Moon Cat’s blog #6: A Murder of Crows 2025
- Moon Cat
- Sep 23
- 10 min read
August 28-30, 2025 (Labor Day weekend)
New York, NY
Against my better judgement* I’ve been visiting NYC a bunch recently. Looking back on my past blogs, I see long holiday weekends in the city are becoming a pattern. Sometimes you just gotta go where the music is.
With the Labor Day weekend approaching, my partner and I decided to book a short getaway around A Murder of Crows tenth anniversary in Brooklyn and Manhattan. The lineup looked good even though I was unfamiliar with many of the bands. To be honest, this festival skews more “trad goth” than what I typically listen to. I prefer harder electronic stuff, mostly industrial and dark wave. Songs built in a computer, not with actual guitars and drums. But I try not to be dogmatic and open to discovering new music. And it’s not like traditional goth rock is a big leap from dark wave.
We booked a budget hotel within a ten minute walk of the main venue in lower Manhattan and checked in with our NYC buddies to see who would also be going. Luckily two of my Mechanismus roommates Jillian & Swag already had tickets!
Thursday: Pre-party at TV Eye, Brooklyn
The Brickbats, The Long Losts, 1000 Gothic DJs (lol)
After checking into our tiny room, we hopped on the subway to Brooklyn.
[Rant about the NYC subway system] I consider myself a pretty decent navigator with a good sense of direction, but something about finding the right platform on the subway always screws me up. I recently spent a few days in London and the Underground was so much more intuitive. At least the city is discontinuing those damn Metro cards. [Rant over]
This was our first time at TV Eye. I really like its vibe and layout. There’s a well stocked bar in the first room, with the main stage and DJ booth straight ahead. To the left is a hallway with band merch, beyond that an outdoor lounge with a second DJ booth and some food options. After ordering a negroni and catching up with friends, my dance partner and I killed time in the main room until the bands went on.
This is clearly a band that doesn’t take itself seriously and I love it. The stage was already decorated with plastic jack-o-lanterns and red string lights. Sticking with the October theme, the guitarist and drummer walk out with ‘Spirit of Halloween’ face makeup and launch into a set of bouncy horror punk. The highlight for me was when they invited one of the visiting DJ’s, Scary Lady Sarah to lend vocals on “Witch Call”. The video is on my Insta. I scored their set list after the show which they later signed at the merch table.
I’ve seen this band perform all over the tri-state area for more than a decade. The Long Losts are the creation of an adorable goth punk couple who sing about all things spooky, with odes to Lily Munster and classic horror movies to tales of creepy cemeteries and haunted houses, all while being super danceable. They played a bunch of my favorites while we hung towards the back where we had more room to bounce around.
Friday: Bowery Ballroom, Manhattan
Hallowed Hearts, Astari Nite, Soft Vein, Ritual Howls, Pink Turns Blue
After sleeping through most of the morning, we finally dragged our asses away from our comfy bed in search of food. Initially we thought it would be cool to check out the famous Katz’s deli for lunch, but when we saw a line wrapping around the block, we nixed that idea and explored the neighborhood until we found a tasty brunch spot called Sweet Chick on Ludlow. On the way, we passed a mural of the Beastie Boys outside of a bodega. But what was really special was the friendly black cat hanging out front named Max (we found out later from the clerk). Max was super chill, totally unfazed by the city noises and dogs. After caffeine and sugar from Caffe Vita, it was time to get ready for the show.
I’m embarrassed to admit that I had not been to the Bowery Ballroom until now. I know tons of legendary acts have passed through here, but I’ve never made the trek until now. It’s a very cool space. We entered through the dark basement floor with the band merch, DJ booth, and wrap-around bar. Up the stairs is the main room and a mezzanine level with tables and a second bar.
We opted to get up close to the stage and lucked out with a spot to the far right. I ran into Kevin Vonesper who was on duty taking photos for the fest. I think I first met Kevin at Dark Force Fest ‘24. I feel like he’s the official photographer for every goth event within a 30 mile radius of NYC. And he’s pretty recognizable with his sparkling tears makeup. If you see him at an event, say hi! Super friendly and takes great professional portraits.
