Wave-Gotik-Treffen 2020 – Masked and secured
Leipzig’s Wave-Gotik-Treffen 2020 is officially postponed to next year due to the Coronavirus pandemic. As sad as it is, it was the most sensible decision considering the circumstances. I will miss everything about this festival, that I have been attending for more than a decade. Also, no pictures and no WGT-exhibition this year (yet some of my works happen to be at BeuteltierArt). But this global crisis is devastating for many, many people. Let’s just hope next year will be a really good one. And let’s try to make the best of it and put things as positively as possible.
What’s up on WGT weekend this year?
Gothic Pogo Festival: 29th May -1st June
Since corona rules out all gatherings, club & concert culture became live stream culture. Partying in isolation, connecting with friends on Zoom, or chatting away digitally. Some alternative organizers have set up programs for WGT weekend. First of all, my choice to attend to: Gothic Pogo Festival 2020 will be streaming three days in a row with DJs, live performances, and surprise acts. Yay! Also, they will collect for Mission Lifeline. <3
Find the streams here:
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/gothicpogo
twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/neontransmissions
YouTube https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCjiyYbbDhXZoojLyA9uLbYA
Darkstream Festival 2020: 28th – 31th May
Another worthwhile choice might be “Darkstream Festival”. In an attempt to unite many facets of goth culture similar to Wave-Gotk-Treffen, it has announced to stream not only bands and DJ sets but also readings and lectures. The venue will be renowned WGT location Moritzbastei in Leipzig, the stream live on Youtube. They start on Thursday at 5pm (CET) and with Coppelius, Christian von Aster, and many more (lineup & running order)
Virtual Goth Night: Friday, 29th May
Laser Dance Home Edition “Wave”: Saturday, 30th May
“Darkness Forever” Doc by MDR Kultur: Sunday, 31th May
Traditionally I always enjoy watching some of the documentaries about Goth culture that are on during WGT. MDR Kultur completes their trilogy about the scene this year with “Darkness Forever – Wie Goth unsterblich wurde”. It will be online at the ARD Mediathek or mdr-kultur.de on 26th May and for those who still own a regular TV, you can watch all three episodes in a row on Sunday, 31th May from 10.30 pm. They also announced a portrait series “Faces of Goth” for online only on their Youtube-Channel.
Sunday, 31th May on TV and always online available if you click:
22.30 Uhr: “Darkness Forever – Wie Goth unsterblich wurde” (2020)
23.00 Uhr: “The Golden Age of Darkness -Wie Goth die Welt eroberte” (2019)
23.30 Uhr: “Roots of Darkness – Der Anfang von Wave und Gothic” (2018)
What are your plans for WGT 2020?
So, that’s it for me, I guess! Also, I will take a stroll in the park occasionally, and throw in one or the other digital meetup with some friends. What are you up to this year? Let me know on my Facebook or Insta, and if you miss the endless stream of WGT portraits that I usually provide, feel free to click through the galleries in the Wave-Gotik-Treffen-section of my website.