Over a month ago I posted a criticism of the music selection at a Boise “industrial†club night called Industria @ The Balcony. I’ve been back often since time of writing it and have thought very little of the post I made, until this last Sunday.
Someone had read the post and taken the time to register to let me know that I’m “the one who deserves to be pitied”*. Incredible. I didn’t know what to think at first. I was quite stunned that someone had read it and that it upset them enough to both register and comment. So, I posted back and then as planned, Sharon and I went to the club.
After we had grabbed waters and coffee, we were approached by a familiar face (who we’ve talked to before but I’m never sure the next time if he remembers us and I can’t ever recall his name – I’m such a face person) and he wanted to say he had read my journal and that he liked it, but that I had pissed off quite a few others. He then reiterated that he however liked the post and explained a little about the history of the club I had missed (you can read about some of it here) even further back to the days it was originally at the Neurolux and only 12 people were showing up. A vast improvement indeed. It was quite cool he approached me and we talked, it was a bit surprising though to know that my website had been read outside of my little circle of friends and beyond that one commenter. After he left, we were approached again by someone else and then I was asked what my name was and that they had read about me on a website. Sharon and I were asked if it would be alright if our pictures were taken. I must admit that I was extremely hesitant to agree, considering we had just been told that my post had irritated quite a few and this gentleman started off by saying he’d read about me on a site. After the introductions and permissions were out of the way he moved around taking pictures of the two girls dancing.
Once home I dug into my website stats and found that over the weekend 76 unique-cookied identifiable users had visited that post alone. In simple terms this means that each computer is tagged with a cookie the first time they visit stonethorn.com so that when they come back again, they don’t count as another person. 76. All on that Saturday and Sunday; based on this number, it was evident my post had made some rounds.
My web stats also tell a bit of a tale of how people found the post. Here is a listing of the search phrases from Google, MSN, Yahoo searches in descending order:
key: phrase (number of searches)boise goths (7) balcony club boise (3) industria boise (3) pain industria (2) industrial rivetheads (2) boise goth site (1)
One statement in the comment that astounds me is the following: “If you’re so unhappy with Depeche Mode, maybe you ought to wet your beak on some Gangsta Rap. Wouldn’t that be fun?!”* The implication here being that I should just be happy with what is spun because the alternative is rap. How more lackadaisical can this kind of attitude get? With this disposition there will be zero progress in flourishing a scene beyond its current stagnant state.
The reason I’m bringing all this up in a post is that I wanted to take a moment and say that I do not apologize for one single word of my critical post. It was meant as such and it will remain as such: my opinion of an event that I enjoy but see that it could use some improvement.
Of this I did want to make an addendum to my original post. I wanted to say that even with my criticism of the multiple plays of the same artist, I really do appreciate DJ Savage. He makes every attempt to please everyone, even when no one will dance. I can’t count how many times Sharon and I are the only ones dancing (I’m reminded of the Metric song Combat Baby**). Sharon and I both enjoy his sense of humor. How he’ll play some Rammstein and no one will dance, but then he mixes into Du Hast while holding his fingers up, starts a countdown to when everyone will go dance simply because they recognize it (unlike the previous track). Like clockwork, the GIers do.
* Apologies to the original commenter for editing their grammar and punctuation, however it was something that had to be done.
** “Who gets it good? Every mighty mild seventies child…beats me.” This song is one of our theme songs, however I wouldn’t call us mild. 
14 Comments
I really hope you don’t let ignorant jerks get to you. I’m just happy our little scene is getting attention. (Not that I agree with what you said; but you do have a right to say it.)
-Tara
Neither S or myself let chaff like that get to us, but I did want to address those points since they were posted on this website for all to see. Since I was busy last night I didn’t make it but I hear @ Industria last night more people were dancing than usual. That’s positive. I also heard that nothing but swirly was playing up until midnight as well.
Here I go, my attempt to explain why “Industria” isn’t really industrial. Etc.
