The Valley's collection of goth and industrial fans are no strangers to drama when it comes to their favorite dance nights and clubs. In fact, if there's been any constants to this particular scene over the decades, its been change. Not to mention a never-say-die attitude.
Places tend to come and go in this scene -- including the O.G. version of the Nile Theatre or the old Atomic Cafe in Scottsdale - as do events like Black Coffee, Sadisco*, and Tranzylvania. But DJs and promoters tend to carry on and launch new joints. For instance, this past year may have be seen both Sanctum and Monsterland biting the dust, but it also included DJs Self.Destrukt and Defense.Mekanizm starting the aptly titled RessurectioN at longtime goth hangout Palazzo.
Then came this past week, when word broke about the ending of both the night and its venue.
Last weekend, word surfaced that Palazzo in downtown Phoenix, a dance joint that -- like Sanctum, which he also formerly owned -- was specifically designed by local club guru Steven Rogers to have a certain gothy bent, will be taken over by burlesque troupe Scandalesque and rebooted into a new theater and performance venue called The Empress. By month's end, both Palazzo and its dance nights will cease to exist.
That includes nixing monthly "industrial and goth revival" ResurrectioN, which will stage what will be its final edition later tonight. Debuted back in February and has brought large crowds of pleather-wearing and fetish-minded dancers to the place every first Friday since its launch. Self.Destrukt and Defense.Mekanizm, along with fellow resident Noiz.Fkr and special guests like Satoki of L.A.'s Bar Sinister out even Franck H-Bomb (of world-famous industrial club Das Bunker), spun tracks heavy on dark and grinding sounds. Live industrial bands such as Dym and Fractured would also perform.
News of Palazzo's closure came as a shock to ResurrectioN's DJs, particularly since it didn't come the club management. Self.Destrukt claims that it was only the latest in a series of issues they had endured at Palazzo and Sanctum, where they previously hosted dance nights, when he spoke with New Times via Facebook.
"Our reaction is somewhat surprised," Self.Destrukt says of Palazzo's closure. "We found out entirely the wrong way, we should have been informed by the venue itself. But then again, the management we've had to deal with at Sanctum and Palazzo didn't do much to take care of us in the first place, such as not appropriately staffing Palazzo and the constant sound issues at Sanctum. I wish we could have dealt more with the owner [Steven Rogers] himself instead of someone who doesn't care about our scene."
When Self.Destrukt and Defense.Mekanizm originally planned tonight's event, which has the subtitle of "Dark Rituals" and will feature a performance by Xian Vox and guest DJ session by //she// of Sadisco* fame, they had no idea it would be the final edition of ResurrectioN. Sadly, such will be the case.
"The ResurrectioN night and name will be ending tonight," he says. "The name was made for that specific club, so there is no reason to keep it going at another venue. It wouldn't make sense."
After Palazzo first opened in 2005, it was home to the infamous goth/industrial night Tranzylvania, which raged every weekend for more than five years. After the event was booted in 2010, the club hosted mainly Latin dance nights. Earlier this year, Self.Destrukt and Defense.Mekanizm conjured up ResurrectioN and brought back the sort of sinister audio and unforgiving grinds that were a hallmark of Palazzo until it had gotten the steel-toed boot more than three years before.
It was a completely different beast than the old Tranzylvania night, with more of an S&M flair, a different kinky theme each month, go-go dancers, live bands, and a greater emphasis on industrial music.
"We kept the industrial/goth scene from being homeless these past eight months and brought in great acts for them," Defense.Mekanizm says.
True to the aforementioned never-say-die attitude, both Self.Destrukt and Defense.Mekanizm (who also host the monthly Cupcake! parties at Rogue Bar in Scottsdale) are already working on developing another night to fill the void. Information is scant at the moment, but they promise its definitely in the works.
"We plan on keeping things going of course, we are still doing Cupcake! and plan on starting up something new at another venue in Phoenix," Self.Destrukt says. "The details will remain under wraps to keep you in suspense for now."
Find other DJ events and cool gigs that are happening in Metro Phoenix this weekend via our comprehensive online concert calendar.
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