Latest news with #Goth
The Courier
3 days ago
- General
- The Courier
Turn back time to life on Stirling University campus in the 80s
Stirling University, with its campus lifestyle, was a centre for more than just academia for students in the 1980s. These were the days of big political debate and bigger hairstyles. The technology was just as sharp as the fashions – or so we thought at the time… We have joined forces with the university's archives team to pull together a gallery of images which capture some key moments of campus life four decades ago. Maybe you will spot yourself or someone you know in our gallery? Perhaps you remember the student newspaper? Or how the accommodation looked? Grab your bag as we head back to class in the 1980s. Students at Stirling in the 1980s had their teaching delivered in the semester system, which divided lectures and tutorials into two semesters of 15 weeks each. The 1982 university prospectus focussed on the great location and facilities on offer for students who came to study at Stirling University. The cover of the Student's Association Handbook for 1981-82 presented a different picture to the sunny University prospectus above. Its dark and gloomy cover reflected the post-punk and Goth student fashions of the time. The iconic bridge across the loch was a well-trodden path for students each day. It provided the main link between the student halls and the central university buildings including the library and Student Union. Learning to fend for yourself is part of the challenge and excitement of moving away from home to university. I wonder what was on the menu for these students? At least they didn't need to resort to that student staple, cold beans! The Stirling campus was designed as a town in miniature, with large halls built around the loch to accommodate many of the university's students. Watching TV in a student lounge was common in the days before people had TVs , PCs and laptops in their rooms. I wonder what today's students would think about the size of this screen and having to turn a knob on the TV to change channel or adjust the volume? The changes in teaching methods over time can be seen in this photograph of one of the university's language labs. In the pre-digital age, individual booths provided an effective method of listening and learning a range of languages. Do you remember using a language lab at school or university? Research looked different in the 1980s. These large microfilm readers provided access to old issues of newspapers in the University Library in the pre-digital age. Technology was also the focus of the university's 1983 annual report. The cover presented a high-tech future. The report recorded a total student population of 3,030. Today the University of Stirling has a global student population of over 17,500. Airthrey Radio was founded in 1972 to provide a soundtrack to student life on campus. The campus radio station is run by students for students it continues to broadcast today as Air3 radio. The first foray into print media was established in 1969. Brig, Stirling's student newspaper, took its name from the famous bridge over the loch and reported on all aspects of campus life. These covers from 1985 illustrate the styles and fashions of that era. The dawn of Acid House brought a smiley end to the 1980s on this cover of Brig, the student newspaper, from December 1989. It reveals a change in culture as students prepared to leave the 1980s behind. The Macrobert Arts Centre has been the cultural heart of the university since 1971. The renowned cultural hub provides a wide range of music, theatre, dance and cinema events. In the 1980s the Macrobert box office was accessed directly down stairs from the central area outside the university library. In 1981 planned government cuts to the university sector triggered protests at campuses across the country including this meeting held in Queens Court at the centre of the Stirling campus. Another image of the 1981 anti-cuts demo showing the then student union president Jack McConnell addressing the crowd. Jack McConnell was First Minister of Scotland from 2001-2007 and is now Lord McConnell of Glenscorrodale and the current Chancellor of the University of Stirling. It is the final image in our gallery. Did you attend the University of Stirling in the 1980s? Did you recognise anyone you know? Please share your reminisces in the comments section below.
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Five Fiendish Ways to Celebrate 'World Goth Day' in L.A.
