The M'era Luna is a gothic festival that encompasses a number of different styles such as metal, future pop, aggrotech, synthpop, gothic rock, dark wave, and EBM. It is held annually on the second weekend of every August, in Hildesheim, Germany at Flugplatz Hildesheim-Drispenstedt, a former British Army airbase.
Perttu Kivilaakso of Apocalyptica (2003)
Simone Simons of Epica (2004)
Cristina Scabbia and Andrea Ferro of Lacuna Coil (2005)
Aerial photo of M'era Luna (2005)
Gothic rock is a style of rock music that emerged from post-punk in the United Kingdom in the late 1970s. The first post-punk bands which shifted toward dark music with gothic overtones include Siouxsie and the Banshees, Joy Division, Bauhaus, and the Cure.
The Doors performing live in 1968. They have been cited as a major influence in the gothic rock genre.
David Bowie influenced the post-punk bands that helped spawn the gothic rock genre
Gothic rock band Bauhaus performing live in August 2006
Robert Smith of the Cure in 1989, who was on the front cover of NME Originals: Goth in 2004.