Love Like Blood: The Heart of Utah’s Goth Community

There’s a spot on State Street where Utahns trade the debauchery of bar life for a gathering of the creatively dire. On the first Friday of every month, smiling faces painted with darkened eyes spill into Love Like Blood, an all-ages goth night hosted at The Beehive. The venue creates a container for connection, especially for those under 21 who rarely get to experience this kind of nightlife.

“If younger people aren’t getting into [the scene], then the older people are just gonna get older and die, and then there will be no scene.”

DJ Dazzle, the event’s host and one of two resident DJs, was first introduced to the goth community through this very night. What began as an entry point into Salt Lake’s goth scene has since been passed down to him by its founder, DJ Gabriel, becoming Dazzle’s passion project. “If younger people aren’t getting into [the scene], then the older people are just gonna get older and die, and then there will be no scene,” he tells me. His goal is simple: stop gatekeeping and ensure the goth community grows by putting it in the hands of the next generation.

That generation is showing up. When the night first launched, crowds were sparse. Now, more than a year later, the dance floor is crowded with teens and young adults, a blend of first-timers and regulars who know your name and are glad you came. While Dazzle grounds every set with staples, he’s equally committed to threading in the new. “I always play the original goth bands,” he says, “but I try to cover all my bases — darkwave, cold wave, post-punk, deathrock. I want people to find something new alongside what they already love.”

“Being able to dress scary and strange is really fun, and when you go … and see other people doing the same, you feel welcomed — part of something you can’t experience in everyday life.”

Dazzle doesn’t do it alone. DJ Ophelia, who opens the night, leans toward EBM and industrial. Together, they create the ideal balance: the pulse of old-school goth and the charge of newer sounds. “If you come to Love Like Blood for the first time,” Dazzle says, “there’s a very good chance you’ll hear something you like.”

Music is only one layer of the subculture, though. The aesthetic matters too; an opportunity to shed the armor we wear when we know we’ll be stared at or judged. Dazzle sees fashion as an invitation: “Being able to dress scary and strange is really fun, and when you go … and see other people doing the same, you feel welcomed — part of something you can’t experience in everyday life.”

“It’s just us expressing ourselves. We’re not actually scary — we’re all happy!”

Attendees echo that sentiment. Helen, a regular, calls it what it is: community. “My first time, I came alone,” she says. “By the end of the night I had a bunch of new friends. Now every time I come here, it feels like everyone is my friend.” Finn, another attendee, elaborates: “It’s just us expressing ourselves. We’re not actually scary — we’re all happy!” And Abby, 17 and glowing, describes it as “magical and cool … one of the most beautiful things ever … We embrace each other’s emotions instead of shoving them down.”

That ethos makes Love Like Blood more than just your average goth bar. It’s a counterweight to isolation and addiction, offering young people a healthy space to connect, express themselves and move their bodies like willow trees. In a state where alternative expression can feel lonely or secretive, the night binds differences together. Tables are adorned with roses, fog fills the air and while some dance out a month of pent-up energy, others leisurely lounge, trading stories, compliments and cloves.

A gaggle of goths walking down State Street is a sight to behold, but now it’s no mystery where they’re headed. They serve as an enigmatic invitation to join what calls to you, and embrace the roots of what this form of expression is all about: a great community (and great music). The people of Utah have spoken, and the results are in: Love Like Blood serves as the official heart of Utah’s goth community, pulsing fresh blood into a subculture that’s too vibrant to perish.

Stay connected to the pulse and keep an eye out for the next gathering by following @lovelikeblood.slc on Instagram.

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