The Gothic Manifesto
Convergence 12
Tampa, FL
Memorial Day Weekend (May 25-29) 2006
Arise, Komrades!
No more will the mundane proletariat define our enjoyments! No more
will there be divisiveness between the Goths and the Rivets. No more
will there be vodka shortages during the long night, the long night
within our souls.
At last we will throw off the yoke of the last year's sobriety. We
will dance on the corpses of the imperialist scum who try to tell us
that Britney and Paris Hilton are appropriate diversions. No more!
Convergence 12 marks the beginning of our Five Year (uh, Day) Plan.
Join with us as we move forward in glorious darkness!
+ Seat of the Republic (Primary Event Venue)
We move into history surrounded by the glory of the past, with all our
endeavors taking place at the historic Centro Asturiano
(http://www.centroasturianotampa.org/).
Standing watch at the corner of
Tampa's Ybor City, where our sources tell us there have been many
questionable goings-on. This bears watching.
The Centro Asturiano features a candle light bar and dining room, a
cigar lounge, a thousand-seat theater, a ballroom, and a cantina, and
Convergence 12 will be the occupying force for the duration of the
weekend.
+ The Five Day Plan
Thursday
- Unofficial Party of the People - Club Czar
Before the full might of the masses gathers, we will march to Czar and
taste the sweet vodka of the Motherland in all its endless variety,
while the uniform electronic beats of our eurotra****an brethren fill
the air.
Friday
- The Border Patrol - Papers, Please! (Event Registration)
Stand and be named, Komrade! Obtain your papers and share drink and
harmony with the other right-minded citizens. Know your friends, know
your enemies, but most im****tantly, know who will be throwing a good
room party later, da?
- The Great Stomp Forward (Friday Night Music Event)
As into battle, the drums of our music will move us. Come together in
energy and komrade****p as we move through the night, unseen by those
who are unenlightened (and who do not have their papers in good order).
Saturday
- Black Market (Vendors' Bazaar, Day 1)
Capitalist Pigs! Trading mere paper for personal property for the
glorification of the individual is anathema to our movement! Oh. . .
it's really cute, and on sale? Why didn't you say so?! [Note: This
event will be held at the Hyatt.]
- Sharing the Wealth (AGF Swap)
Move the finery you have collected among our komrades, spreading our
influence from one end of the land to the other! Share tales of
acquisition and provenance as you would the party's most compelling
victories.
- Fallen Komrades - Ghost Walk (Tour)*
The spirits of the strong who have gone before inspire us, while making
the oppressors laugh uneasily in their fear. Learn from them, and
bring that wisdom back to the rest of your brothers and sisters!
[*Note: This is not an official C:12 event, however, it may be of
interest to attendees. Pricing information will be published ASAP.]
- Cake or Death? (Tea & Dessert Bar) (Tentative)
Partake of the illicit delicacies of the bourgeoisie before heading to
the magnificence of the nighttime event. Our komrades at the Centro
Asturiano share their sweetest confections in the opulence of the
venue's lounge. Decadence has its rewards. (Yes, the Committee
assures us, There Will Be Pie.)
- Opiate of the Masses (Saturday Night Music Event)
We do not wor****p the weak and fanciful gods of the unenlightened; we
elevate the strong among us, and all of us with them! Dance to the
betterment of the movement as those from among our number inspire us to
greater feats with their music!
Sunday
- Black Market (Vendors' Bazaar, Day 2)
More contraband? This is unacceptable! Any items not on the approved
color list will be confiscated, and their owners sent to the gulag in
shame. [Note: This event will be held at the Hyatt.]
- Brother Fidel's Cigar Factory Tour*
We laugh at the feeble trade embargo imposed on our Cuban brethren as
we see first-hand the hard work and craftsman****p that they have become
famous for, bringing glory to our movement the world over. Smuggling
supplies to those on the outside is not just an honor, but a duty!
[*Note: This is not an official C:12 event, however, it may be of
interest to attendees. Pricing information will be published ASAP.]
- Fa****onistas on the March (Fa****on Show)
What is a movement without its vanguard? Witness the genius of our
creative minds as they display the form and the function that will
allow us to march strikingly through the crowds and sway them to our
way of thinking rightness!
- The Capitalist Pigs' Feast (CorpGoth Dinner)
Subversion from within the ranks of the enemy has begun. It is once
again time to hold a feast, where we may share strategy and success,
and plan for our next conquests! To uplift the small, we will convene
at the Tampa Bay Brew Company, well-known for defying the oppression of
mass-produced cor****ate swill with their own handcrafted libations.
Salut!
- Viva la Revolucion!
The culmination of our glorious endeavor, the revolution is upon us!
Join together in your finest uniforms, showing the strength and pride
the movement has instilled in all of us, as we move forward into the
great (and very, very hungover) future!
Monday
Slip quietly back into the unsuspecting world, knowing in your heart
that the movement is strong, and that it will carry you through another
year.
+ Housing the Masses
We will bunk in opulent decadence at the Hyatt Regency
(http://tamparegency.hyatt.com/property/index.jhtml),
but for the
Proletariat-friendly sum of $120 per night, regardless of how many
komrades bed down together. For those with plans for expansion, suites
will be available, ranging from $199 to $395 per night. Wireless
internet access will be available in all rooms for $9.95 per day, so
you may disseminate propaganda at your leisure.
