XIII Wave-Gotik-Treffen, Leipzig (D) 28.31.2004

Photos in this page © 2004 Linden Fulcher

^{Full Photo Gallery by Therion here}

Friday - 1st day was spent at the Parkbühne, which proved to be a good start to the following proceedings, first up for me anyway, After Forever, Goth metal with operatic vocal made for a good start to the night and indeed the weekend. The sets though were on the short side. Next up were my band of the day, Epica, from the Nederland‚'s. They played in the same vein as AF but maybe a little more fine tuned, great guitar licks and a voice to die for. Unfortunately again the set was rather on the short side still there were some good tunes starting with Adyta ending with the Phantom of Agony (their LP title). So what could follow that well, Haggard, a band that I‚'ve seen before and have admired for some time coming on with the Day Heaven Wept... They blend of metal and orchestral music, to the degree of having an actual string section on stage complete with operatic singers et al made this a joy band to watch. Which was made even better when a most amazingly powerfully sung version of Herr Mannelig preceded their parting song The Awakening The Centuries. Awesome could not describe my feelings at this time, the last band, I‚'m afraid to say, didn‚'t really follow on to well in my eyes, My Dying Bride alas lowered the tempo a little too much for me still we can‚'t have it all our own way all the time and the weekend had after all, only just started...

 

Saturday - Well into the 2nd day and a slight change of tempo, I decided to check out the Torhaus Dolitz, Estampie were playing and something kind off jolted my memory to go see this band and I was glad I did. The setting was that of a medieval nature the band where excellent fusing old songs with traditional instruments from the middle east, Asia and Europe to entertain a modern audience (at the end off the sound check the leader of the band remarked that this was the quickest sound check they had done at the WGT, all of 1 hour 30 minutes...). And all with an acoustic air, a real delight and cured my hangover a treat... By this time though, we had discovered some interesting beverages which made for memorable evening. Next up Ohrenpeyn (I apologize if that is spelt incorrectly, this was taken from their banner). With fire-eaters and jugglers, with more acoustics music using bag pipes and percussion ,this really stirred the audience up and the wine was going down even better. The next band up and for me a real pleasure to watch and dance too: Vivus Temporis four young lads, from Chemnitz with a remarkable sense of humour. Their show was very dance orientated producing music that would not go amiss at some ‚"illegal raves‚" that adorn these shores, but all done with tradition percussion and pipes. After this we just stayed put on site ‚'til the wee hours of the morning around a campfire. My conclusion for this day was that of a very enjoyable surprise.

Sunday - Aaawh the day of rest, and what a fine day it was too, finally got to the top of the Volkerschlachtdenkmal and what a view, also discovered the cemetery next door, an interesting place. Enough of the tourist stuff, first up today for me was Deutsch Nepal at the Werk II. For what I could see this was a good performance, the sound was good and the audience very active. Tonight though was Haus Leipzig night with Grendel and FeIndflug. I had this impression this was going to be popular and my theory was correct, when I got to the venue, the queue was very long, house was full to the degree that with two bands still to play there was to be no more entry for people that night. Grendel were first up with their very loud EBM style sound, got the crowd going and made the temperature inside even hotter then usual (is that place ever cold though). They started with Deutschland and just got better this was a great taster of things to come and with the drones of air raid sirens and heavy drum beats they came, FeIndflug, with their EBM style, I was reminded of trance break beat music from over here, only with a militaristic style. They marched their way through the likes of Leitbild, Nsd et al, accumulating with a blinding back drop of stuka fixation via film archive while the stirring beats of Im Visier bring on the Stuka dive bombers. Next up is a mad dash back to the Agra for Anne Clark. The tempo here slowed drastically, this wasn't really my thing but it kind of grew on me, very poetic. The audience were very pleased to see an old icon return and what a return bringing the old with the new dare I say it, but to me the sound was pretty gothic and very trance orientated, this was very chilling before the storm of the Monday.

Monday -For me the best day, although at the time I wasn‚'t to know this. Back to the Torhaus Dolitz after the storm that is, and another Celtic style acoustic band who where very good even though they just about insulted everyone‚'s national heritages in some way or another, but all in good spirit though. They were called Omnia. Then it‚'s off to the main hall, Faun first up for me and if this band are anything to go by then I was going to be in for a very good evening. With electronic and Celtic influences they produced a very dance beat using unusual old style instruments i.e. pipes and drums coupled with some rather haunting melodies a good start to the evening. Next up Cornix Maledictum, another band that are incorporating the traditional instruments and tunes and turning them into a rather effective dance tool, which kind of begs the question are the Goths turning to the dance rave culture, or are the ravers going to become Goths in time... ha ha, only time will tell. The fusion of fast break beats are forever present at this particular event the only difference is they use old style instruments, percussion and song to which CM are doing this very well. It just shows that the gap between music cultures is narrowing. The next band being the best example to date, Saltatio Mortis, awesome, In Extremo meets rave. It‚'s becoming more bizarre, the full circle technology meets 600 year old instrument design. This band really got the crowd going and I even recognised a few old tunes, I‚'m sure I heard one tune done by three other bands a good tune mind you. I wonder what people a few hundred years down the line will make of this. For me though this was thus far the band of the festival, I was saying this would happen, the fusions etc, and it just did, I want to take this back to England - coming to a wood/forest/beach/field or where-ever near you...

Well, Mila Mar is up next, but before that a surprise act doing a couple of tunes, the singer from CM came on and did an EBM style set using electronic pipes and drum machines very interesting. For me the next act is a class of her own, one off the best female singers in the world, my favourite, she wowed the audience with her very unique voice that sent absolute shudders down my back, she was different from the other bands that played, which I suppose was a good thing as I needed to calm down a bit, to which she did very well. Well, the last band for me tonight was Coil, not really my thing although the sound was excellent and the audience were happy enough, a very chilled end to the day this band were a little to sombre but good none the less.

General summing up: XIII WGT, not the strongest of line ups but had plenty of surprises all for the good might I add, traditional Goth took a bit of a back seat this year to more traditional and unusual styles of the music genre. Even EBM and industrial styles weren‚'t that prominent, all in all a good festival regardless, can't wait for next year and more of the same.

On behalf of Darklife I would like to extend my deepest sympathies to the Family and Friends of the Two men who tragically died early Saturday morning at the Agra, our hearts go out to you RIP.

Linden Fulcher

^{-> Photo Gallery by Therion}

^{to DARKLIFE home}