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Goths Convene In Tampa To 'Jump The Shark'

Tribune photo by KELVIN MA

Simon Brind of London, left, ian Nothing of Chicago and Cliff Vititoe of Buffalo, N.Y., attend a pre-convention Goth party Thursday at Wet Willie's bar in Tampa.

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By JESSICA DaSILVA

The Tampa Tribune

Published: August 8, 2008

TAMPA - For Goths in the Tampa Bay area, this is the time to pull on the lacy gloves and smear on the black lipstick.

Convergence 14, an annual convention for those interested in Gothic culture, will start today and last through the weekend in Tampa.

The conference is really just a way for a network of friends with a similar interest in all things Goth to meet and catch up with each other every year, said Rafe Brox, co-host of Convergence 14.

"It's sort of like a family reunion but with better clothing," Brox said.

The first conference in 1994 took place in Chicago after a group of friends from online Gothic message boards and chat rooms decided to meet. The conference has been held every year since and is typically in a new city each time.

Every year, the conference boasts local activities and Gothic musicians and vendors at venues in Ybor City, downtown and few other area spots. This year's event includes musical acts such as Voltaire and vendors such as Kambriel of Kambriel.com. There's even an "unsanctioned'' event called Goths on Ice, a skating gathering Saturday at the Ice Sports Forum in Brandon.

Although there is usually a high turnout at the annual gathering, Brox said he is only expecting about 200 at this conference because of the economic downturn.

John "Spud" Colbert, the volunteer coordinator, is visiting from Boston to attend the convention. Although he misses his hometown of St. Petersburg, Colbert said the main reason he's attending the event is to finally put faces to names of friends he knows only from the Internet.

Colbert used to work and travel with a Renaissance festival and said he met hundreds of people in the Gothic community. Many of those people will be attending the event this weekend, so he's looking forward to seeing them again.

Most will be at the main event, "Convergence Jumps the Shark," named for this year's theme, Colbert said.

The event will feature a bicyclist attempting to ride his bicycle off a ramp and over a kiddie pool featuring a two-foot-long, remote-control shark. Colbert said the event is designed to be silly and bring everyone together.

"Even perfect strangers come together really quick in a really strong community," Colbert said.

Brox agreed, saying newcomers always feel welcome.

"You might not get all the inside jokes, but then again, they go 15 years back," he said.

It's an accepting atmosphere, despite the stigma most Goths face. Some people feel uncomfortable because of how Goths dress or color their hair, but Brox said no one really thinks about their meaning or motivation.

There are Goths who play up certain aspects for shock value, but Brox said he dyed his hair blue almost 20 years ago to get conversation started.

"I was painfully shy," he said. "We're regular folks who look a little different. We might laugh a little louder and not at the most appropriate things, but we're not that different."

For information, including a printable schedule and tickets, go to www.c14ybor.com.

Reporter Jessica DaSilva can be reached at (813) 259-7851 or jdasilva@tampatrib.com.

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