Various Venues, Leipzig, Germany22nd to 25th May 2026
Wave Gotik Treffen 2026 Day 4 with Oswald Henke, Blutgräfin, Vogelfrey, Patty Gurdy, Moonspell and Molchat Doma
And suddenly, it was already the final day. Every year, it is exactly the same. Months of anticipation culminate in four intense days that somehow pass in the blink of an eye. By Monday morning, my entire body had begun filing complaints. My head was already slowly switching into departure mode, while my legs were negotiating every additional kilometre with increasing reluctance.
Yet somehow, they still carried me forward. As always, the last day arrived with mixed emotions. A sense of accomplishment on one hand, and the familiar sadness that another Wave Gotik Treffen was already approaching its final chapter on the other.
Oswald Henke - Peterskirche
The day began in one of Leipzig’s most beautiful venues once again: Peterskirche. At 2 PM, Oswald Henke hosted a reading that proved every bit as engaging as expected. Whether as a musician, lyricist, author, or storyteller, Henke possesses a remarkable ability to captivate an audience. The church was well attended, and throughout the event, listeners followed his words with focused attention.
As often happens during WGT, the reading became more than a simple literary performance. It felt intimate, reflective, and perfectly suited to the atmosphere of the historic church. Meanwhile, another annual tradition quietly repeated itself. Once again, I failed to make it to Südfriedhof and the famous Friedhofsgeflüster. It has become almost a running joke at this point. Every year I promise myself that this will finally be the year. Every year something else happens. And every year I leave Leipzig slightly annoyed with myself for missing it once again. One day, surely.
Blutgräfin - Parkschloss Leipzig
Afterwards, I made my way to Parkschloss Leipzig. The venue itself already carries a special place in my personal WGT memories. Last year I somehow managed to get lost in the darkness surrounding the area, stumbling through high grass and searching for paths that seemed to disappear into nowhere. Thankfully, this year’s visit took place in broad daylight. The destination was BLUTGRÄFIN, a multimedia theatrical production inspired by the infamous Countess Elizabeth Báthory.
The performance skilfully blended historical facts with dramatic interpretation, leaving the audience constantly questioning where documented history ended and artistic imagination began. The actress carried much of the production through sheer presence and charisma. Her ability to weave together myth, legend, and reality made the story especially compelling.
For those unfamiliar with the tale, Elizabeth Báthory was a Hungarian noblewoman who lived during the late sixteenth and early seventeenth centuries. Over the centuries, stories surrounding her evolved into one of Europe’s most infamous legends. Among the many accusations was the enduring myth that she bathed in the blood of young women in an attempt to preserve her youth and beauty. While historians continue to debate which aspects belong to fact and which belong to folklore, the story remains one of the darkest and most fascinating legends in European history. The production captured exactly that ambiguity.
Vogelfrey - Heidnisches Dorf
Back to the Pagan Village. As the afternoon slowly transitioned into evening, I once again found myself drawn back toward the Heidnisches Dorf. One of the many advantages of WGT is that not every moment has to be spent rushing from one major stage to the next. Sometimes the festival is best experienced by simply wandering through its unique locations, soaking up the atmosphere, meeting familiar faces, and allowing the day to unfold naturally.
The Pagan Village has always been one of those places for me. No matter how many times I visit throughout the weekend, I inevitably find myself returning there again and again. Eventually, I arrived at VOGELFREY. The Hamburg-based Medieval Rock formation has long established itself as one of the most entertaining acts within the scene. Combining traditional folk influences with modern rock energy and a healthy dose of humour, they know exactly how to engage an audience.
Their performance was absolutely hilarious. At several points I genuinely struggled to keep my cameras steady because I was laughing so hard. Between tongue-in-cheek stage banter, clever references, and their wonderfully absurd “Make Medieval Great Again” attitude, the atmosphere quickly turned into a giant celebration. The audience enthusiastically joined in, singing, dancing, and laughing along. Sometimes a festival simply needs a band that reminds everyone not to take life too seriously. VOGELFREY fulfilled that role perfectly.
