A talk by Mark Silver on how goth culture began in post-industrial Leeds, part of the Leeds Libraries Leeds400 programme.
Mark Silver is taking the stage at Leeds City Library on Saturday 24 October for a talk called What's Leeds GOTH to do with it?, which looks at how goth culture first took root in the city. It's not just about the music, either — Silver traces the movement back to Leeds as a dark, post-industrial city where goth emerged from a mix of music, literature, and post-punk politics. If you've ever wondered why the scene felt so tied to the place, this is where it gets into the weeds of it.
Silver is a Leeds resident, a local heritage enthusiast, and an artist, and he's spent a fair bit of time digging into the city's less-celebrated corners. He's also the founder of Leeds Nomad, a project that combines walking and urban history with creativity to bring little-known stories to life, and he's helped popularise this particular part of the city's heritage along the way. This session is part of the Leeds Libraries' Leeds400 programme, so it sits within a wider run of events marking the city's history.
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It's a talk that works as much for people who've spent years in the scene as it does for anyone who's only ever known goth as a costume or a sound. Silver's approach comes from that Leeds Nomad background — looking at the city's physical and cultural landscape and finding the threads that connect them. The talk runs on Saturday 24 October at Leeds City Library, on Calverley Street, LS1 3AB.
