Dead Souls Gothic Lounge celebrates goth culture and inclusivity

If you've been waiting for a chance to discover what goth culture is or looking for a more inclusive goth club, Dead Souls Gothic Lounge may be for you.

Special Treats, located in Chapel Hill’s Timberlyne Shopping Center off Weaver Dairy Road, is hosting Dead Souls on Nov. 1 at 9 p.m.

The event is free and open to people of all ages.

Event organizer Natalie Vilches, better known in the local goth community as Naggaroth Wych, said that the event’s inclusiveness was important to her, especially when it comes to allowing young people to come to the event.

“None of the goth events in the state have been all ages,” Vilches said. “We want the scene to continue to stay alive, so we need fresh blood to come to the scene, so it can stay alive.” 

Special Treats owner Dan Friedman said the event’s commitment to inclusion led to the decision to not charge attendees to enter the event.

“Maybe you’ve only got a few dollars, and you can come here and have a beer and still be part of the party, even if you don’t have a lot of money,” Friedman said.

Friedman said the event fits into Special Treats’ own mission of inclusivity. The store sells chocolate made by people with disabilities and only employs people with disabilities.

Vilches said the local goth scene has moved away from the culture with which she fell in love, so she, along with a friend, decided to start holding Dead Souls events.

“We have felt that it’s been missing the theatrical part of goth, which means listening to classical styles of music and also trying to spark the goths to pick up a book and stop concentrating so much on the looks,” Vilches said. “That’s kind of our motive for having the Dead Souls event because we want to play that kind of music and because it’s like a lounge.”

Mark Mehlbauer, better known as DJ Gomez, will be providing the music for the event. He said music provides the foundation for goth culture.

“The music is really where the heart is,” Mehlbauer said. “The music is what keeps it alive, and that’s where I believe the true spirit of the culture is.”

Mehlbauer also said events like Dead Souls provide a group experience that doesn't come along often.

“I think it’s a special feeling of community and being able to experience different moods and emotions together,” Mehlbauer said. “I think that’s something really special that you don’t really find in a lot of other places.”

Friedman said that sense of community is what makes Dead Souls a meaningful event.

“It’s a community,” Friedman said. “They’re friends. They know each other. They share a love for the same music and the same culture. They have a lot in common, and they love to get together and spend time together. We’re happy to be able to provide a place for that.”

@domferrara5

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