I was not ill prepared but I knew I wasn't fully prepared for what awaited me in Milton Pennsylvania this Valentine's Day weekend. I knew I was going to a well established heavily Vampire inspired Gothic event with vendors, DJs and bands but I did not expect to be greeted with such warmth. I decided to pack for comfort and not extravagance, of course I knew that there would be some incredible fashion and creativity on display but I had already decided I would primarily be lurking in the background, something of a specter just taking it all in and trying not to interfere. I have plenty of experience visiting new events and being received as an outsider, someone not immediately trusted which is always the foremost thing in my mind while adventuring. I decided to let the universe do as it will and let the experience color me with its own palette. My journey began with a backroads trip through the petrified arteries of the once great coal Industry beast which makes up so much of the central and north Pennsylvania landscape. I’m not trying to be malicious when I say this, I find much beauty in these old routes and towns, these bones left by those with the will to cut through mountains and dig deep beneath the earth. There’s something a bit macabre about that which I felt at the time would be appreciated by most of the attendees of an event like this.I was also somewhat comforted on my journey by the vast expanses of forests in repose, so peaceful in this undead season knowing that while so many visit Pennsylvania in the fall for the turning of the leaves, this is the season I find it to be at its most beautiful, a vision of temporary decay soon set for resurrection.
Entering Milton and the surrounding area was less a shock and more a welcome surprise. I half expected The Shoe Factory where the event was being held to be in the middle of a field surrounded by empty warehouses, I am happy to report the town is seemingly bursting with life and thriving.The Shoe Factory itself is a bit imposing from the outside, not a brick in the facade suggests “Vampires welcome here”, still I felt it was a place ready to be explored, which was a good since exploration was required. The vendor space and dance party areas were held in different parts of the factory. You would leave one area and walk around the building to the other, good thing the weather mostly held out for this. I imagined many upset Goths in long flowing gowns, capes and coats begrudgingly soaking up the snow and ice waiting for us in the parking lot. I heard only a single remark about this as someone hoisted up their gown due to the wet ground and proclaimed about the indignity of showing one's ankles to the world, just unbecoming of a lady, I kept my ankles fully covered. Signs were posted to guide us through the labyrinthian structure with corridors of beautiful hardwood welcoming travelers with the satisfying sounds of leather souls and thick boot rubber cracking against the floor and echoing through the halls. I was not exactly prepared to take in the event area however; I’m used to our events being someone modest in size unless of course it’s a large multi-day festival but this space excited me immediately. It felt vast without allowing the large open area in the middle reserved for dancing to be overwhelming, this was the “straight out of a 90s vampire movie” aesthetic I’ve been looking for. Also I have not seen many Coffin shaped DJ booths in my life but I dare say I need to see more, how is this not a regular thing. The stage and catwalk looked perfect for allowing bands to directly interact with the crowd if they chose and the decor was begging us to just stop for a moment and engage in impromptu goth photo shoots with friends and strangers alike.
While I knew I would run into friends attending the event I was still on guard for the possibility of elitism to rain on our grim parade so I had planned to have my fun at an arm’s length from deep within the shadows, so very happy it never came to this. I watched and admired as each artist performing Friday watched the other artists' full sets, true respect among peers. The staff were friendly and seemed to be having fun which really tells you something about the family they have cultivated here. Oh how my fellow creatures of the night did impress, the fashion was phenomenal and honestly it felt like for the first time in quite awhile that ego was a non issue, we all embraced the lights and sounds and together danced the night away. I was happy to unexpectedly run into friends from foreign lands and from my distant past while making new friends which was much easier than expected. It seems that there is so much appreciation for the fact that an event like this is even being held in an area where typically you may not be fortunate to have multiple regular clubs nights and scene gatherings within a short distance, in Count Gregory’s own words we were “In the middle of nowhere”.
Night one went beautifully starting with an ethereal synth driven performance by Summore of whom I am now a fan. THIRD REALM has been a favorite of mine for some time now due to the impactful rhythms mixing harsh and melodic vocals and of course they are very worth your time. For all the emptiness was new to me and put on a performance truly highlighting their vocal talents, I have since checked out their catalog and found their way of layering intricate phrasing and timing over a solid beat to be quite intriguing. Of course DJ Stygian kept the dance going all evening by spinning between bands from the coffin of cacophony and making sure to get out on the dance floor during each band’s set keeping the energy high both in and out of the booth. This line up was constructed to perfection as the energy just continued to build throughout the night until the point where CIRCUIT PREACHER who is seriously on the rise put us in our place and made us feel ways about our sinful selfs. First night energy is always thick at a new event with excitement and expectation and I could not have been happier with how the evening turned out. Although now I know that ‘Truly” is not a hydrating electrolytes drink which of course I would have known if I had just read the can, lessons learned.
