New Wave, Experimental Folk Music, and Goth Concert Fashion

Concert Fashion from April & May 2024

Pahl & Danielle after the Adam Ant show

In between dressing in historical and EGL fashion, Pahl and I also went to three concerts within the span of about a month. In this post, I'll be highlighting a little about the acts that we saw, what kind of music they played, and what we wore to the show. 

Adam Ant

​The first show we attended was Adam Ant at Foxwoods Casino. This concert was the EXACT SAME DAY as the Alice Tea, so we got a hotel room in Norwich, CT and took a nap before getting ready for the Adam Ant show. Adam Ant is an English singer, musician and actor who gained popularity as the singer of the new wave group, Adam and the Ants from 1980-1983. With the Ants, he gained popularity with songs like "Stand and Deliver", and "Prince Charming". He began a solo career in 1982 and top singles like, "Friend or Foe", "Goody Two-Shoes" and "Vive Le Rock" all became songs that he is widely known for. During his American tour this time he played all the top hits of his early days, which I recall having heard before in some capacity, but I can't quite say exactly when as I wasn't alive during his most popular years.
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New Wave music is a genre that encompasses pop oriented styles from the 1970's and 80's, and is considered a lighter and more melodic "broadening of punk culture". Common characteristics of new wave music include a humorous or quirky pop approach, angular guitar riffs, jerky rhythms, the use of electronics, and a distinctive visual style in fashion.  

Adam Ant's onstage fashion has always been a HUGE influence in Pahl's everyday fashion. He incorporates military style tail coats, waist coats, expressive belt buckles, a sash, a hat of some kind, motorcycle boots, and some sort of cravat into his on stage looks. The waistcoat that Pahl wore to the concert---apparently Adam Ant owns the exact same one. Pahl got his in London years ago, so it must be one and the same!!!

Pahl is wearing a cotton shirt with the collar up, a red cravat, the iconic black corduroy waist coat, a pleather motorcycle tailcoat, black jeans and knee high leather boots. If you just keep kind of scrolling up and down between Adam Ant's onstage look, and Pahl's concert look, you can see similarities in style choices. 

Somewhere between post-punk and goth

I didn't grow up listening to Adam Ant as an idol or anything, so I kind of worked off the idea of "lighter punk" look.

For all of the concert looks in this post, you'll notice I wear a lot of items from Killstar. Killstar in general I have mixed feelings about. They have a lot of choices on their website and many different types of "goth" styles. But the sizing is not inclusive and the product is inconsistent. For instance, I'll never know how I went from being a Large to an XL within a few years but can still wear my older Large size garments without a problem. But if they have a sale on sale merchandise, and they actually have your size, check it out. You might get something great!

Black Spiderweb Beret & Black Fanny Pack: Sourpuss Clothing (RIP)
Half black half purple tartan zipper dress & Black Combat Boots: Killstar
Sparkle reptile skin gray tights: Snag Tights
Choker: Offbrand
Purple Coffin Earrings: Crafty As Ari

I didn't even redo my makeup or anything from the Alice Tea. I literally just put black eyeliner over the look I already had. Bravo! Later on I added a Killstar "Corporate Goth" jacket over my dress for warmth (Pictured in first photo in post) After all, it was still the first week in April, and it was still quite cool at night.  Looking back, I could have gone for a much more flamboyant look, but I was still relatively unfamiliar with new wave fashion, and still recovering from my cracked rib injury. The simpler the better--especially after the Alice tea. 

Heilung

Photo credit to Henry W. Laurisch; Heilung performing at the Roskilde Festival in 2018

Heilung is an experimental folk music band made up of members from Denmark, Norway, and Germany. Their music is based on texts and runic inscriptions from Germanic people's of the Iron Age and Viking Age. Heilung describes their music as "amplified history from early medieval Northern Europe". Their music is usually about Germanic deities, the Jotnar, and the Valkyries. The word Heilung is a German noun meaning "healing" in English. 