I first started going over a year ago, when it was just “Boise’s Goth-Industrial Night”. (Later, that became the subtitle.) And at that time, you were hard pressed to get goth or industrial. What I had to realize was that, in this town, “Goth” or “Rivethead” came right out of mainstream media. If I had a nickel for everyone who claimed to be goth because they liked Manson, Zombie, or NIN. . . (Which, if you notice, are the Balcony’s Holy Trinity. They tend to be played a lot, and they tend to be played next to each other, and the amount of people who dance to them show this city for the poser Mecca it is.)
Over time, due to pressure from old-school goths such as myself, “Industria” actually started putting some Goth into “Goth-Industrial Night”. Not as much as we want, but the scene is more than us. (A lot more than us, actually. I’ve had nights where I’m the only one who dances to the Sisters of Mercy. Dare I say, “I’m the only goth in the village. . .” Which is a Little Britain reference, so nobody get their knickers in a wad.)
Unfortunately, the Rivetheads aren’t as snarky as we are, and not as many people dance to Industrial, so the mix runs closer to Goth-Poser than Goth-Industrial. Which is a shame.
You can hear more of what you like if you bother the DJ and bring CD’s. You can even bring them just for the night, if you don’t have a CD burner. Just keep a few things in mind:
1. Never try to interfere with the Manson, Zombie, NIN Trinity. They absolutely must be played, or lots of people will get snarky and refuse to dance.
2. The DJ isn’t really a Goth or a Rivethead, but he generally likes goth more. That means you might have to educate him yourself. Like a friend of mine said, “He just doesn’t understand Industrial.”
3. As a rule of thumb, if it’s hardcore, genuine, and old school, someone will bitch and go up to request Rob Zombie. Don’t take it personally.
And I hope to see you again.
Dude, you get to go out with THE Sharon and have fun. Stop your crying. I’m sure you listen to the industrial you want to on the ride over. : P Oh, and as someone who gets belittled for my taste in music, I can say that what you think is good (no matter how good it actually is) won’t be liked by the sheep. They want to hear what they just heard on the radio an hour ago, not what some genre junkie thinks is good. I win!
Deathkitten > I have brought in a CD for Troy, Dave and DJ Savage to listen to and spin. Savage has done an excellent job of integrating it into his sets in just the few weeks it’s been in his hands (I’ve marked with a * the songs he’s mixed in when I am around). A smattering of the music I included is as follows:
[Please bear in mind that of everything I brought in, I try very very hard to NEVER include older that a year goth or industrial. The scene can’t be rooted in the past, or it dies on the vine – like it has been doing slowly for years. While I began listening to Industrial only in ’89 (Machines of Loving Grace – Burn Like Brilliant Trash (At Jackie's Funeral)) I can not and do not consider myself ‘old skool’. This is why I haven’t brought in a disc of 16 Volt, Einsturzende Neubauten, Throbbing Gristle etc because I consider it too old for modern floors in massive quantities. A reminder from time to time is ok, but there is so much great modern stuff…]
Panzer AG – Behind a Gasmask
Mesh – Crash (Alien Six Kerosene Mix)
Diskonnekted – After Einstein
Empusae – Ekro-Alakin
Gary Numan – Crazier (Slide Mix)
Error – Jack The Ripper
Ah Cama Sotz – Nachtzehrer
Red Cell – Related Skin
Stromkern – Stand Up (Army Of Darkness Mix by Battery Cage)
*Rotersand – Storm
Steril – American Dream
*Ayria – My Revenge On The World
In Strict Confidence – No Love Will Heal (Lucas Boysen Remix)
*Project Pitchfork – The Future Is Now
*Covenant – Ritual Noise (Version S)
*Virtual][Embrace – Fuck You!
