What’s the Gothic Alternative party scene like in Phoenix, AZ? I went to Sanctum club night to find out. Read on for the anatomy of a nightcrawl…

Geist, Leon and I fueled up at Blue Hound Kitchen, inside the downtown Hotel Palomar.

They are the singer/leader and bassist of Colosseum Thesis.

Guess what: Leon Lindon is scoring the soundtrack for my upcoming Phoenix travel video! You can find out more about his composition and production work on his website.

We loved the decor of Blue Hound Kitchen. The restaurant pairs seasonal, high-end comfort food with craft cocktails.

Leon demonstrates how a lounge should be used.

Casting a spell in the mirror. Love the shirt sleeve detail.

Keep your radar on their band, Colosseum Thesis, which uses a progressive blend of genres such as rock, visual, neoclassical, and jazz.

The act specializes in theatrical live shows, which immerse the audience in an original fantasy epic.

Their first demo is scheduled for 2013, as well as their debut performances. Excited!

Now, back to the food. The specialty cocktails were home runs; my “Chartreuse Fuzz” was straight out of Poppy Z Brite’s Lost Souls. The flatbreads taste as good as they look, especially the one with pumpkin and goat cheese.

Blue Hound’s comfort cuisine menu was the best of both worlds: macaroni and cheese, BBQ Kobe beef short ribs. The coffee-cured hamachi, flavored with candied jalapeno and pineapple, got the “Leon Award of Excellence.”

A pirate always orders dessert. We had caramelized pineapple upside down cake, topped with madjool date ice cream, and salted caramel sauce. Bravo.

Time to Goth up. We retreated to my gigantic suite at the Westin Downtown Phoenix hotel (more photos here).

My octopus dress and anchor knee socks are gifts from Sourpuss. Same with the glitter octopus clips in my hair.

Serafina (remember her from the Art Museum post?) gets a streak of blue hair thanks to Hypercolor’s temporary Dip Dye powders. (This product’s perfect for a night out; I used the colors to give myself rainbow hair.)

A tableau inspired by Philip C. Curtis’s creepy-surreal paintings.

Mark of the cross.

The Westin Hotel’s lobby decor was made for photoshooting. We piled into a car, and headed to the party.

As soon as we stepped into Sanctum Goth club (4343 N 7th Ave), we knew we were in the right place. DJ Apollynon and Aleksandr Aeternum were spinning Covenant, And One, and 1980s darkwave.

DJ Apollynon (above) is passionate about making the night inclusive. He keeps connected with the audience through on-the-floor interaction and welcoming music requests.

The club has various nights: a monthly Industrial/ Aggrotech event, and dark/alt music every Saturday. I appreciated the welcoming atmosphere and relaxed space at Sanctum — I raise my glass of absinthe to this Phoenix Goth night! Thank you Elligons LaCroix (left) for helping me connect.

Have you explored Arizona’s Gothic, alt and Industrial nightlife? What’s the subculture scene like where you live? You never know — I may come and check it out!

PS: Thanks to About.com Multicultural Beauty for interviewing me about Asian cosmetics and bagelheads. And thanks to everyone who entered the Yummy You contest! The winner Yuuki M, chosen by random selection, has been contacted.