Students participated in a festive “Celtic Punk Christmas” listening party on Friday night atop the Student Center Parking Deck, advertised by the unofficial group known as Bamagoth on Instagram.
The event — inspired by Anglo-Irish punk band The Pogues and its hit Christmas track “Fairytale Of New York” — included food, socializing, and a general appreciation for alternative music and culture, which rejects societal norms and embraces obscure and niche interests.
John Oliver, a freshman majoring in chemical engineering, organized the listening party and a “goth picnic” held at the Peter Bryce gravesite in October. He started the organization with the hopes of creating a community for people with alternative interests in Tuscaloosa.
“I thought there’s really no alternative stuff going on,” Oliver said. “So I figured I may as well start it.”
Attendees at the event were also drawn by the promise of an alternative community and culture at the University, as it was a demographic they found to be largely underrepresented within the campus population.
“It’s minimal, but it’s really valuable,” Max Hudson, a freshman majoring in studio art, said about the UA alternative community. Hudson attended the event to get involved in a community that existed outside of the traditional “UA culture.”
Christina Dotson, a freshman majoring in aerospace engineering, similarly stumbled upon the listening party after hearing about the promise of a different kind of event happening on campus.
“None of the other events on campus really cater to me anyways,” Dotson said, describing her interests as “alternative, nerdy type stuff.”
The event offered a sense of community and togetherness for alternative students, as well as a welcome safe space during the holiday season. Dotson went on to explain that these spaces are especially necessary to out-of-state students who may have a harder time finding alternative spaces in Alabama than they did in their home state.
Following the success of several gatherings hosted by Bamagoth, Oliver is looking to expand the group and host more events next semester, including potential collaborations with University Programs and the Crimson Car Club.
Bamagoth does most of its advertising through fliers, sidewalk chalk and its Instagram platform. Oliver hopes that by registering the organization with the University, word will spread about the events and the alternative community at Alabama will continue to grow.
“I have counted two shows in Tuscaloosa that would be considered alternative. So unless you want to go to Birmingham every so often, you’re kind of out of luck,” Oliver said. “So I do think it is important that we get out here.”
