Dragon*Con is an annual science fiction and fantasy convention held every Labor Day weekend in downtown Atlanta. It is one of the largest conventions, with over 20,000 estimated guests each year and spanning over three major hotels.

      Besides covering traditional topics you would expect at a sci-fi con—%Star Trek%, %Lord of the Rings%, Anime, comic books, etc.—Dragon*Con also has a series of panels called the Gothic track, along with several live performances over the course of the weekend.

      The Gothic track not only covers gothic music and its history, but other topics some might consider related, such as Gothic horror, vampires, gothic settings, alternative sexuality, supernatural erotica, literature and more. One panel I sat in on discussed the history of gothic music. While interesting, the entire panel consisted of three members of the same promotional team from Kentucky and no actual bands or musicians. Last year the panel was a bit more diverse to provide alternative opinions. Luckily, the panel opened up to the audience for questions and opinions early on to provoke discussion.

      Another fun panel was on a CD I recently reviewed from Dancing Ferret Records, Neil Gaiman’s Where’s Neil When You Need Him. The panel consisted of musicians who contributed to that compilation, including Voltaire, Rogue from the Cruxshadows, and two members of Ego Likeness. The artists talked about being approached for the project, how they selected the particular story or theme to write a song about, and most importantly, their interaction with Neil himself. Voltaire had a working relationship with Neil, having met him on several occasions and even having Neil contribute a story to one of Voltaire’s comics, while Ego Likeness met Neil for the very first time through this project. Interestingly, Ego Likeness spent six months on a song that was rejected for the CD, so the song that was actually used was recorded in about three days.

      Dragon*Con is a great avenue for the bands because not only are there panels for the bands to speak, there are also live performances and fan tables for the bands to interact with the Con attendees. So for all four days the bands can sell CDs, T-shirts and other merchandise, plus sign autographs. The Cruxshadows were particularly smart, because the Con badges attendees are given are simple clip-ons, so the bands sold lanyards with the band name on them so people can wear their badges more comfortably. Live performers this year include the aforementioned Voltaire, Cruxshadows and Ego Likeness as well as the Last Dance and Godhead.

      With the shortage of good goth/industrial festivals in the U.S., events such as Dragon*Con provide an important avenue for bands and fans to come together. And since the Con covers so many different themes over four days, it is a chance to explore other interests as well. One warning: Dragon*Con is quite expensive, both for tickets and hotel rooms, which fill up very quickly. There is also a Dealer’s Room and a Walk of Fame where you can get autographs from actors and writers, including the people behind the costumes of Boba Fett and Jason, for example, but again that all costs money.

      If you are interested in attending Dragon*Con or are a band interested in performing, visit www.dragoncon.com.