2020 has some amazing music festivals. Here is our guide to help you get the most musical band for your duckets.

As the scene of Goth/Industrial/Darkwave/Post Punk/Shoegaze music continues to experience an amazing renaissance, live shows are becoming a haven for the masses of fans to connect. This year boasts a boatload of amazing festivals where bands and fans can meet and share their love of this scene, so I will try and put together a guide of some of the great ones so you can plot a trip full of memories to last a lifetime.

Dark Spring Festival – (Boston) I am super excited for and will be at this one. This a brand new festival is anticipating its first year and they are already starting out strong with an amazing lineup including some of my favorite up-and-coming bands, mixed with long-term favorites. Great town with a cool scene. *Best New Festival

1. Un Hombre Solo (NYC)
2. Golden Apes (Berlin)
3. Sonsombre (VA)
4. Secret Shame (NC)
5. Shanghai Beach (NYC)
6. Pilgrims of Yearning (Boston)
7. Twin Tribes (TX)

https://www.facebook.com/events/2224829014290261

Golden Apes at Boston Dark Spring Fest
Dark Spring Festival Berlin

Dark Spring Festival Berlin – This brilliant festival inspired the aforementioned Boston one. It was started by Christian of Golden Apes and features Swiss darkwave act Hapax, Finnish Goth Rock elders Two Witches, Russian New Wave quintet Brandenburg, and French No Wave duo Dear Deer. Lots of Representation from Switzerland’s ‘Dark Nights’ label.

https://www.facebook.com/events/bi-nuu/dark-spring-festival-2020-berlin-bi-nuu/1275406542622411/

Hapax at Dark Spring Festival Berlin

Absolution Fest – (Tampa Bay, FL) Located in Tampa’s legendary club The Castle, this festival started last year and works closely with our friends at Obscura Undead. Tampa Bay has an outstanding scene, and this lineup is off the chain. I mean, fucking Drab Majesty! This one was spectacular last year and every band who played it told me how inspiring it was. Plus, you’re in Florida heat at one of the most renown goth clubs in the US. *Best Value

Pre-Party Lineup:
October 8th at Hooch and Hive
Mr.Kitty
Cold Medicine
Gulf Blvd with DJ MAUS

Day 1 Lineup:
October 9th at Crowbar
Hante.
Astari Nite
Rosegarden Funeral Party
Sonsombre
Die Robot
The Kentucky Vampires
Pass/Ages with
DJ Winters and DJ Black

Day 2 Lineup:
October 10th at The Orpheum
Drab Majesty
TRAITRS
The Bellwether Syndicate
S Y Z Y G Y X
Third Realm
The Purge
Mother Juno

https://www.facebook.com/events/2473284262889368/

Drab Majesty will be at Absolution Fest

Cold Waves – (Chicago) – So we went to this show last year and it was a life changing experience. The scene, the venue, the cause, the history, this is everything you hope for from a top-notch music fest. This one has been doing it right for a long time, and the lineup is absolutely stacked. Phenomenal mix of goth and industrial, old and new, plus the fact that Chicago, as a city, is so deeply entrenched in music history. Finally, Jim Marcus is doing a DJ set and I am here for that content! *Best Lineup

http://coldwaves.net/

Stabbing Westward will be at Cold Waves Chicago

Convergence – (Louisville KY) Interesting new venue for this long running festival. Amaranth applied for this one but sadly didn’t make it this time. Maybe next year. However when I look at this boss lineup I can’t feel mad. They packed this show with top talent in lots of genres. *Great lineup Fresh New Scene

  • The Kentucky Vampires
  • Xorcist
  • The Rope
  • Wingtips
  • Scary Black
  • S Y Z Y G Y X
  • Sonsombre
  • Twin Tribes
  • Vyva Melinkolya
  • God Module
  • The Bellwether Syndicate
Twin Tribes at Convergence KY

https://www.facebook.com/events/471361446925391/

Cold Transmission Fest – (Cologne Germany) – Our dear friends at Cold Transmission records started their first festival last year and we had the opportunity to cover it. It was amazing. The way people traveled from all over the world to come together and share a passion for great music. After the success of last year Suzy, Andy and team have expanded and have another wonderful lineup and more to be announced. My heart will be with them again. *Great Lineup, Intimate show

ASH CODE
BEDLESS BONES
IAMTHESHADOW
MARK E MOON
DILK

Ash Code will be at Cold Transmission festival

https://www.facebook.com/events/1417909858356678/

Dark Side of the Con – (Parsippany NJ) – Another long running festival I hear everyone rave about year after year but I’ve never attended. I need to get this on my list. This year it is a who’s who of 3rd wave goth and industrial. Big line up with lots of established acts. If this time period in goth was your jam you can’t beat this. Plus it has a convention feel with a lot of things beyond the music (panels, art, DIY, access to bands)