How exactly something becomes a celebratory "day" is questionable, but like falling trees in the woods, if enough people are aware and acknowledge it, that's kind of all it takes. "World Goth Day" became a thing after BBC Radio DJs Cruel Britannia and Martin OldGoth started celebrating dark music in the U.K. on the date annually back in 2009. Most define the "goth" scene (short for Gothic) by its dark fashion and music, but even before this "holiday" came to be —and ever since— there's been contention over the word and what it actually means. There's different sub-categories too: "Trad goth" — traditional lacy, witchy frocks, pale face and dramatic eye makeup; industrial goth — futuristically fiendish looks with cyber vibes; pastel goths and Gothic lolitas — girlish bows, ruffles and doll-like get-ups with edge... And that's just to start. Factor in music artists and genres, and fans of dark culture will almost always have something to dispute. Suffice to say, if you equate "Goth" to Marilyn Manson, Fred Armisen's satirical takes on Portlandia or anything that can be bought at Hot Topic in the mall, you should probably do a little reading, and start HERE. For this round-up, we highlight some obvious and not so obvious ways to get in touch with your dark side tonight, and all weekend long, alongside images of some great gothy get-ups at this past weekend's Cruel World festival that prove this subculture might love death, but it will never die. SHOP TIL YOU DROPYou can snag cheap corsets and tights online, but several stores in Los Angeles offer authentic gloomy glam garb you can try before you buy. (home of the Kreepsville brand) in East L.A. is great for accessories, while Foxblood on Melrose offers the widest selection of black dresses in town (and their sister store down the street offers pretty pastel pieces). At in Burbank, they've got cool tees and DIY clothing; and a drive to Long Beach is worth it for , stocking haunted housewares, accessories and more. IMMERSE IN MUSIC Check out local label Cleopatra Records for the best O.G. deathrock from L.A. and the U.K., plus new artists inspired by the rapturous beats evoking gloom, doom and decadence. TOUCH TOMBS is the ultimate graveyard environment with its gorgeous grounds, historic headstones and wild animals (feral cats, ducks and peacocks). Yes, Marky Ramone's cenotaph is there (he's not), but old movie stars Rudolph Valentino and Cecil B. Demille are even more ghostly & SIPGoths tend to love all things spooky and provides a creepy way to get your caffeine, with freaky and fun flavors inspired by Frankenstein, Edward Scissorhands and more the characters from your nightmares. DANCING TO DIE FORRev. John 's L.A. industrial goth night Das Bunker is one of the most legendary dark dance bashes in the city, but his more sporadic soiree, , going down this Sunday at the Slipper Clutch, provides the macabre mood and dance floor drama that made this scene so popular in L.A. to begin with.
Euronews
22-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Euronews
It's not a phase: How to celebrate World Goth Day in Europe
Five, six, grab your crucifix - and Robert Smith, because World Goth Day has arrived. First suggested on a MySpace blog in 2009 by a UK-based Goth DJ known as 'BatBoy Slim', Goth Day has since become a global annual celebration where "the Goth scene gets to celebrate it's own being." via GIPHY While most Goths prefer to stay out of the spotlight (unless carrying a black parasol), World Goth Day keeps things appropriately dark and inviting, with a range of community-hosted events that span the week. The 22 May date was originally chosen to highlight a special set of musical subculture-focused shows on BBC Radio 6, then stuck ever since. And why not? From dark wave DJ sets in Poland, to a gothic clothes swap in Dublin; Black pizza in London, and a trip back to the subculture's 80s, 90s and 00s origins at a club night in Madrid — there are plenty of opportunities knocking at your coffin. Plus, it's a great way to support your local Goth gang. Alternatively, you could just draw the curtains, blare some Bauhaus and be your usual black-hearted self with extra pride. After-all, some Goths have faced genuine persecution and violence just for daring to be different - one devastating example being the 2007 murder of Sophie Lancaster, a 20-year-old Goth from the UK. "There are quite a few Goths who have fought damn hard to retain their identity despite peer pressure, family pressure and indeed, any pressure to conform," the