WGT 25th Anniversary!
If you’re a Goth fan, you have definitely heard of WAVE GOTIK TREFFEN that takes place in Leipzig (Eastern Germany). If you are new to the Gothic scene or never had the chance to check out the WGT before, here’s your chance.
No, it is not a concert. It is not your ordinary festival. It is a “supra-regional Gathering” with around 50 venues spread all over the city with one main venue and a camping site. Sounds interesting, doesn’t it?
HISTORY:
24 years ago, in 1992, two Gothic heads, Michael Brunner and Sandro Standhaft, decided to do something unusual: not to copy all the dark festivals that happen in the country or Europe. So they gathered a handful of bands, and 2000 people showed up for their first edition. A few years later, WGT became the largest meeting of Gothic enthusiasts in the world, taking possession of a whole city every year at Whitsun. A “supra-regional gathering of like-minded fellows for relaxed meeting, chatting, and celebrating”.
CONCEPT:
Aside from the great music, the gathering has been trademarked by attendees wearing Gothic clothes and a great ambience that you would never be able to experience anywhere else.
This year, the Gathering is celebrating its 25th year. Three days of darkness and blackness from May 13th till May 16th with about 200 Acts and more than 20,000 Gothics from all over the world. But you should not miss the celebration party, the grand opening, to celebrate the quarter of a century of the “dark family” on Thursday May 12th starting 8:00 pm at AbenteuerReich Belantis, an amusement park in the south of Leipzig, until the midnight lights shine.
The acts will consist of bands, projects, and single artists, covering the whole wide range of Gothic music: from Electro-Pop to Goth-Metal, from EBM to Neofolk, from medieval music to Post Punk. Don’t only try to check out famous bands of the scene, but it is highly recommended that you check out new discoveries with several less-known real underground bands or artists from the edge of the Gothic music universe.
Wave-Gotik-Treffen has been much more than a music festival: its guests may step back to the romantic atmosphere of ancient times at the medieval market place at the Pagan Village (Heidnisches Dorf). Many readings by authors, unusual theater and cinematic performances will take place. People in historic clothing will gather for a Victorian Picnic in a park. For four days, a large hall at the agra-Messepark will be transformed into the biggest Gothic-wares marketplace in the world. In numerous clubs, DJs from all over the world will invite you to dance until dawn. There will also be a large fetish party where entrance is only possible by following a strict voluptuous dress code. A stroll through the winding passages of city center of Leipzig with its historical buildings of the Renaissance, Baroque and Jugendstil (Art Nouveau) eras is especially worthwhile for art and culture 
lovers.
And guess what? The entrance to several of Leipzig’s museums is free for WGT-guests.
Cheap and entertaining accommodation is available at the huge Treffen camping ground. To enter, you need a special ticket (called Obsorgekarte) which includes also the extensive WGT-program-book. Public transport in the city is free for all WGT-guests from Friday morning until noontime Tuesday.
LOOKING BACK ON 25 YEARS OF WGT:
The Stadtgeschichtliches Museum of Leipzig (Museum for town history) presents an exhibition about 25 years of WGT, this eerily beautiful part of Leipzig’s history, as well as about the scene with its dubious reputation to the public.
Extravagant fashion, multi-faceted music genres, spectacular accessories, and most of all, fascinating people will be the main focus of the dazzlingly black show. Visitors and organizers will tell about their experiences and adventures around the WGT and about their self-conception of being goth. Guided tours in English will be offered on WGT Saturday and Sunday.
25th Wave-Gotik-Treffen
– Date: May 13th to 16th, 2016
– Bands: Click >HERE<
– Location:
Leipzig, eastern Germany, at about 50 venues spread all over the city; camping site and main venue at the edge of town at the agra-Messepark, Markkleeberg.
For information on the city, you may check out http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leipzig or the official city website www.leipzig.de/int/en.
– Music styles: All sub-genres of dark music: Gothic, EBM, Industrial, Ambient, Neofolk, Synthpop, Goth-Metal, Post Punk, etc.
– Tickets:
4-Day-Tickets for all events within the 25th Wave-Gotik-Treffen Whitsun 2016 are available for 120 € each in advance ticket sale (including advance sale charges). The Treffen-Event-Ticket includes free using of public transport (tram, city-busses, regional trains, suburban trains within the zone 110 of MDV) from May 13th, 8.00 a.m. to May 17th, 12.00 p.m. / noontime (except for special routes).
– Camping:
For camping, you need a special ticket called Obsorgekarte available for 25 € (including advance sale charges). It provides the following service-package:
- Camping at the Treffen-Campground (agra-fairground)
- “Pfingstbote” (“Whitsun-herald”) – the extensive Treffen program book
– Parking:
For car parking at the Treffen-area, you have to purchase a parking vignette for 15 € (including advance sale charges). Parking at the Treffen-area (agra-Messepark) is definitely not possible without a parking vignette.
All tickets can be ordered via www.wave-gotik-treffen.com
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