About the Project
Returning to Amherst after having become acquainted with the techno-soundscapes of Paris and Berlin, I found myself eager to discover the Connecticut River Valley’s electronic music scene. Despite having no previous connection to or experience of the scene, I was welcomed with open arms by the members of Goth Girl Field Trip after discovering the collective on a Western Mass Music Instagram page (@westernmassmusic). I attended and filmed a number of shows that individual members of GGFT played, studio sessions where they created music and discussed collective business, and extracurriculars. This project’s filming culminated at Goth Girl Field Trip 12—a show the collective played as a whole, with the additions of KFC Murder Chicks and Veles the Menace, in Marlborough, Massachusetts.
Beginning as a free rave on the bank of the Connecticut River in Southern Vermont two and a half years ago, Goth Girl Field Trip has since pioneered the digital hardcore scene of Western Massachusetts. The philosophy inherent to the collective’s genre agnosticism, that of defying boundaries and continually forging open space, mirrors their material community-building practices. In the atomized and sometimes isolating landscape of the Connecticut River Valley, Goth Girl Field Trip provides space not only for a new, distinct type of music creation, but for like-minded individuals to meet, gather, and dance. I am so grateful to have done so over the course of this project.
Acknowledgments
To Sky (momsdeadmac), for your hospitality in terms of acquainting me with the people and places of Goth Girl Field Trip. I have seen how much work, energy, time, and love you have dedicated to GGFT and I thank you for trusting me to depict that.
To Jaida, & Laura (God is Watching), Michael (Michael the Generator), Molly (.m0lly), Dakota (Dialog Talk), Jasmine, and Noah for allowing me to witness and film your wonderful performances and personalities alike.
To Jacob (@imwearingawire) for allowing me to use the great images you’ve captured of GGFT12.
To the Amherst College Center for Community Engagement, Peter Marvin, and Amherst College Information Technology Services.
And to Professor Engelhardt, for facilitating a course unlike any other that I’ve taken at Amherst College. Without your guidance, support, generosity, and understanding, none of this would have been possible.
About the Author
Kamille Smith studies Political Science at Amherst College as a part of the class of 2025. She can be reached at kamizzy02@gmail.com