Being goth used to seem like a bad word to my friends, and electronic music was viewed as strictly for ravers. But in Boston, goth and drum ‘n bass theme nights provide a refreshing evening away from the typical bar scene. Home to the country’s longest running drum ‘n bass night and dress code enforced goth dance nights, local bars An Tua Nua, Middlesex Lounge and Phoenix Landing invite guests to dance, drink and enjoy internationally known disc jockeys in alternative environments.
When I walk into “Goth Night” at An Tua Nua in Brookline, I’m immediately met with a black lipstick covered grin. After searching through my purse for the $5 cover, the bouncer tips his top hat, and invites me to move towards the dance floor. Having followed the rules and worn all black, I fit right in with the rest of the crowd.
Goth dance music—or “darkwave”—can range in pace and is characterized by its macabre aesthetic, including lower tones and more fluid soundscapes.
An Tua Nua (www.antuanuabar.com, 617-262-2121, 1835 Beacon St.) “Ceremony” on Monday nights from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m., 21+. Covers of $5 are required after 9:30 p.m. Going on its 16th year, Ceremony continues to draw an average crowd of 100 people and has had up to 300, according to An Tua Nua General Manager Pauline Habelt.
Event Promoter James Cuddyer, 34, has run Ceremony for the past 11 years. Despite its strict dress code—“ goth-industrial-fetish-punk-creative attire or all black minimum”—Cuddyer says Ceremony invites anyone looking to dance.
Cuddyer says Ceremony has a laid back vibe for those who want to drink and listen to music, without it being low-key to the point of boredom. An Tua Nua provides a huge dance floor, giving every patron their own space to enjoy him or herself.
There are a number of dance clubs in the Boston area, but Ceremony offers an event well known within the genre, says Cuddyer.
Ceremony’s crowd is predominantly fans of the genre, so An Tua Nua started hosting Superstition, an additional new wave and gothic night, the last Friday of every month to accommodate their crossover crowd, Habelt says. “Superstition”—an additional themed night at An Tua Nua—21+, hosts goth nights for the pop culture fan, including a Tim Burton themed party and a vampire ball with drink discounts for the best-dressed.
Chris Scovil, 38, who started Superstition, says, “We started calling the night goth with a wink because it isn’t all The Cure and Bauhaus; you’re going to hear Prince, Stevie Wonder, maybe something fun like Thrift Shop by Macklemore or something with some stank on it like a groove from the Parliament-Funkadelic.”
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Across the river in Cambridge, Middlesex Lounge (www.middlesexlounge.us, 617-868-6739, 315 Massachusetts Ave) hosts “Cult” (or CVLT), 21+, which shares DJs and a design team with Ceremony, but invites a more mixed, hip crowd and allows them to dress in whatever color they chose.
“Some guests you might call Goth dressed in all black, some techno, house or raver fans, others members of the arts community with eccentric styles and a varied taste in music. We have some people who show up in costumes, wigs, and crazy make-up,” says Event Promoter Logan Hudson, 33, who started Cult as a radio show at Emerson College in Jan. 2010.
Hudson says Cult is an experience different from other alternative venues in the Boston area.
“Darker aesthetics in the arts can actually be a positive way to expresses the full spectrum of emotions and inspirations we feel,” Hudson says. “All of it: music, fashion, paintings etc. Cult somehow embodies all of those things. I view putting on a party like a living interactive art project where everyone and everything plays a role.”
Similar to Ceremony, the DJs spin gothic and industrial tunes—and occasionally some rap—but Cult claims its aesthetic is independent from its musical theme. A bit more intimate, Cult sees about 75 people per month.
While there are regular guests who come out every month, Cult is open to all.
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Within the realm of electronic music, Phoenix Landing (512 Massachusetts Ave) hosts “Elements,” 19+—Boston’s longest running dance night. Held every Thursday 10 p.m. to 2 a.m. at Phoenix Landing Bar, Elements hosts international and local drum ‘n bass DJs. The cover fee ranges between $5 and $10, depending on who’s spinning that evening.
An offshoot of the British rave scene, drum ‘n bass music made its way onto the scene in the late 90s. Similar to industrial and electronic music, drum ‘n bass is fast-paced, electronic music employing synthesizers, drum machines and occasionally pop music samples.
In an attempt to bring an all drum ‘n bass night to Boston, Elements was started by DJ Lenore Fauliso, 40, and DJ Crook, 14 years ago. Fauliso says it’s a community based event, but they host international DJs one or two times a month, selling out the club to capacity.
“People come to Elements to be educated, as opposed to dumbed down. They come to hear the evolving sound of drum ‘n bass,” Fauliso says.
The promoters of Elements at Phoenix Landing pride themselves on showcasing new and up-and-coming experimental DJs, rather than the top hits played on repeat at other clubs.
Despite Elements’ dedicated group of attendees, Fauliso says each week she sees walk-ins and every year there are new regulars, due to Boston’s transient nature.
“If someone is into electronic music, it’s a must. If someone was looking to have a pint with some cool people, definitely. If someone is looking for something other than a pickup scene where they’re just hearing the hits and want to hear something different, yes,” Fauliso says.
While it’s nothing short of a spectacle every week, it’s especially worth traveling to when guest DJs are coming through.
Kira Cole 