Leaether Strip – Suicide Bombers (12†Mix)
Soman – Pusher
Young Gods – Oxiam
Now as for goth… I also find it saddening that modern goth has zero representation in ‘goth’ clubs (Even in Portland). Sure, I’ve heard Sisters of Mercy, Siouxsie and The Banshees (in whatever incarnation she comes: The Creatures etc), Bauhaus – but again, these are alt-80s hits (aka old skool). Where is the Q’ntal? Nocturne? Nightwish? Subway to Sally? Tear Garden? Voltaire? 12 Rounds? Black Tape for a Blue Girl? Where are these bands? Sharon and I are the industrial rivet stomp stomp stompers and that’s why I’m critical of a dance night called Industria and why I’ll push for more of it. I’m just very surprised that the local Goths aren’t pressuring for more _modern_ representation of their scene in the music selection if it has indeed become a more goth-industrial night (heck, were is the ethereial representation?).
frosty > True dat! I do get to stomp-stomp with THE Sharon, that sexy deviltissue! As you know, I’m always listening to new crap. Did you ever get your hands on that T. Raumschmiere? How’s Hawaii?
The dude before DJ Savage, DJ Lithiumtwist (also known as my good bud Tyler), played a Voltaire song, and got yelled at. (I am not exaggerating.)
But you’re right. Still, the old stuff has a special place in my heart, if for no other reason than I can find it at Hastings. New stuff takes forever to get to Boise.
That must have been disheartening for enjoyers of modern goth in Boise. I’m sorry to hear that. I actually believe that it’s the DJs responsability to play new things to the audience for exposure reasons. I understand that isn’t always the case, and this case in particular considering the DJ isn’t a goth or industrial listener. Know that it’s not just Boise, but in Portland as well. Getting people to dance to the new Covenant (Ritual Noise) is hard, but getting them to dance to old Covenant like Dead Stars (bleh) is a DJ cake walk.
I have plenty of delicious cookey crumb sentiments about the El Mundo De Goth in wish I used to wave a proud flag for. However I am quite cheesed off at the Squirrel Mail at the moment as many important documents of mine are currenty stored there. The Squirrel wont let me in Lynn! He is dead. Hopefully he did not take my term paper with him.
Sorry that I am so off topic.
Call me Lynn!
I am so pissed off about this issue! People are playing music in clubs?! Dancing?! Or possibly not dancing?! People should be at home playing dungeons and dragons (or any other d20 rule set) or in the dojo practicing karate! There will be time for music and dancing (or not dancing) when you’re dead. In conclusion i agree 100% with things people has said re. the above stuff, etc.
Gaijin > Does your wife just sit around marveling at you sharpening your katana? I would. If I were her.
As a wise professor once said: “i’ll cut a bitch.”
And as a bitch once said: “I’ll blow a wise professor for $10.”
Frosty > Actually she said that she’d blow him if he beat her at pool… For professors, things come that naturally.
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[...] For all the musical up and downness, it was an interesting night. Sharon and I finally had a dinner alone (SUSHI!), uninterrupted by children or friends or ringing doorbells etc…, so that was very nice. Since I’ve been here, neither of us have had the luxury of spending a few moments alone to get caught up on our lives and happenings (and I’m LIVING in her house!). Later, The sky opened up and dumped the snow that had earlier that day hit Portland. It fell in huge flakes, and made the drive home slow and fun. While there were many old familiar faces at Industria, there were plenty of new ones as well. ADDENDUM FROM THIS POST: I wanted to say that even with my criticism of the multiple plays of the same artist, I really do appreciate DJ Savage. He makes every attempt to please everyone, even when no one will dance. I can’t count how many times Sharon and I are the only ones dancing (I’m reminded of the Metric song Combat Baby**). Sharon and I both enjoy his sense of humor. How he’ll play some Rammstein and no one will dance, but then he mixes into Du Hast while holding his fingers up, starts a countdown to when everyone will go dance simply because they recognize it (unlike the previous track). Like clockwork, the GIers do. [...]
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