Totally Innocuous Scene Report
Photo by Darrow Montgomery
Last week, I wrote my Show & Tell column about two goth nights, Spellbound and Midnight, held within blocks of each other on Saturday nights in Farragut North. A few of the comments on the piece accused me of kicking up some controversy within the goth scene with my side-by-side comparison of the competing events. "Shame on you, city paper," wrote one reader. "Nothing informative about the djs, the promoters, the spaces....but such emphasis on stirring up 'goth scene drama.'"
For those commenters' benefit, I've drafted this totally innocuous* report of L Street's basement goth scene.
The Dark Nights: Inside L Street's Dueling Peaceably Co-Existing Goth Parties
On Saturday nights, there are two places where you can go to dress up like a goth and hang out with other people dressed up like goths: Midnight and Spellbound. They are really close together and both have great DJs, promoters, and spaces. Did you know that Midnight is just as good as Spellbound, and that both are just as good as any other goth party that's ever existed anywhere, and any other goth party that's ever existed anywhere is just as good as any other niche scene event that's ever existed anywhere? It's true. Insider tip: Spellbound and Midnight love each other so much that they are going to get married. But don't take my word for it. Ask the goths!
A goth: “Midnight has cake. But sometimes I don't want cake. Sometimes I do, though. I just can't choose!”
Another goth: "Both are so great!!!!!1"
Now for a more comprehensive inventory of how great they both are:
Midnight: Great.
Spellbound: Same.
Got Something for Show & Tell? Send tips to show@washingtoncitypaper.com. Or call (202) 332-2100, x 473.
* completely untrue
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1:17 pm
what about John C. Reilly?
http://www.pushback.org/2008/07/29/john-c-reilly-a-symbo/
2:38 pm
...yes, what about John C. Reilly?
3:44 pm
Stop creating divisiveness in the Hoffman-Reilly scene.
10:06 am
Amanda Hess, serious reporter.
10:21 am
Honestly, Amanda Hess, I hope you aren't getting paid by the City Paper to write and suggest you find another profession, if you are leaning towards journalism or any form of writing. I've read both articles and want the 5 mins of my life back, which I spent reading them.
Although, I will admit that what some of the Goths said was laughable and opening the dc scene up for more mocking. Still a better, less bias article could have been written. It is clear that you are not Goth and could have cared less about the topic.
Please take your passive aggressiveness towards people, who call you out on your poor journalism skills else where. I suggest you cry about it in your personal blog vice torturing us any further with your nonsense.
10:47 am
AS A MAN TRAGICALLY SCARRED BY GLUTEN ALLERGIES I AM OFFENDED BY THE FACT THAT YOU WOULD USE ... SHUDDER ... *CAKE* AS A DIFFERENTIATING METRIC BETWEEN TWO NIGHTS THAT ARE EQUALLY APPEALING TO PEOPLE WHO ENJOY HANGING OUT IN BASEMENTS FOR FUN.
I DEMAND THAT YOU STOP THIS PASTRY-BASED PREJUDICE AND STOP SENDING THOSE WHO CANNOT TOLERATE WHEAT BASED PRODUCTS FLEEING FOR THEIR LIVES WHILE YOU TREAT IT LIKE SOME SORT OF GAME OF ... OF ... "GLUTEN TAG."
IN CONCLUSION THE PREVAILING OPINION IS THAT YOU SHOULD BE STRUNG UP BY YOUR OWN PETARD AND NEVER ALLOWED TO WRITE EVER AGAIN FOR ANY PAPER OR ON ANY PAPER OR WHILE NEAR ANY PAPER OR EVEN ON ONE OF THOSE PALM PILOTS ALTHOUGH I NEVER REALLY FIGURED OUT HOW TO GET THE HANDWRITING RECOGNITION WORKING ANYWAY SO MAYBE THATS COOL WHO KNOWS.
AT ANY RATE I DEMAND MY MONEY BACK FROM THE CITY PAPER FOR THE TIME THAT I LOST WAIT WHAT ITS FREE? OH WELL AT LEAST I CAN BLOG MY PAIN
10:49 am
Ah, muckracking at its finest! Good job, CityPaper!
11:10 am
I think "Bobby Isosceles" wins for best CityDesk avatar of the day.
Works equally well for a Nicktoons character or an old-school mobster.
11:13 am
What do I win, a FREE SUBSCRIPTION to the City Paper? That would be rad.
On a side note:
We can use this as an OPPORTUNITY to further refine the Gothick-Industryale scene!
Spellbound is west of Midnight, right, along the same street?
Let's make two subgenres. Spellbound can be Visigoths and Midnight can be Ostrogoths.
IT'S BEEN DONE BEFORE PEOPLE IT'S PROVEN TO WORK
11:47 am
Reminds me of Chicago's Neo & Exit.
5:23 pm
Just in: The DJ who threatened to never spin again because of the original article, djkangal, has now been banned from both of the nightclubs because his LJ post about the article scared some club patrons. Basically he went off on Midnight and Scott,blah,blah,blah...even though he himself had nothing to do with any of the drama going on.
You gotta love drama kings and their ability to make themselves the center of attention.
I haven't had this much fun in a long time. Please write some more about the DC goth scene. Please?
8:46 am
By the way. In the first article, you misquoted my sister. Her name is not Kerie. It is Kerre. She does not "call herself Kerie". Her name was given Kerre by our parents.
Moron.
9:33 am
Amanda Hess just looked a gift horse in the mouth.
You can't get the spotlight like that every time -- and doing a piece like this just undermines any journalistic integrity you might have had. Turn in your AP Style Guide post haste.
3:26 pm
Does the Washington City Paper seriously consider this journalism? This is completely appalling. I don't live in DC but if spiteful, poorly written, misplaced blog posts are considered appropriate for what I mistakenly thought was some sort of legitimate publication I feel really bad for you guys that you have to put up with that.
At least this "journalist" isn't taken seriously and has provided lots of goths across the country a good laugh for the day. The various posts I've seen about these "articles" are just hilarious.
3:27 pm
I'm pretty surprised that the City Paper would let you publish this "reply". There's no reason for a journalist to respond to criticism of her piece, much less with something this immature and unprofessional. You basically just proved to your editors that you aren't capable of taking on anything more serious than reviewing clubs, for fear that you'll lash out if someone dares to criticize it. Lash out at the wrong party one day and it'll cost you your career.
2:36 pm
Actually, the article before this was made of awesome, showing the scene for the ridiculous, bloated caricature it's become. The snipers are jealous because you actually braved the evil day-star for long enough to actually GET a job, while they only leave Mom's basement for the ones mentioned above.