The Birthday Massacre
Cruxshadows
suicide commando
GRENDEL
DAS ICH BAND
God Module
Bella Morte
Echo Black Ego Likeness The Gothsicles
The Rain Within Astari Nite Chmcl Str8jckt
Methodical Devil-M DaGeist Ghostfeeder
00tz 00tz Die Robot Cliff and Ivy Stoneburner
Abbey Death Peter Turns Pirate Tragic Impulse
The Mary Lous Red Lokust

The Birthday Massacre will be at Dark Side of the Con
Out From the Shadows Fest

https://www.facebook.com/events/2556610007786941/?active_tab=about

Out From the Shadows Fest – (Portland) – Another festival I have heard wonderful things about from a great music city. This lineup is stellar and really runs the entire frequency of music styles. Great focus on fresh bands doing 3 stacked nights of music. Huge lineup with a lot of bigger named acts blending well with fresh faces. Plus Portland is just a great place to have a vacation if you are goth.

Thursday:

SYZYGYX (Wash. DC)
FEARING (LA)
KOMRADS (Rochester NY)
LOVE HATE AFFAIR (Austin)
THE ELECTRIC WEST (LA)
PHYSICAL WASH (PDX)
RITUAL VEIL (PDX)
– TBD –

Friday:

BODY OF LIGHT (Arizona)
AUTOMELODI (Montreal)
SSLEEPING DESIRESS (SF)
MAYFLOWER MADAME (Oslo)
PUSH BUTTON PRESS (Tampa)
V.E.X. (members of MOIRA SCAR) (Oakland)
VERSARI (Paris)
WE ARE PARASOLS (PDX)

Saturday:

RITUAL HOWLS (Detroit)
TEARFUL MOON (Austin)
KORINE (Philadelphia)
ASTARI NITE (Miami)
SICK WISH (Boise)
SEVENTEEN AT THIS TIME (Paris)
MR WRONG (PDX)
LIES WE WERE TOLD (PDX)

Ritual Howls will be at Out of the Shadows Fest
San La Muerta Festival

San La Muerta Festival – (Austin Tx) Austin is probably one of the best cities for goth industrial in the US. The list of bands currently out of this town is staggering. Great DJ support. I imagine this party is off the chain. They boast a monster lineup from all over the globe. The Vanishing doing a reunion and Shes Past Away.

https://www.facebook.com/events/573222733407494/

San La Muerte Fest 2020
Sept. 17th – 19th
Austin Texas

-This year SLM proudly presents:
from Spain
ANA CURRA
(formerly of Paralisis Permanente, Alaska y Los Pegamoides, Los Seres Vacios)
Ana Curra will perform Friday Sept. 18th, 2020 in Austin Texas
Venue: TBA
Tickets available now on SLM website

-SHE PAST AWAY
One of the best current Darkwave Post Punk bands. Only Texas Show! All the way from Turkey!
Sept. 19th with The Vanishing
Elysium Austin Texas

-THE VANISHING (San Francisco)
20 YEAR REUNION!
Only Texas Date!
The Vanishing will be playing Saturday Sept. 19th
alongside She Past Away!
Venue:Elysium
Tickets available now on SLM website

The Vanishing at San La Muerte Fest

Dark Malta Festival – (Malta) Great mixture of Euro darkness. Some big names in goth/Industrial/ and metal here. Plus it is in Malta in April which i imagine is gorgeous. If you have the means, I highly recommend checking it out, so choice 😉

https://www.facebook.com/events/428462821068850/?active_tab=discussion

Solar Fake is at Dark Malta Festival

I will continue to update this as lots of the big festivals have not announced lineups yet. Wave Gothic, Sanctuary, Machinefest.

Interview with RICHIE V. SURIV of Missfit Toys

By : Adrian Kjøsnes

MISSFIT TOYS
————————

FORMED IN ORLANDO,FL BACK IN 2007, MISSFIT TOYS IS A BAND WHO`S SLOWLY MAKING THEIR WAY UP. PLAYING WHAT MOST WOULD CALL AGGROTECH OR ALTERNATIVELY “TERROR EBM” THEY`VE TOURED AROUND THE U.S OPENING FOR WELL KNOWN NAMES WITHIN THE INDUSTRIAL/ALTERNATIVE SCENE SUCH AS TIM SKOLD`S (PRECIOUSLY OF MARILYN MANSON, KMFDM, SHOTGUN MESSIAH) EPONYMOUS SOLO ACT, GRENDEL, PIG, DOPE , DAVEY SUICIDE AND PSYCLON NINE.

