Gothic Activism

Today’s most intriguing highlight has to be the invitation to speak at this year’s Altfest, the UK's largest alternative festival – and maybe only unless you count Whitby? Topic to be determined, but with the likes of Marilyn Manson, the Cult and VNV nation headlining it’s going to be a fun one. At least so long as they don’t try and find a climate sceptic to argue the toss, like previously organisers at the Synergy Project.

But then I got to thinking about how to tailor progressive and environmental messages to the audience, i.e. the assembled mass of the black clad tribe – and/or how to cope with the post punk nihilism and modern Goth / emo apathy?

After a few moments of fond recollections of the ‘Eco Goths against Apathy’ group that we played with for Witchfest one year, and then reincarnated for the Airplot special interest groups project (an idea I'd like to resurrect) clearly more research is in order.

So tonight heralds hunting for hidden messages in my music collection. I’ll resort to playing songs backwards if I have less luck, and to keep the Christian extremists happy. But VNV have opened well, with the lyrics to Foreward (Futureperfect 2009).

This is your world.
These are your people.
You can live for yourself today,
or help build tomorrow for everyone.

Das ist deine Welt.
Das sind deine Mitmenschen.
Du kannst heute für dich leben,
Oder für alle die Zukunft von morgen aufbauen.

C'est ton monde.
Ce sont tes gens.
Aujourd'hui tu pourrais penser qu'à toi,
ou aider à construire un lendemain pour tous.

Still the night is young, there is plenty to drink, and I am not alone, I am not afraid, I am not unhappy……