Hallowed Hearts opened up night one with their signature mid-tempo flavor of goth rock. Their songs invoke images of walking through bleak rain-soaked city streets with your trenchcoat collar popped to shield from the biting wind. They set the appropriate tone for the rest of the night.
Next up, Astari Nite kept the night going with some 90’s alt influenced rock. I listened to a few of their singles ahead of time and really dug the Bowie-esque vocals. In fact, vocalist Mychael Ghost’s on-stage performance had more than a bit of glam aesthetic. Their most recent single “Ms Rain On My Parade” was a lot of fun to see live.
At this point in the night, we had shimmied our way to the front center to get a good view of Soft Vein. I always try to listen to a few tracks from each band before any festival and Soft Vein stuck out as the most darkwave and electronic, which is totally my jam. I got some decent photos and videos from our spot. The solo project of Justin Chamberlain, his music manages to feel both cold and indifferent yet also comforting somehow. I listened to his “Through Blinds” album and “From Another Room” EP ahead of the show and was thrilled when he played his cover of the Eurythmics’s “Here Comes the Rain Again”. The crowd of elder-millennials and gen-Xers must have appreciated it too because I heard a ton of people singing along, me included.
We got a chance to chat with Justin at the merch table after his set. He lives in CA currently but he’s originally from the north east. Apparently this was his first time performing in NYC (!) which is kinda unbelievable. Even cooler, he told us he’s considering moving back here. I think the NYC food won him over.
After visiting the merch room, there was no way we were getting our prime spot up front again so we spent the rest of the night upstairs in the mezzanine giving us a better view of the stage and crowd. Ritual Howls brought back the classic post-punk sound, plus a bit of twang which can be heard in the haunting “Alone Together”. I watched from above as bodies sway in unison, the baritone vocals and brooding melody acting like a spell on the audience.
Finally, the night’s headliner Pink Turns Blue took the stage. This is a band whose music has been swirling around the ether at goth clubs for decades. A German group formed in 1985, they’re part of the first generation of goth rock and have been releasing albums for nearly 40 years so it’s no surprise that I was already vaguely familiar with a bunch of their singles. It was very cool seeing “Walking On Both Sides” and “Your Master Is Calling” performed live. Next time I hear these classics in the Crypt at QXT’s, I’ll know who I’m dancing to.
With night one in the books, we walked back to our cozy room thankful that we didn’t have to ride the confusing subway in the middle of the night.
Saturday: Bowery Ballroom, Manhattan
Octavian Winters, Past Self, Nox Novacula, Altar De Fey, Vision Video
As tempting as it was to sleep in again, we had lunch plans with our friend Sid in Brooklyn. We met up at Night Owl Video since my partner is an avid collector of physical media. It’s a cute little shop with a respectable selection of VHS tapes, videodisks, vinyl, and DVDs wrapped in a fun 90’s aesthetic. My guy bought a “The Burbs” ball-cap and tote.
After a hearty lunch and long overdue catch-up sesh with our good buddy at Kellogg’s diner, we rode the subway back to Manhattan for some goth-kid shopping at Trash & Vaudeville. No shock, we ran into another couple attending AMOC. What was shocking was how far they traveled. Hairdresser and goth DJ from the Bay area, Adrienne Scissorhands (omg I love this name) flew in with her partner. We both picked up T&V branded hoodies, a nice souvenir from the city.
With only an hour before showtime, we rushed back to freshen up and change, and sprinted to the Bowery. It felt more crowded the second night. Maybe because it was Saturday or maybe because of the headliner, not sure. Regardless, there was no way we were getting close to the stage tonight. Instead, our crew claimed a table up in the mezzanine for a good view.
Octavian Winters opened the final night with a unique blend of ethereal vocals and hard edged guitars. Vocalist Ria Aursjoen’s lyrics weave together themes of isolation and loss complementing the melancholy grooves. “Nebula” felt timely, shining a light on our ephemeral existence on a dying planet overdue for renewal.
Past Self was a late addition after 45 Grave backed out. Self described as K-goth, they lean heavily on their Korean culture and incorporate it into everything from their on-stage look to song themes. Decked out in black, white, and red, I love their fresh spin on the goth aesthetic. Sonically though, they are unquestionably post-punk, and a bit sad and dreamy. I recently started digging into their catalogue. It’s the perfect soundtrack when I’m in the mood to just sit and disassociate from life for a while.
