Strange and Delicious: Summer Goth Jamboree: Representing Oakland!

When you get invited to a "Mysterious Mansion of Enchantment" in which "..every shade of dungeon dweller will be present. From sparkle goths, to gutter goths and everything in between. Lots of bands, lots of art, lots of crafts, zines and books for sale.." you'll probably want to go. Created by Sasha Ravitch and her event organizing project "Strange Bird Spectacles," I graciously accepted the invitation.

As I walked to the Enchanted Mansion I was wondering how I was going to tell which house it was yet when I saw the mannequin heads on stakes poking up over the fence and above the neighboring rose garden I figured I had found the location. I smirked at how apropos of the weather for the clouds to roll in on what would have been a usually warm Oakland Sunday. I walked up past the open gate into the front yard that was full of head stones, inverted crosses and a sign welcoming you to the "Summer Goth Jamboree". It was an excellent excuse to bring the goth punks, friendly demons, lunar goddesses and dark wave queers out in the open during the light of day. Walking in to the backyard, DJ Benzowave was already playing some of the all familiar and unfamiliar slithery techno tracks.

Spankings!! --photo courtesy L. Herrada Rios

Regretamine playing the dark tunes- photo courtesy L. Herrada Rios

There was a "face transformation booth" just in case you didn't powder your nose or get a chance to apply some black metal eyeliner before you arrived. Next to that was a leather vault and a vintage coat rack holding a red leather jacket and a cat o' nines for a spanking station suggesting "5$" or until it hurts" by Domina Cielo.

Stick n' Poke!--photo courtesy L. Herrada Rios

A tarot booth by Alese Osborn under a canope was set with a formation of crystals on the table. A stick n' poke table offering all the alchemical symbols for your flesh was next door to the stand to buy gin infused cocktails. There was also a table of books for sale ranging from vintage sci-fi, wiccan ritual work and some of the classics. I decided to throw a bottle of Cabernet Franc in my bag to sip on for the event, figuring it was BYOB and I wanted to drink something sexy in homage to what I would imagine would be a most memorable occasion.

Baphomet!! and Henry from Night Work--Photo courtesy L. Herrada Rios

A baphomet mural painted by Creighton Geigle set at the furthest end of the yard over looked the Luciferian Soiree. There was art for sale by many, including Becasmisssteak featuring BDSM inspired mask portraits and even a Divine art poster done in ink on paper and a little booth set up with stones and crystals for the conjuring. It was startling and revealing to experience this scene in literally "another light" as it normally lives in the bottom of a basement nocturnally.

Parasol Party! Photo courtesy L. Herrada Rios

The bands were to go on just past 5pm inside the Mansion. The small living room was papered in plastic starry night sky sheaths complete with disco ball and a cartoon Dracula figure blocking the window. Some of the bands of note that night, all hailing from Oakland were: Decanter with his eight noise boxes of sonic manipulations taking you through space after you just took a touch of acid ( just a touch though). Regretamine, often a regular at the secretive Obscura Machina night, brought more hard hitting,aggressive techno industrial via synth and banging beats. Paralycyst zoning into his noisey, stoic brand of dungeon acid (he also curates the Obscura Machina night). Zanna Nera (solo project of Beca Irizary from Crimson Scarlet) in all her domina reigning over the keys and throwing down some deep mood and edge, at one point going into the crowd and certainly with out getting moshed over. The duo Night Work appealing at times to those who like some of NON's work and more performance art in an industrial setting, bringing in some serious depth and darkness with Henry laying on the floor screaming and Jamile on the drum machine/synth/percussion lifting up a cymbal with theatrical rage, threatening to throw it in to the audience. At one point a character, shirtless, yet in a cropped jacket walks on stage almost setting up a more macabre sketch from Kids in the Hall regarding a the oppressive nature of the business world. ( "You're not filling out your forms correctly, your overtime hours are being moved to next week, do not work those hours again" ..etc).

Forbidden colors, another local resident of the mutoid community, deploys his arsenal of "power electronics" vacillating between robotic soundscapes and jarring, beating head banging moments. Headlining that night was Red Sails. This quartet features more of the sounds of post punk sensibilities a la Love and Rockets and Bauhaus but with a hint more garage influence in the vocals.

Photo courtesy L. Herrada Rios

An after party moved on with Dirty Coyote spinning all of the devilish electro jams. For me it was time to go since I had been there from the beginning of the Jamboree. However, I imbibed in a musical night cap, some decompression. It was nearing the last set at the Golden Bull and I had to catch the ending of DJ Demise's session at "An Aural history of Femme Punk Vol 3", in which Blatz, Vice Squad, Bikini Kill and Siouxsie were revered over vinyl. I sat smiling as I heard the familiar voice of Beki Bondage screaming through the bar hall. What a treasure. Catch that on the next.

If you put your ear to the ground in Oakland long enough you can be sure to find many a sparkley-darkley productions going on. Curated by the passionate freaks for the passionate freaks. The bay area offers some specific, tightly- knit groups to participate in and it's not to be taken for granted. Support your local freaks. We need each other!

If SGJ sounds like a good time to you check out the next show Sasha Ravitch is putting out -Anarcho PUNK show at the ABCO

ALSO-- Here's some more goodies from Summer Goth Jamboree--a huge thanks to our photographic contributor L. Herrada Rios!!!!!