Back during the pandemic, I taught myself all of the Elder Futhark by illustrating them in my Norse Rune Zine. A little before that, I had read all of the myths and tales associated with Norse mythology and the Eddas and the Sagas. I also listened to Neil Gaiman's Norse Mythology on Audiobook. I had seen Heilung once before, but the experience was so transformative for me, when I knew they were coming to Hartford, CT (even on a Monday night), I ABSOLUTELY had to attend. Their show is like no other show you've ever attended. It's like witnessing an ancient ritual of the past through a forest clearing. They use mostly natural instruments and supposedly have a skull from one of their friends on stage with them.  

At the last Heilung concert I attended, some people wore all black, while some other people had access to natural fibers and furs, and incorporated bones and horns into their outfits for the show. Leaning more toward the former, Pahl and I decided to construct some basic all black looks for the show. 

Pahl actually looks like the Comic book character of the Sandman

Pahl's base outfit is a pair of linen pants and blouse that he would likely wear when "dressing as a pirate or to a renaissance festival" to stay cool. He's wearing leather motorcycle boots, as well as a waist belt with a sea god belt buckle. A variety of large statement rings and a metal necklace compliment his look. He is wearing a lightweight great coat over his whole ensemble. He's also wearing transition sunglasses where one lens is square while the other is round. 

My Heilung concert outfit

I am wearing a tunic blouse, arm guards, and boots from Killstar. My pinafore is a wonderful jersey knit (with pockets!) that has metal chains as straps. The tights are a patterned knit wear from Me Moi. I am wearing silver and abalone planet earrings and necklace. My hair is tied back in a simple pony tail and I am wearing very basic makeup (as I went to work that day and then went to the show). I love everything about this outfit, except for the fact that I kept setting off the metal detector when we tried to get into the show. I took off my long sweatshirt coat (not pictured) and after that they had to pull me aside and waved a wand at me. I was mentally preparing myself to have to remove my pinafore...but I made it through the second level of metal detection. Note to self: Don't wear outfits with too much metal components in them to a show. 

Voltaire & Vision Video

Ah, finally a true all goth show. Goth music and goth fashion unite in full form! I've been a big fan of Voltaire for years.  I think the first live show I saw him perform in was about 20 years ago. He's hilarious, he writes goth parody songs as well as very personal songs about growing up different and embracing the darker aspects of life. When Voltaire ascends the stage, it's just him, the microphone and an acoustic guitar. But he's so funny and the time goes by so fast, it's just a treat to catch him when he's in town every year or so. 

The other bands, honestly I had no idea what to expect, but they were all very good despite all being different kinds of gothic music. It was the cheapest but longest concert I have attended in a long time. And it was standing room only. The only thing I would change about my outfit for this particular concert was to put some very good insoles in my boots to save my feet from the pain I felt from standing in one spot for 4.5 hours. But it was worth it to be so close to the stage and see basically everything from the bands equipment, to the set lists and even their personal style and tattoos and such. 

I went for a romantic goth look. I wore another dress from Killstar that is actually a separate slip piece with a button down long sleeve lace and frilly over dress. For accessories I am wearing a choker that kind of looks like rosary beads. I'm wearing the exact same tights and boots I wore to the Heilung concert. 

Pahl is also going for a romantic goth look. Here he brings back a waistcoat, but it is a black brocade print. He pairs it over a black blouse and scarf. Again we see the long pleather tailcoat he wore for the Adam Ant concert. Black jeans and black motorcycle boots complete his ensemble. He has a waistcoat chain and various skull and eye rings as accessories. 

Close up of my makeup

One of the things I went all out on for the Voltaire show, which I did not for the others, was my makeup. I used a cushion foundation that was a few shades lighter than my normal skin tone, and a couple of different eyeshadow palettes that I received in a Gothic Beauty Box to layer light, medium, and dark gray tones with some sparkle. I also took a black eyeliner pen and made both a large wing and a graphic liner back into my crease. Minimal blush, opalescent highlighter, and black matte lipstick complement my look. I also filled in my brows pretty heavily. I'm not quite Siouxsie, but somewhere in the middle between basic and over the top goth makeup. 

From the glow of the stage lights

All in all every concert was amazing. I had a newfound appreciation for Adam Ant after seeing him live. Heilung was just as great as ever, but I got to bring new people to experience them for the first time. And Voltaire was just as great as always, but seeing all the other bands was great too!  Always support live music when you can! It's sometimes the only way musicians can make money nowadays. And if you don't know what to wear---go with black!