Vampirefreaks.com

VampireFreaks.com is an online clothing store and former social networking site for the gothic–industrial subcultures. VampireFreaks was launched as a social networking site in 1999 and added an online clothing store in 2001. The social network element was removed in February 2020.

Online Clothing Store

The VampireFreaks online clothing store has steadily grown since its inception in 2001, currently featuring thousands of products. It started as an offshoot of the popular VampireFreaks social networking site and is currently the primary focus of the VampireFreaks brand. Clothing styles featured include gothic, punk rock, emo, metal, steampunk, kawaii, rockabilly. VampireFreaks is an official distributor of brands such as Tripp NYC, Killstar, Kreepsville 666, Sourpuss, Dark In Love, Punk Rave, Demonia, Devil Fashion, and Alchemy. In addition to selling other brands, VampireFreaks sells its own custom branded items such as t-shirts, hoodies, bracelets, leggings, messenger bags, and tote bags with original VampireFreaks artwork. Online store features include frequently updated sales, a 'wishlist', a 'top sellers' section, clearance section, and a rewards program. The rewards program allows users to accrue points with each purchase in order to get future discounts and free items. Customers can also refer a friend to get additional rewards. VampireFreaks promotes their online store through their social media and their email newsletters.

Social Networking site

VampireFreaks was previously a social networking site, created by site owner Jet Berelson in 1999. It began with a small number of forums dedicated to Gothic–industrial music.[1] Over the years it grew to be a large social network, with thousands of members.[2] Website features included user groups which were called 'cults' and allowed users to create their own communities (forums) within the website. The website also had event pages, music interviews, models, and frequent design contests. It also featured a popular message-board which is a major component of the site's success. The site’s main topic of focus, aside from socializing, was the music content users create. Jet regularly updated the site with information concerning not only bands, but various alternative events. Many people have found love on the site, and this has been focused on during Valentine's Day, where couples that met through the site submitted stories of how they met their matches.[3] "Premium Memberships" were also offered (for a fee), with features such as the ability to upload more pictures, see who views the user's profile, and "powerbomb" the "unwanted" VF members. On June 17th, 2019, Jet announced that he would shut down the website in February 2020, wanting to focus more on the VampireFreaks online store, real life and Dark Side of the Con, an alternative gathering organized by the company. It was shut down on February 1st, 2020.

Physical Clothing store

VampireFreaks had a clothing store, named after the site, located in New York City. The store sold similar products to the current website, and was also a social gathering place. The store hosted meet-and-greets for popular gothic-industrial bands including The Birthday Massacre, Aesthetic Perfection, and Faderhead. It closed in 2011 after over three years of operation.

Events

VampireFreaks hosts a wide number of events, mainly in the New York City area. Some of the most popular of these events include 'Cybertron', a gothic-industrial clubnight in NYC, 'The Black Parade', an emo / pop-punk club night in Brooklyn, and the 'Triton Festival', a music festival that has attracted gothic-industrial bands from around the world. VampireFreaks' largest event is 'Dark Side Of The Con', which is a 3-day dark alternative convention held in New Jersey. Dark Side of the Con has rapidly grown since 2017, attracting attendees from around the world, and is advertised as North America's largest gothic convention / festival. Dark Side of the Con 4 in March 2020 was forced to reschedule to September 2020 due to quarantine from novel coronavirus in the Tri-state area. [4][5]

Controversy

The now defunct VampireFreaks Social Network, much like other social network sites MySpace and Facebook, has been potentially linked to several crimes:

  • Kimveer Gill, the perpetrator of the Dawson College Shooting, maintained an account on the website.
  • A triple homicide in Medicine Hat, Alberta, Canada. In 2005, a 12-year-old girl and her 23-year-old predator, whom she communicated with on VampireFreaks.com, were charged in the murders.[6]
  • Two Toronto men were charged with carrying out the bidding of a woman they met on the site by stabbing a 12-year-old boy 73 times, killing him, and drinking his blood[7]
  • In Australia, in 2007, a 47-year-old man and his 17-year-old son from Victoria were accused of using VampireFreaks.com to create fictitious characters to meet under-aged women. On January 21, 2010, the man was found guilty of the murder of Carly Ryan, a schoolgirl he had groomed via MySpace.[8]
  • In December 2007, in California, a 13-year-old girl posing as an adult met with a 23-year-old man on VampireFreaks.com. When it was found out they met in real life, he was arrested and found with photos of them kissing. The jury had reasonable doubt however, and the man was found not guilty on two of the charges.[9]

Jet has responded to some of this controversy, saying that the website does not influence its users to commit crimes and that "The goth scene is a very friendly, nurturing, non-violent community and we are very supportive of our users and do not condone any illegal activities".[10][11]

References
  1. "History Of". Vampirefreaks.com. 2008-10-25. Retrieved 2010-10-13.
  2. "History Of". Vampirefreaks.com.
  3. "Gothic Industrial Culture". VampireFreaks.com. Retrieved 2010-10-13.
  4. "VampireFreaks Triton Festival".
  5. "Dark Side Of the Con".
  6. Hate-Filled VampireFreaks website linked to several crimes, from The Vancouver Sun
  7. "VampireFreaks.com users say site breeds love". CTV.ca. Retrieved 23 August 2018.
  8. "Man found guilty of murdering Carly Ryan - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)". Abc.net.au. Retrieved 2010-10-13.
  9. R. Scott Moxley (2010-03-04). "When Is It Not a Crime for an Adult to Hook Up With a Seventh-Grader? - Page 2 - News - Orange County". OC Weekly. Retrieved 2010-10-13.
  10. Angel of death's web warnings, from The Sydney Morning Herald
  11. "Vampirefreaks community reacts - The Trench Reynolds Report". 15 September 2006. Retrieved 23 August 2018.
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