by jillian
Goths, Ridazz and Fire Marshals
October 16, 2006 at 7:36 pm in Biking in LA
Like Will, I too missed Midnight Ridazz this week. It was VNV Nation at Das Bunker’s 10th Anniversary. VNV Nation are one of the biggest goth club artists out there – almost every club in town plays multiple songs on any given night – and the lineup outside the club was solidly, uniformly, dressed in black.
As the boyfriend and I parked a few blocks away from the Catch-One club (which is on Pico at Crenshaw), a few cyclists came by. Then a few more. Then I realized – it was the Ridazz, coming through on their 18 mile circuit around L.A. I looked up wistfully, and plaintively remarked on how I would have been on that ride…if VNV Nation’s only Stateside show wasn’t the same night.
That was when I found out that Ridazz and goths don’t get along very well. Because, as I approached the line, I realized that the goths and cyclists were actually taunting each other. Not very much – just a bit – but enough to make me want to yell at them to stop. The cyclists were going by and mocking the goths, and the goths were ignoring the Ridazz and turning their backs on them. Which, quite frankly, shocked the daylights out of me. Usually, the Ridazz are cheered on by spectators, and I certainly wouldn’t expect that the Ridazz would need to mock anyone on the street.
Look kids. You’re all going to have to learn to get along. Because the next Ridazz event is actually a Goth Cruzz in the Valley. Of course, I’m missing it because I have tickets to see The Nightmare Before Christmas at the El Capitan, which were purchased weeks ago, but this is a great chance to combine darkness with bike lights!
After the Ridazz finished going by, I took my place in line, and immediately found Heathervescent lining up behind me. And then the club doors opened, and everyone went in – to find that the set had already started. It seemed that, due to pressure from the fire marshals, VNV had been asked to play two sets. In theory, this would mean 450 people, not the 900 with tickets, would be in the room for each set. In theory, it also meant that the sets would be at 10:30 and 12:30. Not quite. We didn’t get inside in time for the 10:30 set…and the 12:30 started at 2. And VNV Nation are not that young anymore, and I think it was asking a bit much for them to play two sets. The lead singer was panting in between songs by midway through the second set – and I was falling over with exhaustion from having been up for almost twenty-four hours.
Now, I’m off to the second night of the futurepop weekend: Covenant (the Swedish man-vs-machine themed band) at the Knitting Factory. In the interim, here’s some homework: the Ridazz should all go listen to more Sisters of Mercy. Or VNV Nation. Let’s prepare to get along for the most special season to all of us: Hallowe’en.
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