Article on Post-Punk.com from 10/01/2019: Lifting the Veil behind the Absolution Festival
Florida might be the last place you may think of for a Post-Punk/Darkwave festival to take place. Between the constant sunshine, heat, and tropical essence it may not seem like the ideal place for one, but beyond all of that is a thriving community and a hotbed of talented artists.
On October 4th-5th the inaugural edition of the Absolution Festival will be taking place in Tampa, Florida. Absolution boasts an impressive lineup in its first outing. Headlining Absolution will be Post-Punk darlings Actors who have taken the world by storm in recent years as well as Synthpop/Futurepop icons Assemblage 23. Some of the best up and coming artists within the genre such as Texas Post-Punk duo Twin Tribes, Chicago’s Dreampop standouts Wingtips, crooner Panic Priest, and Post-Punk veterans Ritual Howls. Representing the sunshine state will be Goth Rock upstarts Astari Nite along with Push Button Press and many more.
Absolution is organized by Communion After Dark, the long established Goth/Industrial music weekly podcast. Communion After Dark has been broadcasting for over ten years and focuses on bringing new music to their listeners worldwide along with hosting events and shows throughout the state. We spoke with Mark Paradise (DJ Paradise) of Communion After Dark to learn a little more about Absolution and what to expect.
Communion After Dark is known as Goth and Industrial podcast that has been around for quite some time. What made you want to put together a music festival like Absolution?
For me Absolution is a live extension of all the music we have played on Communion After Dark over the past 11 years!
The inaugural edition of Absolution takes place in Tampa, Florida. Why was that chosen as the location for the festival?
Tampa is where I reside so it only made sense to do the show in my home city. Realistically though, Tampa is a central hub for most of the live shows in the Goth/Industrial scene in Florida, and has been home to multiple music venues and DJs.
How did you decide on which artists to play the festival?
My goal was to put together the best line up of new and established artists in the Post Punk/Darkwave scene. I expanded on those genres based on recommendations from parties involved with Absolution. In the end it was just about having a solid lineup from the first to the last band of the day.
Was it a goal to have a focus on artists local to the state play Absolution?
We have a large number of great bands native to Florida. So we definitely wanted to highlight some of the local talent along with the nationally known artists. There will be a few artists native to Florida playing the festival such as Push Button Press, Sleeping Pills, Astari Nite and FJSHWJFE.
Outside of the artists playing festival, what else can we expect from Absolution?
We have a pre-party planned for Thursday 10/3 at the SpookEasy Lounge. We will have DJs and it will be a great place for people to meet old friends and make new ones. We will also have a vending market at the SpookEasy Lounge on Saturday for people to attend.
All these events are included with the ticket prices. Then on Saturday there will be an official after-party at the legendary Castle Nightclub. Vincent from Wingtips will be Guest DJing. On top of these events there is Florida. Perfect place to vacation for a few days. Great weather for sightseeing or going to the local beaches.
Thank you for taking the time to speak with us. Any parting words?
I want to thank a few people who have helped me make this amazing festival a reality... Pete Olen, Christian Bankes, DJ Maus, Mychael (Astari Nite), Melissa Winters, Jim Walker, Megan Azy plus many others who have contributed their time for the festival. I am ready for a Great Two days of Music!!