After the warm quiet introspection of Past Self, Nox Novacula felt like a bucket of cold water to the face. Unapologetically death-rock, their on-stage performance is intense, even confrontational. The melodies are cold and bleak, much like their hometown of Seattle.
A few late nights in a row plus a strong negroni was sapping my energy. I guess I’m getting old. But when original death rockers Altar De Fey launched into their set, I perked up. This band was founded the year I was born, yet they haven’t lost their early 80’s sound or look. Guitarist Kent Cates sports a giant white death hawk and animal skull necklace while vocalist Jake Hout rocks his crow feather hair and blacked out eyes. Their catchy classics are proof of the enduring resilience of the scene.
Finally, crowd favorite and Saturday’s headliner Vision Video took the stage. Earlier that night, I had the very good fortune of catching the Goth Dad himself in the crowd trying to watch the other bands. But his popularity probably kept him from actually seeing most of the other acts, and I was no help. Graciously, he was warm, conversational, and generous with his time. He even let me give him a hug from Eryk and grab a selfie.
Vision Video photos by Chris “BuB” Cardi
The first thing I noticed when Dusty Gannon and the gang walked out was the line-up change. Now a trio, I spotted a new member on bass with an amazing mullet. This being my fourth or fifth time seeing them, I knew to expect some conversation between songs. I wasn’t disappointed, not that there’s ever a lack of news and injustices to talk about. They opened with “Dead Gods” not-so-subtly alluding to the recent gossip around our Dear Leader’s lack of public appearances.
In between songs, Dusty talked about his time as a former Army paramedic in Afghanistan and later as a civilian firefighter, explaining how those experiences informed his current political views and personal philosophies around protecting life and processing death. These are the recurring themes that run through Vision Video’s entire discography.**
At the end of the night we said goodbye to our concert buddies after checking to see when we’d run into them again. Luckily, this fall is packed with shows between NYC and Philly so it was more of a “see you soon”. One final exhausted schlep back to the hotel carrying new band shirts and stickers before passing out as soon as my head hit the pillow.
Sunday & Monday:
The last few hours in the hotel were a blur of oversleeping and rushing to pack all the new stuff we bought. I rode with my partner back to Penn Station, but I had plans to stay one more night with my bud Swag (short for Swagata) in Brooklyn. Once he boarded the train back to Jersey, I made my way to Brooklyn and met up for brunch.
Swag is a super talented singer/song writer and was booked to perform tonight at LIC bar for their Led Zeppelin cover night. This was obviously a totally different crowd, and I’m admittedly not a Zeppelin fan, but I can’t deny the talent that was on display. Of course Swag’s vocals were amazing. So were the other singers, and definitely the band. It was great sharing drinks and conversation with Swag’s local friends, and Cesar from local post-punk group None Shall Remain who we ran into at AMOC the night before. Thanks for the pizza Cesar!
The next day Swag and I hung out one more time over breakfast and a pitcher of mimosas before riding to Penn Station together. She had tickets to see Oasis in Jersey that night and actually took the same train to MetLife Stadium. [[Fun fact, Oasis fans had been following me around all summer clogging up the public transit in whatever city I happen to be in. First London, then Edinburgh, and now NYC. It’s comical at this point.]]
I was very happy to step off the train back home in Jersey, but the weekend renewed my appreciation for the city. It’s worth the overpriced train, sketchy subways, and crowds to see great friends and great artists. The bodega cats are a bonus.
‘Till next time.
Your girl,
Moon Cat
💜🌙💜
* You may be asking, “Why is visiting NYC against your better judgement?” As a Jersey girl, I have the option of going to either NYC or Philly for shows. When a band has a tour visiting both cities, I always choose Philly. Getting there is usually cheaper and easier, and it’s less crowded. And I like giving my NYC friends shit.
** I would find out later that this might be my last time seeing Vision Video in its current form. A few weeks later, the band made an announcement about the tour, and possibly ending the project. Reasons are still vague, but I’m watching what happens.
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