This new dark wave gothic rock festival is set to hit four stages up the west coast, including here in Vancouver
Jasmine Garcha (she/her) // Arts and Culture Editor
Lapis Exilis // Photographer
Poster courtesy of Original Strawberry Girl Presents
Gothic subculture began with architecture choices of the Catholic church in the High Middle Ages. Originally intended to seem inviting, the darker aesthetic was later seen as creepy and off-putting. The style was adopted by various alternative subcultures and embraced alongside horror and the supernatural in various mediums of artistic expression including in literature with pioneer names like Frankenstein, Dracula, Nosferatu or Edgar Allan Poe. Gothic rock music, and the gothic appearance, emerged from post-punk. Now, modern goths all over the world traverse the Earth to see those old Catholic cathedrals, such as the Cologne Cathedral also known as Hohe Domkirche Sankt Petrus in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany.
These events all happened so that Christine Buckley could put together Original Strawberry Girl Presents and bring Glōm Fest, her darkwave gothic rock brainchild, to North America. The festival’s name was derived from the word gloaming, referring to dusk. Vara Pappas, Brand Manager and Creative Director of the festival, describes this, “liminal hour” as, “when the bats come out, the shadows stretch, and the night comes alive.”
Glōm Fest will be hitting four stages across the west coast, including Los Angeles, San Francisco, Portland and right here in Vancouver at The Cobalt Cabaret. Pappas describes the venue as encompassing the Glōm Fest spirit and, “bringing dark, independent music to stages where it truly belongs.” She also commends Vancouver for its underground music scene and thriving alternative music community, which she describes as having, “deep roots in post-punk, industrial, and goth culture.”
The festival’s lineup includes, as Pappas tells the Courier, “artists you may never have had the chance to see live in North America before.” She goes on to say, “We’re bringing together some of the best global acts alongside homegrown talent that deserves a bigger spotlight.” Glōm Fest will see artists The Awakening, The Cemetary Girlz, Dark Chisme, Black Angel, The Royal Ritual and Aeon Sable share the stage in each city.
Gothic dark rock band Aeon Sable was formed in Essen, Germany in 2010 by singer and frontman Nino Sable and his friend Din-Tah Aeon on guitar and audio production. “I think it wasn’t us discovering this music, but this area discovering us and using us to make the music,” Sable says, describing the inspiration the band’s surroundings have had on their music, “We never wanted to make goth rock; it was goth rock.” He describes North Rhine-Westphalia as a geographical hotspot for alternative subcultures.
Aeon Sable never plans their shows past the set list, a few show traditions and the tempo, so the audience can expect a new show every time. “There is no concept behind it,” says Sable, “It is absolutely natural and what happens happens.” He shares his excitement to be performing alongside his bandmates, describing the stage as a pocket in time in which they always exist as, “the young boys making music” having known each other for so long.
Sable was originally approached by Buckley with the idea of Glōm Fest years ago during a German festival called Dark Skies over Witten. He expresses his excitement to be performing in North America, noting that it’s one of his, “greatest dreams come true.”
Pappas says that goths can expect, “everything from classic Sisters of Mercy-style vibes to modern darkwave dance floor anthems” at Glōm Fest in September. She adds, “For those new to the scene, this is your chance to dive in headfirst.”
“Glōm Fest isn’t just a festival; it’s a celebration of the sound and spirit of dark music.” -Vara Pappas
Edit: This article has been edited only to provide an updated festival flier after a change in the lineup of artists.