Wave-Gotik-Treffen 2019 is about to wrap up after an overwhelmingly packed Pentacost weekend. Two hundred bands, more than 20,000 people, more events than you can count, of many different types. Talks, exhibits, cemetery walks, underground parties you can only access with a wristband and a killer outfit.
Our reporters have been running around trying to catch the highlights of the world’s biggest gothic fest, and its fascinating people, before they glide back away. They tried to get into a fetish party and other events, into the heart of the scene. With a press pass in hand, sometimes they succeeded, sometimes they didn’t. You’ll hear more about this later, once they manage to wake up following a series of dark, late nights.
My encounter with Wave-Gotik-Treffen 2019 was more on the fringes.
I did something similar to my foray in 2015, except this time I brought a real photographer along, rather than a friend who happened to be visiting me. Justina Smile and I met up on Sunday at Augustusplatz. A mob was gradually gathering there – a part of it for Wave-Gotik-Treffen 2019, another for Stadtfest, which once again coincided with WGT.
The two of us spent the morning and early afternoon going around the city center. We spotted our favorite costumes and groups of people to take pictures of, before it became way too difficult to move through the crowds. We gave them cards with LeipGlo’s web address, where they could find the photos later.
So here it is: The fruits of our three-hour photo expedition.
From Augusutplatz, we proceeded to Moritzbastei, where a little gothic village overlooked the square. Booths doled out drinks to all manners of Victorian dames and couples and tattooed buddies. We then crossed the small park towards Wilhelm-Leuschner-Platz. Unsurprisingly, other photo shoots were taking place and local amateur paparazzi were getting in line to get their fix. The gothic people were always gracious and patient with all the attention.
Our last stop was Absintherie Sixtina, the locale for a steampunk party people had begun trickling in for – you could tell from their outfits in this theme. A passage and tent protected the dark-clad crowd from the sun, and they could cool off with drinks or bite into an “absinthe brownie” while browsing through market stands.
As the heat became too intense for us, even without costumes, we took refuge in the shaded passage. We sat on the sidelines waiting for the day’s crowning shots to come by.
I hope you like the results of our Sunday photo foray into Wave-Gotik-Treffen 2019. There is more to come in later posts – so much more to tell! – though the fest itself will go away for this Pentacost season and leave a bit of a void. We will miss this year’s edition and can’t wait ’til the next one!
