Colored lights oscillating between purple, green and blue, broody electronic tunes and copious shades of black set the stage for Maricopa’s inaugural goth night.
Dieonysis — a dark play on the ancient Greek god of wine and partying — drew Maricopa’s burgeoning goth community to Honeycutt Coffee Saturday night. The Maricopa-based dark entertainment company Crave the Dead, which launched earlier this year, put on the show.
A few dozen bopped their heads or danced to darkwave and electronic alt-pop music from Phoenix-based bands Forts and SpellxCaster, who got his start in Maricopa. Others enjoyed a coffee or beer and socialized while vendors dealt witchy curios and promoted local businesses outside.
A lifetime of feeling like an outcast led many attendees to the goth community, like Tonia Francis, a local jewelry vendor.
“The only loud thing about me is how I look,” said Francis, who donned a spiked headband, black lipstick and eyeshadow to compliment her black and silver outfit.
“I always felt so awkward and quiet,” she said. “I never really fit in with my family, but goths always made me feel welcomed.”
For candle and crystal vendor Chasity McChargue, attending the event felt like a chance to meet others in a community that never hesitated to welcome her.
“I like seeing everyone out here tonight,” she said. “It’s a small community, but everyone is always so nice and welcoming.”
There’s a story behind what led to Maricopa’s first-ever gothic showcase. Want to meet the edgy cast of characters who made Maricopa a home to the macabre? Look for the feature-length story in our October edition of InMaricopa hitting the newsstands Oct. 1.
