Shout! Online :: WGT2006 Special

WGT2006 Special

Last updated 15.07.06

WGT: right place for people in black

Wave Gotik Treffen (WGT) is a 4 day festival that takes place on the Whitsun in Germany each year. It takes place in Leipzig, a city of half a million people located approximately 120 km south from Berlin. Unofficially WGT is attended by up to 30,000 gothic public from around the world giving the festival a very international flavour. And just imagine - nearly 200 (!) music bands and artists plays at about 12-15 venues across the city! Visitors are moving between venues to see as many bands as possible, plus shopping at the biggest goth market, night clubbing and looking for something interesting around city.

First that really exciting is the huge list of bands that play at this festival. All music genres of the goth («dark scene») world, from traditional to EBM, from goth-metal to neo-folk, from famous headliners (like VNV Nation, Lacrimosa, Clan Of Xymox, Deine Lakaien, And One etc) to small unknown bands from all corners of the world.

Second is the true festival feeling, global fantastic atmosphere. Everybody can find some way to enjoy themselves. The multinational nature of the festival adds huge amounts of enjoyment to this event. Knowing that people have travelled from across the world to be here is very special and no other festival seems to encapsulate that in the same way that WGT does. Walking around city, you can hear so many languages and accents!

When you come to Lepzig, when you see sea of people dressed in black at railway station (Hauptbahnhof), you are starting to feel as at home. Leipzig in itself is a wonderful city, just walking around the city is enjoyable and safe, and most of the people in black are truly friendly.

So you would like to go WGT for a first time, be sure, you will definitely have an excellent time, and you will want to come back next year!