Paint it Black: Goth Night at Darkwave

by J.A. Campbell

WriterJACampbell.com

Put on your black lipstick, dig out your leather trench coats, and lace up those combat boots! Hodi’s Half Note hosts Darkwave, Fort Collins’s local Goth night, one Tuesday a month. You’ll be treated to some awesome DJs and great Industrial and Goth music. The bar has a great staff and an excellent dance floor.

The experience is hard to explain, but imagine walking into a dark bar, the low mournful harmony of singing vibrates through you and the synth melodies tug at your soul. It pulls you through the bar and onto the dance floor. You sway as the music grips you, and you give into its beat. Your feet stomp and your hands twirl. The music speeds up and your body moves with the rhythm of its own accord. You dance until you can’t anymore, then you remember you’re in a bar, with friends to see and new people to meet. You hurry from the dance floor, swing by the bar and get a drink, then apologize to your friends for ignoring them. No apology is necessary though, because they all understand. They come for the music, too.

My first experience with Darkwave was in 2006, when it was Club Static on Sunday nights. I can’t quite remember what prompted me to first go, but I suspect it was my friends. I was shy, introverted, and showed up in jeans, t-shirts, and horse riding boots for months. Watching the dancers with barely concealed envy, I drank a little and chatted with friends. A similar crowd showed up every week and we all knew each other. It was a safe, comfortable place to be ourselves. A place that finally helped me to come out of my shell, and among other things, learn to dance. I even started dressing up, though regrettably I’ve never donned black lipstick. I was there for the last Darkwave at Club Static. It was a somber affair. After Static closed several years ago Darkwave moved to Osiris then to Suite 152, where it moved to one Tuesday a month. Darkwave has settled at Hodi’s Half Note in Old Town Fort Collins. Did I mention the great dance floor at Hodi’s?

Goth night in Fort Collins had been going on for many years before I started attending. To get some of the history I spoke with Sarah, also known as Sati, who, with her husband DJ Ghrimm, has run Darkwave since 2004. When she started attending, Goth night was called Requiem and she stumbled on it while promoting for a band. She started going every Sunday and soon began to help with handbills and promotions.

In the beginning DJs SynthetEc, Scotch, and Statik were the primary DJs. SynthetEc was in charge of Darkwave before Sarah. These days DJ Ghrimm spins every Darkwave along with a guest. In the warmer months DJs come up from Denver.

Sarah says that the music is what keeps her involved with Darkwave month after month. It’s what keeps me coming back too, that and the really interesting people. It’s easy to get lost in the music as it pounds through you and makes you sway and stomp. Sarah says that as long as she and Ghrimm live in Fort Collins they will make sure there is at least one Goth/Industrial night a month. “I love dancing and don’t want to have to drive to Denver to do so.”

Along with the monthly Darkwave, Sarah puts together “Darkwave’s Nightmare for Xmas” in December. They throw in other underground genres including Punk and bring out the cookies and snacks. Dressing up is encouraged, but not required. Darkwave has no dress code and everyone is welcome. Sarah always tries to include a CD release party at Darkwave and giveaways usually from one of the sponsoring labels. There are also giveaways from Katalist Koncepts – a local tattoo parlor – Vendetta Music, DSBP, Shinto Records, and Engraved Ritual, the current Darkwave sponsors.

I asked Sarah if she had any special memories of Darkwave over the years. She recalled one time in 2010 when Darkwave had a CD release party for Roughhausen, the project by J. Stoddard from Front Line Assembly. The band lives in Taiwan and they sent Sarah a shirt to give away. About a year later they were on a US tour and insisted on playing Fort Collins. Sarah was able to get them booked for Synth React and Darkwave got to co-sponsor the event.

My favorite memories are more general. I remember the sense of belonging and community that I still feel today. It was a new feeling for me then. I remember the smoking area of Static, with the tree and the holiday lights where I’d go to cool off after dancing. I remember the wood dance floor and the super-loud speakers and the cult classic movies they played on the screen over the DJ’s stage. I remember how every time we talk about Static everyone says, “I miss Static.” Darkwave has been a special event for people in Fort Collins for years. We’d love to see some new faces and rediscover old friends we haven’t seen in years.

Category: Noco Music Scene