World Goth Day organisers state. "And if you've gone to all that trouble to preserve what you believe is the 'real you', don't you think you owe it to yourself to shine for a day?" Chipped nail polish, dancing skeletons, synth wave, hair spray, black cats, 'Bela Lugosi Is Dead'. Neon leg warmers, glow bands, pastel chokers, septum piercings, coffin-shaped cat trees, posters of Nick Cave and PJ Harvey. Goth is whatever you want it to be. There are no rules, baby! It's about breaking conventions and going against the bland, suffocating monotony of traditional societal expectations to spread your bat wings and express your truest, fang-bearing self. At its core, being Goth is about finding a curiosity and fondness for the things others find disturbing. From music to film to fashion to art, there's a focus on themes like melancholy, death, gore and rebellion, expressed through subversive aesthetics and lifestyle choices. The subculture's origins can be traced back to the UK's late 70s post-punk underground music scene, with record producer Martin Hannett notably describing the band Joy Division's music as 'Gothic' in 1979. It's a term that spread to encompass any bands with a certain melancholic sound. These included The Cure (even though Robert Smith would argue otherwise), Bauhaus, The Psychedelic Furs, Alien Sex Fiend and Siouxsie and the Banshees, to name but a few. Meanwhile, in America, deathrock emerged as a sort of sub-genre of Goth, similarly taking the anarchy ethos of punk music and immersing it in horror-inspired theatrics. While the 80s and 90s are still seen as Gothic hey days, it's a subculture that's managed to stick throughout the decades - albeit morphing into various subcategories such as 'Cybergoth' and 'Pastel Goth', which take inspiration from steam punk, BDSM, Lolita fashion etc to create new forms of contrasting expression within 'Trad Goth'. No longer a marker of only youth culture (although the #Goth has been used 4 million times on video sharing platform TikTok), many older adults that grew up being Goth are still putting on their studded leathers and setting their faces with white powder. Millennial Goths in particular have carved themselves a niche on YouTube, with 'Emily Boo' and 'Of Herbs and Altars' two of the most popular, sharing their looks and experiences within the scene and offering advice to "baby bats". While Mods and Rockers come and go, Goths are here to stay. And contrary to popular belief - they don't only wear black. via GIPHY You can celebrate wherever you want! Although official events are listed on the website for World Goth Day and are as follows: UK & Ireland 22 May: ACAB Celebrates World Goth Day - DJs, Alt Drag & Market (Dublin) 22 May: Cabinet Sinister Bite Me! At Lost Souls Pizza (London) 22 May: World Goth Day gig at O'Reilly's (Hull) 24 May: Goth Meet Up at The Ruin Bar and Kitchen (Birmingham) 25 May: Gothic Clothes Swap WGD at Pawn Shop (Dublin) Europe 23 May: Gothic ball at Klub UNDER (Belgrade, Serbia) 23 May: Bunkerleute Dark Underground Party at Waaiberg Event Hall (Leuven, Belgium) 23 May: World Goth Day celebrations at Emerald CLUB (Bucharest, Romania) 24 May: World Goth Day celebrations at the Undead Dark Club (Barcelona, Spain) 24 May: Spain Goth Day at Sala Pirandello I - II (Madrid, Spain) 24 May: Shadowplay Afterparty oficial IMAMX + WGD, at Paseo Del Pintor Rosales (Madrid, Spain) 24 May: Dark goth wave synth at Wydział Remontowy (Gdańsk, Poland) 24 May: (Un)Pure Session: World Goth Day Special at Vamptasia Club (Valencia, Spain) via GIPHY Well, if you insist. Here are some Gothic movie and music recommendations instead: 🖤📽️ Movies House of Usher (1960) — Dir. Roger Corman Eraserhead (1977) — Dir. David Lynch Hellraiser (1987) — Dir. Clive Barker Return of the Living Dead 3 (1993) — Dir. Brian Yuzna The Crow (1994) — Dir. Alex Proyas Suspiria (2018) — Dir. Luca Guadagnino 🖤🎶 Music Bauhaus: 'In the Flat Field' (1980) Joy Division: 'Closer' (1980) Siouxsie and the Banshees: 'Juju' (1981) The Cure: 'Pornography' (1982) — bonus shout-out to The Cure's 'Songs Of A Lost World', which made our best-of 2024 albums list) Cocteau Twins: 'Head Over Heels' (1983) Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds: 'Let Love In' (1994)
The National
14-05-2025
- Business
- The National
Indian restaurant owner takes on historic Prestonpans pub
