Goth Me Up, Fam! – Seven Event Picks for April 2023

Each month we’ll showcase a selection of dark music events happening in the bay area. This series will focus on live music, with the occasional club night or cultural event thrown in. Genres featured will range from traditional gothic rock and industrial to music in adjacent genres, such as neofolk, shoegaze, and noise rock. A full event list can be found at the bottom of the page.

April 6th: Chasms at Bottom of the Hill 21+ 8 PM $12 Adv / $15 Door (shoegaze, dream pop)

Haunting, atmospheric, and intimate, Chasms touches a number of dark music genres, most notably shoegaze, ambient, and industrial with touches of trip-hop and witch house. The project of former bay area resident Jess Labrador, Chasms has released three full-length albums, with the latest album, Glimpse of Heaven, featuring additional production work from Joshua Eustis from Telefon Tel Aviv. Shows are sonically immersive, dimly lit, and have plenty of fog. They’re also infrequent, so take this opportunity to see Chasms live with support from labelmates Houses of Heaven.

 

 

April 9th: Covenant at DNA Lounge All Ages 8 PM $21 Adv / $30 Door (synthpop, futurepop, EBM)

When it comes to modern synthpop, Covenant is one of the biggest names in the genre. Almost three decades of consistently strong albums and hit singles have made them a staple of goth club DJ sets around the world. Frontman Eskil Simonson’s stoic yet distinct vocal style and anthemic lyricism coupled with the band’s synthetic instrumentation and danceable beats combine for a sound that is almost timeless. And support act Night Club are alone worth the price of admission.

 

 

 

April 12th: PlayXLand Cyberpunk Night at Cat Club 21+ 9PM $10-$20 Sliding Scale (fetish dance night)

San Francisco’s Cat Club is a second home to local goths, with a full calendar of events celebrating nearly every conceivably dark music genre. PlayXland, a relatively new weekly event at the club, stands out as one offering an inclusive space for fetish / BDSM / kink play and is possibly the only one in the bay to formally express this policy. This April 12th, DJs Starr Noir and Sage celebrate their birthdays with a Cyberpunk-themed night featuring a costume contest, along with the usual go-go dancers and dungeon room furniture and accessories. If you’re looking to explore, then this is an unintimidating and judgment-free space to get started while dancing to some great music.

April 13th: Ex-Heir at Thee Parkside 21+ 8PM $10 adv / $15 door (minimal synth, industrial)

Raw, aggressive, blown out, muddy — these are all words you can use to describe Ex-Heir’s sound and it’s glorious. A hell of a love letter to early 90s industrial ala Skinny Puppy and Nitzer Ebb with punk rock attitude, Ex-Heir is a one-man project from the bay area and headlining a night of dark music at Thee Parkside. Also performing are Blaq Hammer, Mars Kumari, WELIVEINPARADISE, and DJs Vampi and A.I.R.

 

 

 

 

April 14th: Author & Punisher at DNA Lounge All Ages 8 PM $18 Adv / $23 Door (electronic doom metal, industrial)

Mechanical engineer Tristan Shone has spent nearly two decades making music under the Author & Punisher moniker, with his musicianship, homemade instruments, and stylistic range evolving and growing. A one-man band, Author & Punisher utilizes an array of imposing controllers and devices to produce doom metal and industrial that shakes rooms and offers a fascinating spectacle in live performances.

 

 

 

 

April 19th: Front Line Assembly at DNA Lounge All Ages 7 PM $22 Adv / $28 Door (industrial, EBM)

One of the most prolific and enduring acts in the electro-industrial scene is Front Line Assembly. Before embarking on a tour with Ministry and Gary Numan, they’re playing a one-off date in San Francisco at DNA Lounge. While their catalog has varied in sound over the years, Bill Leeb’s raspy vocals are iconic, and the project has maintained a high level of production quality and danceability, with lyrical themes revolving around war, industry, and technology. This time, not only is the core duo of Bill Leeb and Rhys Fulber in the live band, but Tim Skold (KMFDM, Marilyn Manson), and Jon Siren (Dismantled, IAMX) are playing live bass and drums, respectively.

 

 

April 29th: Wander at Bottom of the Hill 21+ 8:30 PM $12 Adv $15 Door (post-rock, shoegaze)

Wander is an apt name for a band whose music sends your mind drifting to nostalgic memories and future possibilities in the best possible way. Post-rock and shoegaze quartet Wander has been a staple of the bay area rock scene for over a decade, sharing the stage with the likes of Slow Crush and embarking on numerous tours. Their instrumental jams and energetic live performances have earned them a loyal fanbase.