Unzucht - AGRA
Afterwards I made a quick dash over to AGRA to catch UNZUCHT. Unfortunately, the photo pit experience was unusually brief. We had barely started shooting when security already asked photographers to leave. It certainly felt like less than three songs. Still, it was enough to catch a glimpse of the band’s new singer and get a first impression of the current line-up. Sometimes that is simply the reality of festival photography. You take what you can get.
Patty Gurdy - Heidnisches Dorf
By this point, however, my health was beginning to send increasingly clear warning signals. Originally, several additional concerts remained on my list. FUNKER VOGT at Felsenkeller, IST IST at Haus Leipzig, and AESTHETIC PERFECTION at AGRA all seemed tempting. Unfortunately, my body had different plans. I returned to the Pagan Village and spent some time photographing PATTY GURDY and her current band line-up.
Over the past years, PATTY GURDY has become one of the most recognisable figures within modern Folk and Fantasy music. Her mastery of the hurdy-gurdy, combined with a strong social media presence and collaborations with numerous artists from the Folk, Metal, and Medieval scenes, has helped introduce the historic instrument to entirely new audiences. As always, her performance combined musicianship, charm, and audience interaction in equal measure. At that point, however, I had to admit that fresh air, water, and a short break were becoming more important than chasing yet another stage across Leipzig.
The Ones That Got Away
The evening offered no shortage of tempting alternatives. I briefly considered attending LA BANDE-SON IMAGINAIRE, especially since I had only recently met their manager in Berlin. Unfortunately, by the time I arrived, Moritzbastei had already reached capacity and was no longer admitting additional visitors. No exceptions. Likewise, PINK TURNS BLUE remained a possibility, but by then another priority emerged. Saying goodbye.
One of the most bittersweet traditions of WGT is spending those final hours catching up with friends before everyone disperses again across Germany, Europe, and beyond. The conversations become a little longer. The hugs become a little tighter. And everyone quietly starts counting down the months until the next reunion. At least when I made it back to AGRA, I had the chance to take some pictures of MOONSPELL.
Moonspell - AGRA
Molchat Doma - AGRA
Eventually, however, there was one final destination. One final concert. One final highlight. MOLCHAT DOMA. The Belarusian trio has become one of the most remarkable success stories in contemporary Post-Punk. Emerging from Minsk, the band achieved international recognition through a distinctive combination of Cold Wave, Post-Punk, Synth-driven minimalism, and melancholic Eastern European aesthetics.
What began as an underground phenomenon eventually exploded worldwide, fuelled by streaming platforms, social media, and a new generation discovering Post-Punk for the first time. And seeing them live immediately explained why. The hypnotic bass lines, mechanical rhythms, atmospheric synthesizers, and unmistakable vocals created a performance that was both emotionally distant and strangely captivating at the same time.
Then there was frontman Egor Shkutko. His now-famous stage movements have become almost iconic in their own right. Somewhere between interpretive dance, performance art, and complete surrender to the music, his presence is impossible to ignore. The crowd loved every second of it. As the final notes faded away, it felt like the perfect ending to my personal WGT journey. Until Next Year
After Molchat Doma, I briefly considered one final party. Perhaps a final visit to Moritzbastei. Perhaps one last dancefloor. But by then it became increasingly obvious that the combination of jetlag, exhaustion, and what later revealed itself to be an actual infection had finally caught up with me. For once, common sense won. I boarded the tram, returned to my temporary accommodation, and quietly reflected on the weekend.
Not everything went according to plan. There were concerts I missed, places I once again did not manage to visit, and ambitions that ultimately fell victim to time and distance. Yet somehow, that has become part of the WGT experience as well. As I sat in the tram on the way back, I realised that despite everything, I had once again experienced four remarkable days filled with music, culture, friendship, and countless unforgettable moments.
My sincere thanks go to all artists, organisers, volunteers, photographers, friends, and fellow visitors who helped make Wave Gotik Treffen 2026 another memorable chapter. And just like that, the countdown to WGT 2027 begins. Stay dark.
All Pictures by Dagmar Urlbauer
