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… not a scene… not a festival… a family, and one I love with all my heart. 💙🌊💪🏼🖖🏼🤘🏼🙏🏼🫶🏼

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And with a year full of grief, loss, hardship, everyone had moments to say, “I’m not okay.” And it’s okay to not be okay. We are still here. We are still fighting through the muck and the turmoil together. We are not alone. YOU are not alone. And with that, ColdWaves XIV concluded…

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The death of Bruno Kramm in the midst of this year’s events loomed like a dark cloud, adding to the imperative to remind each other that we love them… that we are grateful for them being here, living this crazy life with us. The “promise” of next year is never certain, but we always aim to keep it.

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… for the last rounds of drinks, or perhaps to dance to the renowned electro/goth DJ sets by @scaryladysarah.bsky.social. Nobody wanted it to end… but then, it never really does; hugs and goodbyes last an inordinately long time… such is the nature of this wonderful family that is ColdWaves.

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This left King Woman to close the night out in more reserved and somber fashion, with a doomy ambience very akin to Chelsea Wolfe and Swans. Some were transfixed; others still high on Youth Code adrenaline. Many were simply tired, retiring from @metrochicago.com to @gmantavern.com…

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… to make more noise, to lose inhibition, and unleash their own demons as she roars like a ravening beast, backed by Ryan George, and at one point joined by Seth (who that actually is, I never found out, but he had a fierce moment onstage that was great to see). And the crowd was eating it up!

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… prove to be the apex of the evening. Those unprepared for the industrialized hardcore intensity of a @youthcode.bsky.social live show would have their ignorance violently shattered. The band simply has zero chill, and it’s absolutely impressive. Sara Taylor goads the audience at every opportunity…

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…austere in the atmosphere, but rich in depth. Even in this visually more pared down iteration, Lead into Gold is nothing less than an alchemical experience that erodes the boundaries between electro/industrial soundscape and darkly alternative rock. But all of this was prelude to what would…

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I only managed to catch the end of Spike Hellis, but enough to enjoy that signature throbbing bass and primal rhythmic urgency that makes the band’s music sound like a cyberpunk vehicle chase. Then, the legendary Paul Barker launched into a ln electrified set…

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Black Cross Hotel followed, amping the horror-tinged fury with equal parts volume and melody. The John Carpenter influence oozed through the synths, the crunchy bass and guitar riffs and robust drumming brought the stomp, and the vocals were pure vitriol doused in emotional force.

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…started this night out, the stinging and shrill synth bass cutting through the speakers with heavy beats in lockstep; frenetic lighting and mangled and manipulated vocals gave it a classic vibe akin to the early pioneers of industrial, but with an uncanny vibe befitting a devilish invocation.

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Through it all, the spirit of sonic exploration and confrontation, challenging ideas, defying convention, bringing all these styles together for a common cause: celebration of a shared love of the music, and honoring those no longer with us. The blackened sounds of @insulaiscariot.bsky.social

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@coldwaves.bsky.social Night 3 - 09/27 The final night took yet another swift turn toward heavier, more bass-heavy electronics, further proving the careful planning that goes into the event and its purpose. This scene has so much variety that coldwave encompasses a state of mind more than a genre.

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Everyone has had their life enriched by another, many whose presence persists spiritually if no longer physically. We all have lost someone, and we remain to carry the torch, to honor those who came before (as Martin Atkins quoted). ColdWaves simply isn’t like any other festival. One more night… 🌊💙💪🏼

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The one thing I’ve heard the most of over these past few days, and which I know I’ll hear more of tonight… “I am so grateful to have you in my life.” Not everyone knows who Jamie Duffy was, but that love and this community being something more than just music…

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The night begins to wind down, conversations and interactions continue to abound outside and in the @gmantavern.com, where @patrixia-official.bsky.social was gloriously spinning out the evening. It felt a little more lowkey from the previous night, but still full of vitality and love… so much love.

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… which left me and @sapphiravee.bsky.social cackling like demented hyenas. You had to be there, LOL. I made my purchases in support of Jimmerz and Distortion Productions, buying the soon-to-be-released Unfvkening album by Sapphira Vee, as well as the vinyl of Acumen Nation’s Territory = Universe.

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…to future developments. Finally, audience favorite TR/ST returned to ColdWaves. But once again, as I’m not the biggest fan, I was in the throes of more interactions with friends; I won’t even attempt to distill or explain the hilarious (let’s call it a) rant from @redlokustjimmerz.bsky.social…

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…decked out in business black and shades, with the cold basslines and reverberant baritone vocals immediately reminiscent of The Sisters of Mercy, IKON, The Mission… you get the picture. There’s a value in a younger band strongly drawing on familiar aesthetics, with the hopes that it is a prelude…

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…by this point (still recovering from the preceding emotional conversation), but Nghtcrwlr captured everyone’s attention and was an apparent standout of the evening. Suffice to say, I have some homework to do. Haunt Me brought things back to an old school gothic and post-punk mood…

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My dear friend @modeschar.bsky.social described @nghtcrwlr.bsky.social as a perfect house band for Rura Penthe (Jukes Verne / Star Trek reference), which tracks. Bleak electronic ambience and evocatively dim lighting, elusive melodies and ensnaring rhythms… I have to admit that I was rather jaded…