Wave-Gotik-Treffen: dark-romantic celebrations every year at Whitsun in Leipzig – Germany
Twenty-three years ago, two Gothic people from Leipzig had an unusual idea: They didn’t want to create yet another dark music festival but rather a supra-regional gathering of like-minded fellows for relaxed meeting, chatting and celebrating. When the 1st Wave-Gotik-Treffen took place in 1992 at the edge of Leipzig with about 2,000 visitors and just a handful of bands, it is unlikely that anyone imagined that within a few years the WGT would become the largest meeting of Gothic people in the world, taking possession of a whole city every year at Whitsun.
In 2015 the WGT takes place for the 24th time. From May 22nd to 25th again more than 20,000 Gothics from all over the world are expected to come together again in Leipzig to celebrate the Wave-Gotik-Treffen as THE international gathering of the dark family.
All over the city there will be about 200 bands performing, projects and single artists covering the whole wide range of Gothic music: from Electro-Pop to Goth-Metal, from EBM to Neofolk, from medieval music to Post Punk. Apart from famous bands of the scene, you are invited for new discoveries with several less-known real underground bands or artists from the edge of the Gothic music universe. The concerts and events take place at more than 50 venues spread throughout Leipzig, for instance in the vaults of the Moritzbastei, in the splendid neo-antique cupola hall of the Volkspalast, and in the green round of the open-air Parkbühne, as well as in large concert halls. The WGT program will also include beautiful classical music again, such as operas or choral and chamber music.
From its beginning the Wave-Gotik-Treffen has been much more than a music festival: its guests may step back to the romantic atmosphere of ancient times at the medieval market place at the Pagan Village (Heidnisches Dorf). We will present authors reading and unusual theatre; cinematic performances will take place as well as a big live action role play. People in historic clothing will gather in the park for a Victorian Picnic, accompanied by live chamber music. For four days a large hall at the agra-Messepark will be transformed into the biggest Gothic-wares marketplace in the world. In numerous clubs DJs from all over the world will invite you to dance until dawn. There will also be a large fetish party where entrance is only possible by following a strict voluptuous dress code. A stroll through the winding passages of city centre of Leipzig with its historical buildings of the Renaissance, Baroque and Jugendstil (Art Nouveau) eras is especially worthwhile for art and culture lovers: the entrance to several of Leipzig’s museums is free for WGT-guests.
Cheap and entertaining accommodation is available at the huge Treffen camping ground. To enter, you need a special ticket (called Obsorgekarte) which includes also the extensive WGT-program-book. Public transport in the city is free for all WGT-guests from Friday morning until noontime Tuesday.
The inhabitants of Leipzig have become familiar with the Treffen over the last two decades – there are no longer any prejudices and the Gothic guests are very welcome here. The most fascinating aspect of the Wave-Gotik-Treffen is surely its unique magic atmosphere that covers the whole city. Gothics from all over the world celebrate their gathering in a peacefully relaxed manner, turning Leipzig into a diverse wave of black. Once a year about twenty thousand Gothics come home: to the Wave-Gotik-Treffen.
More info on the official website at http://www.wave-gotik-treffen.de/english/
The following artists have already confirmed their performances at the 24th WGT (as at March 23rd):
.com/kill (D) – Dark Noise, sub band of Diary of Dreams…
Accessory (D) – Electro/EBM/Industrial
Agent Side Grinder (S) – Electro/Industrial
Antimatter (GB) – Melancholic progressive rock
Ari (USA) – Ambient/Experimental
Ash Code (I) – Electrowave
Ashes You Leave (HR) – Metal
Ashram (I) – Neoclassical band
Astari Nite (USA) – Dark Indie
Asynje (Dk) – Scandinavian/folk/world/pagan/viking
Automelodi (CDN) – Minimal Synth
Bella Donna (D) – Ozark Gypsy Jazz
Birdmachine (D) – Experimental
Black Lung (AUS) – side project of Snog
Blood And Sun (USA) – Neofolk
Catain Reckless & The Lost Souls (Aus) – Psychobilly
Centhron (D) – Agro noise with guitar (ear plugs required)
Clan of Xymox (NL) – Gothic Rock / Darkwave
Cromdale (D) – Celtic folk rock
Deine Lakeien (D) – Dark Wave / Pop / Avantgarde / Electronic Music
Die Kammer (D) – men with violin and cello play singer/songwriter music
Dupont (S) – EBM
Eisregen (D) – Metal
Eisbrecher (D) – Industrial metal
Empathy Test (GB) – Synthpop
Esa (GB) – Rhythmic industrial noise (would work at Guantanamo!)
