PoRtLand aFteR daRk from toP: ACIlyn SPenCer; Amy BlACk 3 t o ni hts, t o orlds, one city. By eveLyn a gH T he three of us, myself and two friends, make our way downstairs into the dark, ambiently lit base- ment of Center Street’s Aura. You can’t miss it. Red light glows from the door- way. Hell? No. But somewhat inspired by it. We’re headed to Plague, Portland’s ‘goth night’—think a Renaissance fair with a… Black Death theme. Founder Amy Black, wearing a feath- ered mask, works the door, taking $5 cov- er fees to the Midwinter Masquerade. My friends Amanda and Juniper, my ‘seasoned goths,’ lead the way. a dReaM itHin a dReaM Inside we’re greeted by a parade of corsets and full-body leather jumpsuits. Masks— black, glittery, and feathered—hide the fac- es of regulars. A pair of elf ears pass. It’s as if I’ve walked into Oz. We’re not in New Eng- land anymore. I spy a girl wearing a tail and another in a ball gown. Tonight’s the annu- al goth ball, and I’m horribly underdressed. Lucky for me, there are masks scattered around the club’s tables and bar. I choose one that suits me: dainty, blue, flowered. Feeling out of place before, my mask eases any inhibitions. We head to the glow- ing, blue bar, and the cocktail selection doesn’t disappoint. I sip a Death in the Afternoon—heavy on absinthe, light on Champagne. We mingle with two wom- en wearing cat ears and corsets. The men in kilts and tuxedos linger by the bar. Someone’s dressed in white from the tuxedo to the boots and giant feather fan—like an angel swimming in a sea of black. I’m in awe. “We try to offer a place for those who don’t feel comfortable being themselves normally. They come out and get to be themselves, what- ever that may be,” Black says. “Is Halloween your favorite holiday? Do you enjoy Poe and Beetlejuice? Are you into comics, sci-fi? Plague is all of these things.” MoRtiCia’s ne gRoove Am I brave enough to industrial dance so- ber? The world may never know. We finish our drinks and hit the floor. It’s a specific style, goth dancing, one that typically in- volves lots of arm movement. Add in a few hand twirls and a kick every now and then (used sparingly), and you’re off. If all else fails, just do what everyone else is doing. I’m swallowed by twirls and stomps. “Is this Tool?” Planet Hopping f e B r u A r y / m A r C h 2 0 1 9 2 9