really not sure what they are going for. It reminds me of Catholic Highschool, I swear in 1989 I would have been all about listening to something like this, it sounds like music I used to sing while looking in the mirror while getting dressed. However, this song never got off the ground in my opinion, some of the vocals toward the end remind me a bit of Gitane without the soul.
Believe it or not we still have some Masquerade LP’s left, you can buy on the bigcartel or check depop (gothmommy) I was really surprised this record and band were not received well in our area (Southern California) They played a show in OC and seriously I think like 5 people showed up and then they played a Los Angeles show and maybe 25 people came.
In 2019 I spent a lot of time on the row machine at the gym, and listened to countless hours of Choir Boy. My gym overlooks the Back Bay in Newport Beach, it’s a slice of heaven. I listened to Choir Boy on repeat while daydreaming, it was magical. Well Choir Boy released a single just a few days ago and it is magic. It’s a bundle of girly escape, his voice is just something special it’s a mix between kermit the frog and opera. This is how my brain works, also the single is titled complainer and that’s how I feel sometimes, gotta get that pma and remember life is short.
Their 2nd album will be released in May 2020 on Dais records. I can’t wait!!!
On to some local news … we have a new goth / deathrock spot in OC.. The next Grave Beat will be on March 7th, in Orange. Resident DJ and overall extraordinaire Grimm Beatz is in charge of this event.
I planned on doing a fashion review in this post but sadly I’ve run out of time and will work on it and some updates and news tomorrow. I really hope that we can all lift each other up and be encouraging. I just think that we should all give one another some room to make mistakes and have good days and bad days and not judge harshly.
Keep Goth Cool, Trishka
