Every third Tuesday of the month something wicked this way comes in the form of Hex, a goth and industrial club night held in the secret attic above Mekong, otherwise known as the Upstairs Lounge. Hosted by DJ Salem and DJ Rosa, Hex is a night that aims to throw something a little darker into Upstairs Lounge's regular rotation of techno, hip-hop, reggae, house, retro and indie nights. No cover, no dress-code and no pulse required, Hex, nearly a year old, is quickly joining the ranks of Rapture and Requiem at Dante's as a place to be seen in the goth, industrial and black metal communities. Should you decide to venture forth into the cold embrace of Hex, this is what awaits you:

 

Guys and Ghouls: Just because they look undead, it doesn't mean that they're frigid. It's quite the opposite really; the room is filled with an overtly sexual charge, with flirting carried out by wry smiles, welcoming glances and suggestive dancing. Unlike traditional clubs, however, you won't find somebody slobbering on your shoulder or grinding your leg on the dance floor. That's the type of respectful interaction, so typical of the goth community, that attracts so many non-goths to these clubs.

Respect and courtesy doesn't always translate into openness and friendliness, however. The St. Louis goth community is unfortunately prone to the worst kind of elitism and tendency towards cliques, traits that old-school goths spawned of the 1980s despised with all of their grey little hearts. Luckily, not all goth/ industrial folk share this “unholier than thou” sense of self-importance. A fine example is DJ Salem, who is quick to introduce himself to new faces and encourage requests.

Cliques aside, Hex is a great place to go with a few friends and revel in the simple pleasures of cheap drink specials and alternative tunes. It's come as you are as far as style goes, but please don't try to wear what you think is goth, you'll be much more appreciated by everyone if you just be yourself. That being said, you can usually tell who's new to the game, who's an old-timer and who's an out-of-towner by a quick glance around the room, the newbies are usually more emo-looking (tight jeans, neon 80s graphic T), the old-timers are wearing jeans and a Skinny Puppy shirt or corsets and patent leather boots and the out-of-towners are usually walking around alone wearing a tie and a button-down, drinking a mixed drink out of a skinny straw. Don't hesitate to strike up a conversation with any of the above people,as goth and industrial kids tend to be on the shy and socially awkward side, but can be a lot of fun once they've had a bit of liquid courage!

 

Come into my parlor (said the spider to the fly): The Upstairs Lounge is a chameleon-like space that sort of naturally lends itself to a club night such as Hex. The side entrance downstairs adds to the feeling of entering an exclusive vampire coven, and the low, red-lit lamps cast dangerous and sexy shadows upon the bodies of those within. The darkness all but conceals the close conversations played out in the sleek red booths and a couch beneath the blank video screen acts as a display case for the beautiful scene darlings to display their artfully clad wares.

The DJ booth overlooks the modest dance floor as a few move solo to the industrial beats of classic Nine Inch Nails, or as couples move together, then apart, in a serpentine courtship of rhythm and song. What's great about Hex is that you can dance alone on the floor and nobody questions it, nobody bats an eye. They watch in solemn encouragement or join in an ecstatic union of industrial driven groove.

If you aren't familiar with goth music, then just look up The Cure or Bauhaus to start with, and as for industrial music, Ministry, Nitzer Ebb or Skinny Puppy are good places to begin. Hex also caters to the black metal crowd, which is as vast a musical genre as goth or industrial. Katatonia, Theatre of Tragedy or Tiamat are bands that can give you a taste of the range. Industrial has much in common with techno and goth has much in common with pop, so should you not like these styles at first, keep looking for new bands and give them a few spins, you may actually love them in a short time.

A common drink special at Hex is the PBR on tap for a few bucks, then a dollar per, afterwards. If PBR isn't your thing don't worry your pretty little head about it, Upstairs has a pretty decent drink selection, stiff pours, at that. Just don't order a White Russian or anything cream based, because they don't have cream. So all you vegans can rest easy on that one. The more you drink at hex, though, the creepier it seems that the dozen or so televisions, lining the wall, aren't on. They're black, blank eyes reflecting the lights of the disco ball, an odd enough fixture for the occasion. Then you realize that it's just after midnight and now people are starting to show up. Of course, the children of the night have just woken up; they're thirsty and ready to party. Are you ready to join them?