Night two was apparently for all the marbles; while I unfortunately did not attend the FEAST of the VAMPIRES I heard rumor that there was in fact a FEAST of the VAMPIRES... It happened, I was not there, I cannot speak on it beyond saying it was likely very chilling with delectable entertainment and impeccably dressed Vampire royalty (I think I must attend this in the future). I was lucky enough to attend the dance party however so we’ll rejoin our regularly scheduled program already in progress: DJ Mike Saga… As I entered Mr. Saga was holding the party down as always, I would say you do not often see DJs get so into the party that they bound out from behind the wheels of steel to bust a move on to the dance floor with the congregation but this is something of a Saga trademark and we would not have it any other way, it’s almost like DJ Inception. Night two also brought with it some brilliant performance artists introduced by our Mistress of Ceremonies LE Xiafor, this really served to give the evening the feeling of a grand spectacle. I feel Linwe Telperion really set the tone with a beautiful dance that flowed and entranced as you could plainly see the crowd was ready for a show and truly appreciated the artistry. Blac Magick Circus sought to cleanse us with a fire performance which is an art form I am overjoyed venues are again allowing, I have been seeing more of this recently and hope to see more going forward as those brave enough to tame fire in such a way deserves a showcase. Shannon Sexton soared above us as the bird of prey she is, treating us to a display of grace, strength and immense skill, simply incredible. I dare say you haven’t lived until you have witnessed a Burlesque in blood which I did not expect and found exhilarating, thank you Caspaira Acula for what I will say was a very inspired and beautiful performance. Jessica Black met us twice in the sky demonstrating skill on the dance floor 10 feet above us on stilts that seemed to not impair her dancing in any way and also perched upon a floating ring with an aerial performance which if viewed through a screen could be appreciated for its grace but if experienced live could be downright emotional. During all this our hostess Maddamn X had been secretly making her way through the audience handing out roses to those deemed worthy to join the Vampire fashion show, reason alone to make sure you come dressed to kill should you ever make your way to this event. Leæther Strip was our headliner and has yet to disappoint, actually while experiencing Leæther Strip live I don’t think I’ve been anything but thrilled, I try to see them live anytime it’s reasonably possible. Claus has found a way to fill the space of a stage with only synths and presence, somehow there is no empty space to be found. Let me know when that Leæther Strip stadium tour kicks off, I could get the cheap seats and still feel like I’m in the front row. DJ Mykill Plague closed out the event with a very impactful set that easily took our minds off the fact that this weekend was ending and we would soon be returning to our real lives. It’s a hard position to be in as it is likely your set, your sounds and your energy will be the last thing remembered by some as the event comes to an end and it was handled perfectly, bravo.
As I drove home through the Pennsylvania mountains in the freezing rain I didn’t experience the typical “Con-Crash” I have grown used to at the end of these long event weekends. I enjoyed band performances and the DJ selections, I saw friends from other countries, friends from a lifetime ago and met new people that were open, friendly and like-minded. The event played out as it needed to, the bands could have played longer sets but of course you have to watch out for local ordinances and scheduling something like this is never easy, they got their hits in and definitely made new fans. I unfortunately didn’t have an opportunity to check out the vendors but in talking to some people outside I found that some people were there to dance and party while some just to shop and network, both were groups were pleased and those that chose to partake in both are likely to be the ones that will comeback from great distances in the future. Near the end of Saturday night I had the opportunity to catch up with Mike Saga and he told me that the decor and atmosphere along with the level of entertainment has evolved greatly over the years, essentially as a resident member of The Undead of Winter family he’s proud to see where it is now. Days later after the rush of the weekend had fully subsided I reached out to Stygian for some thoughts about how everything went and he provided me with some thoughts that really put things into perspective.
DJ Stygian:
“I've been working events with Reign of Terror Entertainment at The Shoe Factory/AEREA since 2021. In addition to the solid lineups of newer or growing Goth/Industrial/alt entertainment, the space itself is huge and feels right out of a Crow/Blade/Queen of the Damned concert/(blood) rave scene. For events like the Undead of Winter, the more romantically Vampire-themed decor is gorgeous and indulgent and perfectly offsets the post-industrial cold, spartan vastness of the venue itself. Between the two, it creates a liminal, ominous, otherworldly-ish space that feels right for a bunch of Vampires and other creatures of the night, and there's nothing like it... And I get to DJ in a giant coffin, which is so cool I have absolutely moved plans in the past to ensure I could say yes to RoT's events. That's Goth goals!! That's Vampire DJ goals!!”
I had some thoughts after I was able to reflect on everything but nothing could have summed up why someone would not only want to make the journey out into the middle of nowhere to hang out with a bunch of Vampires but why those same people so inclined to the darkness and the macabre would come back year after year and welcome newcomers with open arms. It’s a work of passion and not always a financial success for promoters to put on events like this. I drove out to a town that I would never have believed could be home to an event like this and had a worthy experience, we should all be so lucky. We as a small community are not bound together by our gender, sexuality, ethnicity, dedication to fashion or musical preference, we are held together by our ability to be open and embrace one another despite any of that. We are represented in many forms and we should seek to support these outlets especially when they require a little work, a long drive or an investment in time, otherwise these nice things we have will be lost, do not keep saying “maybe next time”. Please see these bands live and buy their music or merch when possible, support the music that drives and motivates us if and when you are in a position to. Please support the hardworking DJs that also put on “Goth” and “Club” nights for us like Stygian’s “Shadowlands”, Mike Saga’s “Vortex” and see DJ Mykill Plague spinning at “Das Oontz” or alongside Stygian and Saga at their events or at Dark Force Fest where he will be handling that second stage lighting for those somewhat for intimate performances that weekend . Go to one of Reign of Terror Entertainment’s other events like The World of Fae and let them know there is a place for this in our world. This is how we keep what we have, how we stay strong, how we grow, sometimes you just have to go on a little adventure..
“Our revels now are ended. These our actors,
As I foretold you, were all spirits and
Are melted into air, into thin air.” - Prospero: The Tempest (William Shakespeare)
Thank you to Reign of Terror Entertainment for inviting Moon Burns Productions to be a part of your community, we are honored and very appreciative.
Check them out at:
Reign of Terror Entertainment
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