If you're a flirty person, flirt with the girls, too! Not in a sexual way, but if you hug their boyfriends hug them as well. If you only hug the boys then the girls will automatically think that you're trying to flirt with or hit on their guys.

As for drink sharing, I've only done it with people that I totally trust with my life. Random people I would never share a drink with, cuz I'm just paranoid.

Strobes depend on where you go. The club in Houston has strobes and they go a little too heavy on the fog machine(the smell can make you gag).

Not every woman in Europe is comfortable to kissed on the cheek by someone they've just met. It is a generally accepted way of saying goodbye, that's true, but I think there are a lot of women (and men) who only accept it because it's the appropriate thing to do and, therefore, backing out is seen as hurtful. So. not all women like it, so perhaps you should be a little careful. Oh, and if you do, check out how many kisses you're supposed to give. I think it's mostly two, but sometimes three (or perhaps just one?).


I hope this one wasn;t inspired by personal experience! Don't harm the other visitors is, after all, a pretty obvious rule. And in some parts of town not even unwritten, but posted on the walls of the venue.

I've never been to a goth club, so I can't really give you any worthy, personal advice, but from reading other experiences on G.net, I can give you this:

don't have threesomes in the bathroom.

"don't hit me...." borrowed from Stefan of Das Ich

I asked him beforehand if we were allowed to take photos during the gig, to which he promptly responded "you can do anything you want.... just don't hit me, I'm afraid of pain!!"
You must say it while covered in body paint with his trademark wide-eyed stare

*clicks fingers* Oh darn

I think its fair to say that sexual activity in the bathrooms is pretty inconsiderate to the other club users. Go home you horny sillies!

Wolfmammy, I will remember that! It's not normally a problem with me, because I do hug anyone, regardless of gender etc, and also I'm not very sexy, more cute really ^^;; I think most girls don't percieve me as a threat, but just in case, I will remember that.

Centurion, how would you briefly describe the Japanese scene? I want to go Japan one day. My Japanese is rusty at best, but I think I'm ok with socialising ^^;; I think in some ways, the Japanese are far more "stiff upper lip" than us English!

What would you guys say about dancing alone? Some of my picks get played earlier on in the evening (say, Emilie Autumn and the Birthday Massacre), so at best, there'll only be a couple of other people on the dancefloor (not so bad), at worse, I'm the only one (eeek! ; _ ; ). I have danced on my own before, but last time I danced alone to Blue, I swear some of the girls were just glaring at me I just wanted to dance to "my" song lol.

The Japanese scene COMPLETELY depends on what events you go to..... there are no regular "goth clubs", only events or gigs, though there are plenty of different "goth bars" or "underground bars".
Pretty much everyone in the scene nationwide knows each other, one way or another.... at least people who have been into it at least a year or so. And yes, pretty much everyone's active in it, either with a band, or being a fashion designer, or organizing, or DJing, etc.

The biggest events that attract most youngsters and newcomers tend to be heavy on the fashionista and techno/EBM side, with most youngsters having a heavier emphasis on being "cute" than being "dark"..... remember, this is the land lolita and cyber both originated from.
These events will at least play an hour or so of trad goth/death rock/darkwave/dark ambient at the very beginning, when very few people are there, so I'm generally one of the first on the dance floor.....
After 11 pm is generally when the larger,more brightly dressed crowd comes in, therefore I head over to the bar area to chat with friends while everyone else enjoys their Suicide Commando/Combichrist/Grendel remixes the rest of the night.

Moreso, I enjoy more underground "gig" type events with live music, or fetish/body-mod type events. You'll still find the older goth crowd at these, along with people from every kind of underground scene, but the music is generally better, and the atmosphere is generally darker and more underground. At these, you'll get everything from old school goth to noise, crust punk, dark drum n bass, black metal, dark ambient, psychobilly...... the works.

I would say it's perfectly fine to dance alone! My hubby doesn't dance so I always had to either dance alone or with another girl. I like dancing alone better because you have more freedom to move. Not that I'd ever turn down an invitation from a pretty girl to dance!

if so inspired, I would totally dance alone

This is a much better story than what I thought happened to you!

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As for the strobe-lights, depends on the place you're going to. I went to two places, one more fancy than the other. The fancier place had the strobes, the other didn't (but had the better atmosphere). If you are afraid there will be strobes, why don't you just call them in advance? Might be silly, but it probably beats having epilepsy while sipping you drink or making your dance moves.

mmm, talking about clubs makes me want to go!

One reason I like the Goth clubs (aside from the music and clothing) is that I CAN dance alone - seeing as I don't know anyone there anyway.
Centurion - I thought that in Japan people bowed to each other? although I'd worry about that too because I've heard that there's a system about how deeply you bow, based on age, rank, etc.? I'd probably do something wrong and not even realize it because they're too polite to say so.

Harpy, I maybe wrong, but I think for most Japanese, a handshake may suffice. But I think also (going from the Japanese I've met) that if a gaijin were to greet a local in Japanese and with a bow, they may well find it charming that said foreigner had made an effort to learn something about the culture. Some may find it a little too formal though. But from what I know, traditionally speaking, someone of higher seniority wouldn't bow quite as low to someone younger than themselves.

I do dance alone, but it can make you feel a tad self conscious <.<

The majority of people would rather dance to mindless techno/trance, so when the rare time comes when actual dark music is playing, AND it's not me in the DJ booth, I seize the moment!!!
I pay my homage to Kazuo Ohno on the dance floor

Bowing...... I guess I don't really think about it anymore. Yes, people do it, and so do I to be polite, but I guess I haven't really paid attention to it.
It's been so long that I've forgotten how most white people act

My suggestion for you, Blackavar, is to straight out tell the guy his behaviour is not appreciated in a clinical manner. If he persists have a word with the club organiser, the barman or the bouncer. It's their job to ensure that the club attracts repeat business and chances are that he's not just making you uncomfortable.

Fixed it for you. In Ireland or England you're going home in an ambulance if you try this with the wrong person.

You don't like the old CO2 eh? What's wrong with you woman?!?!

The more people watch you dancing the more they wish they were you. 9/10 times that I've danced alone before "drunk o'clock" I get people complimenting me on style, hair, boots or courage. After that, when they have the liquid courage to dance themselves, I still try to get a bit of space from the crush. I hate actually being forced to interact with people since my style is somewhat... combatative.

"Cybergoth" first turned up in 1988 or so, in the context of Games Workshop's (of Nottingham, England) game Dark Future - a sort of alternate history Mad-Max/Judge Dredd style car-wrecking game. To give you an idea of the kind of tone it, one of the supporting novels involved a computer-hacker/troubleshooter/trained assassin/nun on assignment from the Vatican to prevent the Elder Gods causing trouble via internet. Mad stuff entirely.

Not that I don't like CO2, there's just too much of it after a while and it can leave you breathless if you stand too near the machines. Too bad it's not always possible to "ignore the machine".

Don't you know that oxygen deprivation is the best/cheapest high?