MISSFIT TOYS RELEASED THEIR LATEST ALBUM “THROUGH THE GLASS” OCTOBER 20TH WHICH WAS ALSO THEIR FIRST DATE OPENING THE SHOW FOR PSYCLON NINE ON THEIR RUINATWOUR.

AS THE SAYING GOES THERE IS NO SLEEP FOR THE WICKED AND WITH THAT IN MIND SOUNDS & SHADOWS GOT A HOLD OF VOCALIST/BANDLEADER RICHIE V. SURIV FOR A QUICK INTERROGATION REGARDING THE BAND, RELIGION AND OF COURSE, THE ALBUM.

(Adrian) Could you give a short backstory to MissFit Toys? How long have you been around and who makes up the current incarnation?

(MT) MissFit Toys has been around since 2007 but was only active on line until 2011 when we played our first show. Currently the members are as followed my self Richie V. Suriv as the vocalist/ song writer, followed by Travis Lee our drummer, Damien Carrion our guitarist and Adrian KJØSNES as a contributing studio artist at the moment.

(Adrian) What is the meaning behind your name?

(MT) The meaning behind the name came after a suicide attempt when I was 20. Only after an argument with my family telling me I wouldn’t amount to anything and that the people I associate with are nothing more than misfit toys. Broken people that can’t do anything on their own. I took that and used it as fuel to do something more, I added “Miss” as a play on words to show my obvious androgynous nature. Thus the name was born.

(Adrian) MissFit Toys seem to fall under the industrial/aggrotech umbrella, what made you want to create music within that particular genre?

(MT) Honestly I have always loved electronic music but also metal and always wanted something that mixed the 2 but never knew how or what that would sound like until I discovered industrial.
And I fell in love.

(Adrian) Do you currently have any other musical project or have you been involved in others in the past? If so which ones and how were they different from MissFit Toys?

(MT) I have been involved in several different projects including ludovico technique and Forever Dawn ” project of the vegan black metal chef”.
Some of the projects were definitely in line with what Missfit Toys does currently and some were completely different I love all types of music.
There are talks right now of collaborating with a few different artists but I can’t disclose any of that at the moment.

(Adrian) Tell us about your new album “Through The Glass”. What does the title mean and how long has it been in the making?

(MT) Through the glass is a combination of feelings, struggles and beliefs.It was inspired by a fan that felt like they weren’t good enough for me to ever acknowledge that they existed. So I went on the hunt trying to figure out who had sent me this message when I did find them I asked them if they would be alright with me turning their message into a song and album concept.Through the glass is not only important to me but also the band as we continue to evolve.It shows the hurt, the doubt and the struggles that not only I go through in my faith but others like me go through everyday.

(Adrian) A lot of your lyrics are inspired by faith, would you say the band as a whole has an agenda tied to this or is it more an expression of yourself as a person?

(MT) –  There’s no hidden agenda behind the band whatsoever and I am very open with it’s message and my beliefs. I am a Christian and the band is full of references to that, but more importantly it shows me and who I am through it. That not everything is sunshine and rainbows. that I am not better than any one else. it shows that I am broken and that I live in a broken world and this is what every one goes through. We do everything with intent and purpose, nothing is on accident. I use music as a way to not only cope with my emotions and the struggles that I have daily but as a way to communicate with people. Listening to the music you’ll understand the struggles that I go through and what their impact on me is.This album in particular shows a sense of longing, overwhelming feelings of drowning , guilt and desperation.
So It’s more a reflection of myself and what I go through, along with the struggles of others.

(Adrian) How do you think you’ve evolved musically since the beginning of the band? Has there been any major changes as far as the creation process or is it all more or less the same?

(MT) I feel that the music took a more developed appeal than what it was in the early days.As far as writing I do put a lot more care and effort into the message than I used to mostly so the message is not twisted and manipulated into something else. But other than that not much has changed.

(Adrian) The last word is yours, feel free to promote anything you`ve got going on or just leave a message, shout out etc for your listeners.

 (MT) We love our fans. the connections that we have with them at the shows and online are amazing and without them we couldn’t do what we do.Currently we are working on our next release and at the beginning of the year we will put through the glass online and will be available on all major streaming sights.
Thank you so much for your love and support.

https://www.facebook.com/MissFitToys/