Now in its 22nd year, Whitby Goth Weekend is still one the largest and most successful independent, home grown festivals in the UK – and is continuing to attract world-renowned talents. Whitby Goth Weekend is estimated to produce a whopping £1.1million for the town’s local economy per annum, and has generated thousands for charities such as the Bat Conservation trust and the Sophie Lancaster foundation.The event is celebrated as an icon of the alternative movement, having been studied, visited and explored by television, newspapers and radio over the years, and has, despite all this, remained utterly independent throughout its run. Growing voraciously from its origins as a forty-person pen-pal meet up in 1994, it now attracts thousands from all over the globe, not only to wander among like minded folk, but as a colossal meet up between friends – all from word of mouth, with no sponsorship and no outside funding.
After two decades, the weekend is still built of friends and family, all in house, and the town now handles between 8,000 and 10,000 people a year, drawn entirely by the spectacle of top hats and tailcoats roaming the town’s Victorian streets.
Diversifying every annum, the event attracts all manner of subcultures, with a melting pot of the alternative population now making regular appearances and meetings to the sounds of a hugely varied series of groups, all of which, in some way, have influenced, or been generated from, one of the world’s most recognisable movements – Goths, punks, steampunks, Rockers, Bikers and more – everybody is welcomed!
Appearing at the festival this month include The Red Paintings. An artistic show of various mediums, the group not only indulge in requesting audience members paint on stage, but perform with all of the bravado and surrealism of an Italian Opera. Therapy? Critically acclaimed, genre bending and carrying a legendarily skewed sense of humour, Therapy? are a prime alt-metal outfit if ever there was one. Fuzzbox For a second time, Fuzzbox have reunited- and for a second time, they’ll be attending the Spa to give their ever-colourful repertoire a thorough workout for one of the only audiences that can challenge their own eyeliner. Fuzzbox are still just as infectious as ever they were, and their catchy, synth heavy-tunes will bring back the 80s in greater quantities than one could manage with a DeLorean. Wayne Hussey While perhaps better known as frontman of The Mission, Wayne Hussey is still carving out a very respectable solo career. Since dumping the idea of record labels with the release of his latest solo album, Songs Of Candlelight & Razorblades, the amount of liberation in his performance is evident. Atmospheric and passionate, emotional and soulful, he’s a bit different to our usual closer; and without a doubt worth every second. Meanwhile, of course, The Mission are celebrating their 30th anniversary, and are making a stop off in November, too!
