This is the more interesting portion, in my opinion, because this more directly focuses on the music and the club scene. First, there is a fair bit of talk about how European markets seem to be more appreciative of the innate experience of art while American markets care considerably less. Then, Rogue steps in and explains that pure goth-industrial nights in Tallahassee, FL, always failed, but there was major success when "dark disco" nights were introduced, where goth-industrial music would get mixed in with techno and pop. Finally, DJ Ichabod comes in and caps everything off by saying that the goth-industrial stuff really doesn't sound much different from modern pop.
In regard to the first point, I agree that goth and industrial genres and subgenres tend to have more success in Europe than in the US, but I'm not sure if it's entirely due to societal assumptions about the appreciation of art. I think one part of the equation is how the business of music is seemingly different in the US than it is in Europe. In the US, major music labels have a lot more power and seek to gain mass appeal, pouring vast investment into marketing. In the US, particularly in regard to music, what gets put on the radio is a result of huge cash flow swings. People listen to music in the US because it's shoved in their faces, and listeners are told that they need to listen to this music to be socially relevant. In Europe, there doesn't seem to be nearly that kind of pressure from huge record labels, and people's enjoyment of music in Europe tends to be more organic.
As for Rogue's talk about his experiences in building up a goth night in Tallahassee, I think part of his issue might have been his market. The metropolitan area has a population of less than 400K, and the city isn't surrounded by any known major goth or otherwise alternative subculture concentrations. What he did was a matter of survival in a relatively small market, but what about larger markets?
Take, for instance, goth nights in very large metropolitan areas, such as Boston, New York, or Washington, DC. Logic would state that adding pop, techno, and other non-goth-industrial things to those scene nights would dilute the brand and make people not overly interested. Unlike Tallahassee, where a crowd of 50 people would be considered a boon, in these places, prominent goth nights can easily have 200 on a so-so night. In a large market, people have choices on where to go. In that situation, would it make any sense at all to have a hybrid night, or would that be just a waste of resources?
Finally, in regard to Ichabod's point about goth-industrial sounds being similar to pop sounds, I agree with him. If you think about it, you can make a case that many types of music sound similar due to similar melodies and compositions. Furthermore, musicians intentionally borrow from other genres to add depth and uniqueness to their sound, so they don't become stale and irrelevant. That being said, certain things still sound much more pleasing to my ears than others, and even if those things sound similar to one another, there is only one that will bring a positive emotional experience.
In summary, what purpose does the meshing of goth with mainstream serve? Is it beneficial? Is it detrimental? Do you think we'll see more or less integration? The panelists seem to think this is just a passing fad, but one thing that we need to remember is that everything changes, not just the mainstream. If you look at how much post-punk music has changed and evolved over the years, it only makes sense that new things will pop out of the woodwork over time. I guess we'll just have to wait and see.
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