In January, the licensees of "the Goth", on the town's High Street, announced the "tough decision" to close. After a public meeting, a "unanimous" decision was made to keep the premises, which dates back to 1908, "for eating out locally and for family and social events". And it has now been confirmed that the team behind the Bombay Lounge in Dalkeith will be opening an Indian restaurant at the Goth. Bombay Lounge opened 15 years ago and has received many awards, including at the Scottish Curry Awards in April. Michael Singh, 52, owner of Bombay Lounge has enjoyed 35 years of experience in the hospitality trade. He told the East Lothian Courier that the new restaurant at the Goth would be named Bombay Bar & Grill. An Indian restaurant is set to open at the Prestoungrange Gothenburg (Image: NQ Staff) Singh said: "We are bringing a multi-award-winning team to the Bombay Bar & Grill in Prestonpans and we are very excited for it. "Prestonpans is a good platform for us because East Lothian is a great catchment area, but we just want to make sure that East Lothian is ready for us because people may have already experienced our first restaurant in Dalkeith. "We are hoping to be open end of June or start of July and we are working hard on the menu, which will consist of a lot of modern Indian grill food with the addition of takeaway as well." When open, the restaurant is expected to have about 20 members of staff, with jobs such as kitchen porters, delivery drivers and bar staff anticipated to be advertised soon. Rahat Hasan Chowdhury and Qazi Yousef Sumon, both from Bangladesh and co-managers of Bombay Lounge for five years, will continue their roles in the new Prestonpans venture. Rahat, 22, said: "I am excited. "The team at Bombay Lounge will be same team in Prestonpans and that means there will be some familiar faces. "It is the same job but will be challenging as a new business and I am looking forward to it." The restaurant will be open six days a week, Tuesday to Sunday, 3-10pm. At these times, the bar, restaurant and upstairs lounge will be open, with a takeaway service available in addition. Gordon Prestoungrange, for the Baron Courts, owners of the Gothenburg, said: 'It's a big challenge for them both to honour the heritage of the Gothenburg and to offer excellent service for the community in their own distinctive Indian style. "Those who have visited their award-winning restaurant in Dalkeith will know just how successful they have been there for many years and their enthusiasm at their arrival in the Pans is infectious. 'They are keen to learn from Panners how they can honour all the Gothenburg has meant and still means after nearly 120 years on our High Street. "Suggestions and ideas before and after they open the doors again will always be welcomed. "One readily apparent celebration all can join on August 15 will be VJ Day – remembering that World War II, in which all the Indian subcontinent was engaged, continued well after VE Day here in Europe. "And never forget that India has great heritage with the pipes and tartan, and a not-inconsiderable Scottish diaspora.'
Vogue
06-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Vogue
Madonna Cuts a Dashing Figure in a Tom Ford Tuxedo at the 2025 Met Gala
It's not a real New York night out until Madonna has made her presence known, and the Material Girl herself made her typical splash at the 2025 Met Gala on Monday night in a cream Tom Ford double-breasted tuxedo that was perfectly in keeping with the night's 'Tailored For You' dress code. Madonna's suit jacket was accentuated by a pair of pleated trousers and a crisp white piqué plastron shirt with a wing-tipped collar and a single gardenia at her lapel—and to be honest, I'm kind of wondering if this look should inspire us all to make this the summer of the white suit. (Or is that too Tom Wolfe?) This isn't Madonna's first time setting trends on the Met Gala red carpet, of course. Whether she's accompanying her longtime collaborator Jean Paul Gaultier in a gorgeously Goth crown of crosses, or getting a little punk with it in a studded tartan blazer courtesy of former Givenchy creative director Riccardo Tisci, the 66-year-old musician, actress, and mom of four always understands the assignment. Madonna did famously sing at the 2018 Met Gala, covering Leonard Cohen's 1984 song 'Hallelujah' while perched on the Met stairs (and then treating the audience to a first look at her then-new song 'Beautiful Game'). While it doesn't appear we're in for a repeat Madonna performance this time around, at least we can all appreciate her flawless commitment to the suiting theme. See All of the Celebrity Looks From the Met Gala 2025 Red Carpet:
