Roy Jurgens on November 13th, 2018

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The planning of the second annual Cloak & Dagger festival may have hit a few early glitches, a change in venue and the loss of a headliner, but in the end a glorious darkness prevailed and much fun was had at the stately Los Angeles Theater on Saturday night. While not as ambitious as last year’s event, which was spread across two days, three venues and featured heavy-hitters the likes of the Jesus and Mary Chain and Poptone, this interpretation was more intimate and, in many ways, authentic to the ideas espoused by the weekly club version of Cloak & Dagger.

Co-produced/promoted with Spaceland by the duo of Michael Patterson and Adam Bravin, the festival once again wrapped itself in stellar surroundings. Constructed in 1931, and partially funded by Charlie Chaplin, the Los Angeles Theater played a starring role in the proceedings. The French Baroque interior, the chandeliers, the opulent grand staircase and crystal fountain served as perfect backdrops for the thousands of goth-inspired selfies that were taken. There was plenty of real estate in which to vamp it up, as the main stage and ballroom were two levels apart, and on the level in between was a silent dance party, a record store and merch shop.

Legendary German Neue Welle vanguards Deutsch Amerikanische Freundschaft were originally scheduled to appear, but they were scuttled by visa issues. Enter the fabled Christian Death and electroheads TR/ST to save the day. (Not to worry, though, Deutsch Amerikanische Freundschaft are scheduled to make their U.S. debut at the Regent on March 9 of next year.)

Gloomy as ever, carrying on, and selling merch to kids whose parents were kids when Rozz Williams birthed the band in 1981, Christian Death played the part of the old goths. Christian Death is one of those bands you once hoped would just go away and now in retrospect, you’re glad they’re still around, keeping the faith. 

Downstairs, Tempe’s Jarson brothers (aka Body of Light) were doing their synth-pop anthems before a rapt crowd. Dark synth-pop actually reigned throughout the evening, as you had magnetic Canadian darkwave faves TR/ST playing a starring role on the main stage, while SRSQ warbled over her trance-inducing electronics. Boan had some sound issues, but the bewitching Mariana Saldaña could have just stood there in her sparkly dress and people would have cheered.

Drab Majesty’s dreamy, androgenous shoegaze sound was a much-needed distraction over the night’s sturm und drang. Black Mare were scary good, as frontwoman Sera Timms wove her sultry tales of witchcraft over a swell of crashing harmonics that her backing band skillfully provided. It’s hard to believe the noisy boys in HEALTH have been around for over 10 years now, and their main-stage set was particularly (and typically) spirited. 

Nebraskan indie-rockers the Faint may have seemed like an odd choice for such a dark lineup, but they provided a much-needed happy distraction and delivered a fiery set of  post punk anthems, driven by frontman Todd Fink’s energy and charisma. Simultaneously downstairs, Boy Harsher were doing their darkwave dance set in front of a crowd so huge that it spilled up the stairs and into the next room.

But the belle of the ball was clearly She Wants Revenge. Sadly, much of the crowd was gassed by SWR’s early-morning set time. That said, as always, Justin Warfield delivered with charisma and aplomb, the hits were played and played well and festival promoter Bravin thanked his devoted crowd with honest affection.  

Photos by Roy Jurgens