Escape With Romeo (D) – New Wave / Gothic Rock
Evi Vine (GB) – Post Rock/Folk/Soundscape
Faey (D) – Folk, Acoustic
Fields Of The Nephilim (GB) – Traditional Gothic
Fixmer/McCarthy (F/GB) -Techno Body Music
Ghosts Of Dawn (D) – Deathrock
Grendel (NL) – Harsh EBM/ Electro
Harmjoy (D/USA) – Futurepop / EBM
Heldmaschine (D)- Rock / Pop
Hezzel (LV) – Industrial, Electronic, Rhythmic Noise
Jo Quail (GB) – Cellist and composer
Keluar (D/GB) – Minimal Wave
King Dude (USA) – Folk Rock, Neofolk, Indie Rock
Klutae (DK) – Industrial/EBM
Koffin Kats (USA) – Psychobilly
L’ame Immortelle (A) – Darkwave, Electronic
Last Dominion Lost (AUS)
Lights of Euphoria (D) – Futurepop
Lisa Cuthbert (GB) – Dark Alternative
Majdanek Waltz (RUS) – Dark Folk, Neofolk, Dark Ambient, Industrial,
Minuit Machine (F) – Minimal Wave
Mono Inc. (D) – Gothic Rock / Industrial Metal
Mono no aware (D)
Morthound (S) – Cold Wave
Mushroom’s Patience (I) -Psychedelic, Blues
Nachtmahr (A) – Industrial / Harsh EBM
Nosferatu (GB) – Gothic Rock
NZ (A) – Oldschool EBM
Orphx (CDN) – Techno / Industrial
Otto Dix (RUS) -Electro/Dark Wave/Gothic
Polaroid Kiss (GB) – Electro-Rock/Shoegaze
Rabbit at War (D) – Electro/Industrial/DarkWave/EBM/Gothic
Qntal (D) – Medieval / Avantgarde / Electronic
Rezurex (USA) – Psychobilly
Roma Amor (I) – Neofolk
Samsas Traum (D) – Gothic Rock
Seasurfer (D) – DreamPunk / Shoegaze / NoisePop
Skyforger (LV) – Pagan / Folk / Thrash / Black Metal
Snog (AUS) – Industrial / Techno / Country etc.
Soko Friedhof (D) – Humoristic goth ?
Sol Invictus (GB) – Neofolk
Sólstafir (IS) – Atmospheric rock
Soror Dolorosa (F) – Cold Wave/Post Punk
Spencer (CH) – Britrock / Gothic Rock
Stoneman (CH) – Dark Rock
Substaat (N) – Electronic
Sweet Ermengarde (D) – Gothic Rock
Terrorfrequenz (D) – Hellelektro
The Exploding Boy (S) – Indie/Postpunk
The Other (D) – Horrorpunk
The Present Moment (USA) – Cold Wave Electronic
The Saint Paul (D) – Electropop
Twisted Nerve (GB)- Gothic Rock
Two Witches (FIN) – Gothic Rock
Unterschicht (D) – Aggrotech / Noise
Unto Ashes (USA) – post-apocalypic folk
While Angels Watch (GB) – Postpunk/ Dark Ambient / Apocalyptic Pop
Wrangler (GB) – Oldschool Electronic
+
Blutengel (D)
Gothic Client (GB) – Electro pop
Clock DVA (GB) – industrial, post-punk, experimental
Combichrist (N) – Aggrotech
DAF (D) – Electropunk
Diorama (D) – Synthpop at its best
Front 242 – Old school EBM
Goethes Erben (D) -Avantgarde / Rock / Electropop
Jäger 90 (D) – Electric Music
Kirlian Camera (I) – Synthpop
London After Midnight (USA) – GOTH
Megaherz (D) – Industrial German Rock
Modulate (GB) – Electronic dancefloor mayhem
Monolith (B) -Electronic Phasenmensch (D)
Polaroid Kiss (GB) – Electro-Rock/Nugaze (CANCELLED)
Postscriptum (N) – Rock
Qntal (D)- Medieval, Avantgarde, Electronic
Sektion B (D)- Industrial, Power Electronics, Noise
Steinkind (D) – Electro Punk Alternative Rave
Tempers (USA)
Terrolokaust (E) – Industrial-Electro-Alternative Rock
Tehôm (HR)- Dark Ambient, Drone, Ritual Ambient, Industrial
The Beauty of Gemina (CH) Dark Wave / Indie / Rock / Dark Rock / Folk / Blues
The Essence (NL)
The March Violets (GB)- Post-punk
Tommi Stumpff (D)
EBM Tüsen (D)
Veil of Light (CH)
XMH (NL) -Dark electro, Industrial, trance
Youth Code (USA) EBM/Industrial