To facilitate our invasion, an air****t shuttle (reservation required)
will ferry you to and fro for $20 (taxi service is a flat rate of $20
each way).
+ The Space Race (Travel Information)
Because Tampa is a very popular travel destination, all major airlines
and several regional carriers call on Tampa International Air****t
(TPA). As mentioned above, air****t shuttle service to the Hyatt is
available for $20 round-trip with a reservation, and as is flat-rate
taxi service ($20 each way).
Additionally, two other airline destinations are within a short drive
- St. Petersburg (PIE) and Sarasota (SRQ). For those of you who
prefer to remain firmly on the ground, there is an Amtrak depot within
a few blocks of the Centro Asturiano. Parking at the Hyatt is $8 per
day ($14/day for valet parking).
- Re****ting from Distant Outposts
A quick reconnaissance of online airfare sites shows how inexpensive
getting to Tampa can be. With the wide array of travel sites available
to search for good deals on airfare, you will undoubtedly be able to
find better deals in the months to come than these sample fares.
Boston: $170
Charlotte: $225
Chicago: $180
Dallas: $260
Denver: $270
Los Angeles: $285
New Orleans: $145
New York City: $170
Seattle: $350
Wa****ngton DC: $175
+ We Want Answers! (Q&A)
Q: Why Tampa?
A: Because, despite what all the travel propaganda says, Florida is
more than just Disney World, Spring Break, and alligators. Tampa is a
thriving metropolitan center, and it's entertainment heart is
historic Ybor City, which, much like New Orleans' French Quarter,
features an abundance of Spanish architecture and fun and funky shops,
eateries, and club venues. However, unlike its more famous relative,
Ybor has not been crowded out and overrun by tourists, and boasts a
fresh breeze off of Tampa Bay.
For those of you with art in mind, two world-class museums are here -
The Henry B. Plant Museum (http://www.plantmuseum.com/),
and the
Salvador Dali Museum is right across Tampa Bay, nestled in St.
Petersburg.
Want something more lively than art? The Florida Aquarium, Lowry Park
Zoo, and Busch Gardens are all within fifteen minutes of the hotel.
You're liable to catch a glimpse of the onion domes of the University
of Tampa, one of several striking buildings that dot the Tampa
landscape. And, with St. Petersburg right across the bay, it's
almost like being in Mother Russia, without all that pesky Siberia
lurking nearby.
Q: "Florida, in May? Are you nuts?"
A: Actually, daytime highs are usually around 80 degrees.
Everything, and we mean everything, in Florida is air-conditioned. Your
time spent out in the daystar without a/c will be minimal.
Q: "How will we get around?"
A: Ybor City is entirely walkable. The Hyatt Regency is near to
the Teco Streetcar, which runs from near the hotel (approximately 200
yards) the short distance to Ybor (ten minutes one way). Cost is $1.50
per ride or $3.00 for a 24-hour pass. The streetcar runs until 2am on
Friday and Saturday nights. A shuttle swift between the Hyatt and the
Centro Asturiano is also planned (approximately five to ten minutes'
drive).
For those that choose to drive, parking can be found for $8.00 a day in
city garages. Please note that a surcharge is applied if you enter the
garage after 10pm or leave before 5am. The Hyatt has parking
available.
Q: "How much will this cost me?"
A: The exact cost for C:12 cannot be given at this time. Rest
assured that we are cheap bastards (socialism may be great for the
people, but it's hell on the pocketbook) and will haggle and bargain
to get you the best value for your Convergence dollar. Tampa is an
inexpensive city on the whole, and drinks in the clubs rarely run over
$5.00. Cover for most clubs likewise runs $6.00 or less (and we will
attempt to negotiate discount or free admission for laminate-holders
for those attendees who want to see the local nightlife). Ybor City has
a plethora of cheap dining options, running the gamut from local Cuban
restaurants to typical chains.
Q: "Where are we going to crash?"
A: We will bunk in opulent decadence at the Hyatt Regency
(http://tamparegency.hyatt.com/property/index.jhtml),
but for the
Proletariat-friendly sum of $120 per night, regardless of how many
komrades bed down together. For those with plans for expansion, suites
will be available, ranging from $199 to $395 per night.
Q: "Will events be open to the public?"
A: All nighttime C:12 events will be the exclusive domain of the
attendees. No laminate, no love. During the day, events like the
Vendors' Bazaar and the various tours will be open to the public.
Q: "But what about the children?"
A: Tampa is extremely friendly for those under 21. Clubs are 18
and up. Daytime events will be, for the most part, all-ages.
+ Komrades-in-Arms
- Rafe - Minister of Propaganda (PR, Venue Liaison, Garish Skirts)
- AngelSil - Minister of Policy Direction (Bright Ideas, Token
Communist)
- TheOneBob - Minister of Subliminal Messages (Band/DJ Liaison,
Subterfuge)
- MPeace - Minister of Electronic Propaganda (Web Design, Vodka
Dissipation)
Convergence is about you, the attendee. If you have any questions,
comments, or concerns that we haven't addressed here, please let us
know at convergencetampa AT gmail.
Onward, to Victory!
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