WAVE GOTIK TREFFEN
GERMANY, LEIPZIG
For those unaccustomed to the world's biggest industrial music festival and celebration of all things degenerate WGT is a sprawling and haphazard happening set across a plethora of venues across the city and linked by a not all that accessible tram network. While those who only really come to dress up can cater for themselves in some of the city's hotels others are more inclined to tramp it out in the campsite adjacent to the main arena Agra Messepark. Hence for the sake of witnessing many acts that play in your home city anyway WGT is a spectacular effort but not, it should be hastened to add, without its own charm and adventure. As festivals go there's nothing quite like it and you could probably attend for a lifetime and still discover new quirks.

One such quirk is the Pagan Village where medieval tradition seems to be the core principle with stalls selling meat on spits and the live torture of various brave volunteers. Witnessing here the drum-heavy folk of Hekate (Sunday) following a fire-breathing and dance display is quite something.

The sheer size of some of the venues also hit home that our German siblings have a far bigger appreciation for the darker side of music. Arena sized Agra showcased "midnight specials" in the early hours of the morning from Dead Can Dance singer-songwriter Brendan Perry (Friday) and an impressively eerie and trippy performance from Alien Sex Fiend (Sunday). While the majestic architectural display that is Volkspalast-Kupplehalle saw Freya Aswynn and Sixth Comm (Saturday) perform a phenomenally unforgettable set in the name of Odin - arguably the best of the weekend, these guys should play live together more often.

But as you'd expect with a line-up of such epic proportions there are many disappointing clashes. So although Alcest were beginning a set across the other side of the city it was a no-brainer as Sol Invictus (Saturday) had just begun a packed out set down the corridor from Freya. Others to perform the Volkspalast-Kupplehalle include the formidable Satori followed by the unmissable Nurse With Wound (Monday).

Possible one of the greatest ideas for a venue, however, was to base one in the city's park - Parkbuhne - ideal for some uncompromising techno in the full glare of the sun thanks to SITD and Suicide Commando (Sunday).

However music wasn't the only attraction. The Sixtina bar played host to absinthe breakfasts and various talks - albeit all in German. One on the history and culture behind industrial music went kind of like this; "German, German... Ian Brady and Myra Hindley... German, German, German... Joy Division... German, German... said Genesis P-Orridge (laughter)."

WILL STONE

(Picture: Alex from Zeromancer, taken at the Agra on Friday night. Credit: David McKnight)