Goth Prom Hits East Nashville
- Ava Burns
- 53 minutes ago
- 3 min read
The bass billowed from the venue, masking the sounds of bowling pins being knocked over and drinks being made at the bar.
People in fairy costumes to knights in shining armor lined up, ready for a night of excitement.
The electric music reverberated in the chests of the audience, and lyrics soared through the air.
This is goth prom, an annual event hosted by East Side Bowl which celebrates a traditionally underrepresented group of people.
Traditionally stereotyped as quiet, antisocial, depressed or even as satanists, goth people have been wildly misrepresented for years.
And this description could not be further from their true personalities.
“It's really nice, you know, being able to bond over music and like ideologies, worldview, especially when the people are so welcoming,” goth prom attendee JD Hodges said.
The room lit up with people raving about each other's outfits, exchanging gifts and dancing like no one was watching.
Technicolor screens lit up the venue, showing David Bowie in his spiky wig and fantastical clothing from the classic film “Labyrinth."
To celebrate another year of goth prom and the 40th anniversary of the movie itself, the movie became the theme of the night, further highlighted in the attire of the attendees and the decorations in the space.
“With costumes on the stage, the movie playing, a bunch of Jim Henson's works and then people dressing up to match the theme — I think it really added to the atmosphere,” Hodges said.
The host company, Fascination Street, worked with local artists and businesses to make its imaginative vision come to life. Dresses, suits, mannequins, candles and drapes covered the stage, drawing people further and further into the space.
Aside from Goth prom, Fascination Street holds at least one event a month, ranging from dance nights to concerts.
The band Tears for the Dying plays at Fascination Street frequently, and found a love for the community there from the minute the members booked their first gig.
“As a member of the goth scene, and as a queer person, I’ve always been made to feel very, very welcome at Fascination Street,” singer-songwriter and instrumentalist for the band, Adria Stembridge said. “So, we always look forward to playing there.”
Goths are not as secluded as one might think. Surging in the 70s, the community built over the last 50 years fosters feelings of togetherness, love and appreciation for anyone who wants to join, and Fascination Street is no different.
“It's just so easy to bond with people there because you're all showing up for a common love,” goth prom attendee Jackie Oram said.
The love shown across this community is not singular to Oram, but the thousands upon thousands of people who have identified as alternatives across the decades.
Stembridge–who’s been a part of the goth scene since the 80s–found her identity as a queer person and a musician through the community.
She said it became a sanctuary for her, keeping her at peace from the craziness of her day-to-day life.
Not only did the community help her find her way as a queer person, but as a queer musician too.
“By the late 90s, I turned into who I am as trans, and I started writing poetry about my experience,” Stembridge said. “The early 2000s is when I really got a desire to actually put something together… And that's what really kicked off doing ‘Tears’ back in the early 2000s for me.”
Again, not all goth people wear heavy eyeliner. Not all goth people dress in fishnets and leather. Not all goth people wear all black. There’s more to this community than meets the eye.
“It's that artistic passion and that willingness to be outlandish — it's just always present,” Oram said.
This event also functioned like a redo for some, because their prom experience was less than stellar.
“It was like a do-over prom from the horrors of high school,” Hodges said.
Alternative people of all varieties are connecting to their community and the places that foster a positive environment, making goth prom a sanctuary.
“I don't know why I was ever nervous to start going and interacting with people who are also goths,” Hodges said.
Written by Ava Burns