I'm seeing Royal and the Serpent live (again) at The Basement East in Nashville tonight and YOU SHOULD, TOO! Tickets are $28 AFTER FEES and I'll even link you to where you can buy them below.

So, do you remember when I said I'd seen That Guy's face a second time following Absolution Fest 2023? It was at the Royal and the Serpent show in October of 2-23. Please note: Just as with any other band, it's important to remember my note about the ways we see things that aren't there because our trauma is still alive and well, so please remember that. It's the best kind of plot point that exists outside of the narrative itself that this show should arrive at this time. I can't make a mistake and miss this connection.

Today's episode is a reshare, but the point here is that I'll be using my spaces to report on who is playing live and where, especially if I'll be in the audience. If it's in Nashville, odds are I'll be there. If it's a tour announcement, I'll do that, too.

It's important to me for you to know that nobody asked me to post about tonight's event. I'm doing this kind of thing already, it just hasn't been on my podcast until now.

FOLLOW ALONG:

• Buy a ticket to see Royal and the Serpent tonight in Nashville..
• Subscribe to the Hyperactive Ghost Substack.
• Read the original piece about the October 2023 Royal and the Serpent, Baby Fisher, Dasha, and Jutes show on the Hyperactive Ghost Substack here.
• Follow the night along on my social media accounts linked below:

• • Instagram
  • Facebook
  • Threads
  • Bluesky
  • X
  • TikTok

Following the powerful series of surfacing traumas from Violet Silhouette's set, Beep deals with the split second she still rethinks decades later--and how her trauma has impacted her sexuality. It's another piece of the puzzle from the night she ate dirt. In the midst of Beep's confusing rollercoaster of emotions, KANGA takes the stage.

KANGA brought a sexy vibe and, as a testament to how fcked-up all of this gets.....it doesn't change the trauma. That Guy was just one result of the many from her worst years. And you thought this sh*t was bad.

This episode is shorter, but potentially more intense.

Note: Despite the explicit language, relarionship violence, domestic violence, assault, and age differences, this episode gives no information on the details of the event.

Subscribe to the Hyperactive Ghost Substack.

• • Instagram
  • Facebook
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  • Bluesky
  • X
  • TikTok

Information about Absolution Fest, the annual goth music festival every October in Tampa, and Communion After Dark.

Music Files from Incompetech in order of appearance

"Babylon" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

As Beep feels the panic mounting, she resorts to her newly formed methodology for keeping a panic attack at bay--a method she calls "Panic Math." Violet Silhouette performs a feral set in Crowbar as she struggles to stay in the present as the memory of what That Guy did in August of 1994--the night she ate dirt. Just as she's getting ready for KANGA to take the stage, a realization hits her.

Subscribe to the Hyperactive Ghost Substack.

• • Instagram
  • Facebook
  • Threads
  • Bluesky
  • X
  • TikTok

Information about Absolution Fest, the annual goth music festival every October in Tampa, and Communion After Dark.

Music Files from Incompetech in order of appearance

-Thinking Out Loud

Instruments: Electronic

Beep is triggered as a band is setting up into a memory involving a man--That Guy--and.... something that he did. Shaken by a memory, she trips into a panic attack. Combining personal anecdotes with broader themes of nostalgia, trauma, and identity, this episode invites listeners to explore how live music can serve as a portal for self-awareness and catharsis.

Subscribe to the Hyperactive Ghost Substack.

• • Instagram
  • Facebook
  • Threads
  • Bluesky
  • X
  • TikTok

Information about Absolution Fest, the annual music festival in question, and Communion After Dark.

Music Files from Incompetech in order of appearance

-Thinking Out Loud

Instruments: Electronic

In the intro episode for Hyperactive Ghost's season 3, Doctor BeepBoop prepares you for a trip inside her mind during Absolution Fest 2023, a 3-day (mostly) goth music festival that takes place every October in Tampa, Florida. In 2023, Beep was triggered into an awful memory of an event that took place in 1994 while she was on the cusp of just 19 years old. Beep says to be prepared for it to actually be that deep.

Subscribe to the Hyperactive Ghost Substack.

• • Instagram
  • Facebook
  • Threads
  • Bluesky
  • X
  • TikTok

Information about Absolution Fest, the annual music festival in question, and Communion After Dark.

Music Files from Incompetech in order of appearance

-Thinking Out Loud

Instruments: Electronic

00:00 - Introduction: Why art is always deep and its role in reflection 00:30 - Personal trauma from a past relationship and its lingering effects 01:00 - The importance of art as a mirror to one’s inner depths 02:00 - Moving through trauma and art’s role in healing at festivals 03:25 - Current threats to local music culture and subcultures 04:21 - Introduction of Dr. Beeboop and the journey into her mind 05:14 - The pivotal decision to attend the festival and its significance 06:14 - The festival organization and the freedom it provided 07:40 - The emotional significance of live music for processing pain 08:33 - Reflection on the struggles of 2022 and surviving trauma 09:29 - Medical battles, mental health, and shifts toward recovery 10:39 - The importance of healing for oneself and loved ones 11:28 - The moment of reckoning and seeking help 12:25 - Making a commitment to transparency and healing 13:21 - Transformation on the other side of trauma and embracing change 14:21 - Returning home with hope and the start of reconnecting 15:20 - Rebuilding confidence, aesthetics, and identity through music and culture 16:43 - Embracing raw self-expression and creativity post-recovery 17:42 - Reflecting on 2023 and ongoing challenges 18:10 - Deciding to take a break and the upcoming festival as a turning point 19:02 - Preparing for the festival and choosing an outfit with purpose 20:01 - The festival’s atmosphere and the significance of community spaces 21:16 - Invitation to join the next episode for continued reflection

Due to a number of conflicting scenarios, we have to take a break this week. Next week, I'll be back with part 4 of the HEALTH miniseries. Still want Hyperactive Ghost content? Meet me on doctorbeepboop.substack.com!

Numb Metal, Part 3: How to Soothe the Burn

Summary

In the 3rd installment of her 4-part mini-series on the band HEALTH, Doctor BeepBoop reflects on the year she spent obsessively listening to HEALTH and working inward on her personal through mental health, metal music, and self-discovery, illustrating how art and metacognition can aid in understanding and healing emotional wounds. She is now in Nashville.

Resources & Links:

Hyperactive Ghost on Substack

Listen to Feel Nothing by Health on Bandcamp (but also check out the entire Rat Wars album, the song "The Drain," and their Death Magic album)

Go see HEALTH live!

Connect with Dr. BeepBoop: InstagramFacebook

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Photo taken by Doctor BeepBoop at Addition Arena in Orlando in October 2025

Sound Bites

• "I started to listen to the entire Rat Wars album"
• "We have to feel numb at some point"
• "Am I operating this train or is it driving me?"

Keywords

heavy metal, mental health, music therapy, self-discovery, emotional resilience, band health, personal growth, anxiety, independence, self-awareness, healing

Key Topics

• Music as a tool for emotional processing
• The journey of hyperindependence and trust issues

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to the Series and Numb Metal

01:54 Personal Reflections on Music and Behavior

04:55 Hyper-Independence and Trust Issues

09:35 The Impact of Insomnia and Anxiety

10:27 Resignation and the Need to Feel Numb

13:11 Concert Experiences and Emotional Connections

17:46 Job Dissatisfaction and Life Reflections

22:28 Processing Pain and Emotional Release

25:49 Choices Rooted in Lack and Seeking Belonging

28:45 The Cycle of Pain and Self-Discovery