In our younger years, Halloween granted us a rare opportunity to dress as our heroes, stay out past dark and gorge ourselves on a plastic Jack-o’-lantern’s worth of free candy. As those years gave way to adulthood, the holiday festivities have augmented into an annual excuse to get inordinately snookered up on pumpkin beer with friends while dressed as a Mario Bros. character, a pop culture costume subject du jour or a slutty (insert almost any noun). Each mode of celebration is fun in its own way. But having done both, I’d much prefer the adult version of Halloween. You see, though lacking in free fun-sized Snickers, the grown up version of Halloween—at least in Milwaukee—has a secret weapon in its arsenal: Halloween shows.
For those with the holiday spirit, but without solid Halloweekend plans, allow the garish guys (even when it isn’t Halloween. Really, we’re quite unsightly!) of Music Notes to be your guides to a busy and varied weekend in Milwaukee Halloween music.
Playing Tribute
For one night every year, a usually unacceptable cover band is transformed into a welcomed Halloween tribute act through costumes and seasonal spirit. And this year is no different…except at the Cactus Club the amount of tribute shows has doubled from one to two. Friday finds Hand Of Doom doing its best Black Sabbath impersonation, with Andrew WK honorary The Get Wet preceding them. The following night, the likes of Alcoholica pay tribute to Metallica before giving way to Slayerer, who covers—you guessed it—Matchbox 20…just kidding, Slayer, obviously. Elsewhere on Saturday, Milwaukee and Sub Pop’s own Jaill will ambitiously attempt a set of Cyndi Lauper covers across the street at Club Garibaldi. Linneman’s Riverwest Inn and Hotel Foster also get in on the tribute band fun on Friday and Saturday, respectively.
C”Rave”ing Delicious Human Brains
As if The Rave wasn’t spooky enough as it is with its gothic architecture, seedy surroundings and alleged haunted history. No other club in town is getting more into the holiday spirit this Halloween than Milwaukee’s “most likely to be used in a Ghostbusters’ remake” venue of choice.
The chaos kicks off Friday night with kings of mythological horror and metal mayhem, GWAR. Maybe because it’s a Halloween show the guys will leave their trademark over-the-top foam latex costumes and fake stage blood at home and dress up as slutty nurses? Saturday night does not get any less makeup-caked—or drier for the Faygo-soaked audience—as deranged, sort-of rappers, Insane Clown Posse roll into town hot on the heels of losing three tour mates to marijuana possession charges in Tampa. So if you were excited to see rap duo Twiztid or Blaze throwing down on Saturday, you may be disappointed. What’s that, you weren’t? Then you should be fine. Also at The Rave Saturday night is Helter Skelter, a “Mega Halloween Dance Party” featuring Excision among a litany of other DJs.
Sunday is apparently reserved for trick-or-treating or maybe taking long showers to rinse off the fake blood, Faygo and stench of artistic desperation from the previous nights. But Halloween night it is back to the scariness with the hardcore electronica stylings of Blood On The Dance Floor along with New Years Day and Angelspit, which I can only assume is some sort of folksy bluegrass outfit. And as if that wasn’t enough, the devilish spookfest continues later into the week as 3 Doors Down and Theory of a Deadman join forces Wednesday night. Ooh, a chill just raced down my spine!
Sounds For Any Season
Maybe you’re not the type of person who needs the excuses of costumes, cover songs or being sprayed by various fluids to want to see live music. If that’s the case, you’re in luck, too. We’ve already provided a thorough rundown of the Halloween weekend events in our latest Round-Up, but here are some of the highlights:
If there’s ever a reason to keep your costume at home and delay your Halloween plans, They Might Be Giants might be it. The 30-year stage veterans play Pabst Theater on Friday night. Meanwhile, Duluth-based bluegrassers Trampled By Turtles take to the stage at Turner Hall. If ICP isn’t your bag, on Saturday you can dodge the soda and juggalos and head to Riverside Theater for Straight No Chaser. Increasingly popular L.A. funk band Orgone will round out the weekend with a performance at Turner on Sunday. On Halloween itself (Monday), the great minds at 88Nine Radio Milwaukee will bring Brother Ali and Motopony to Turner for “Milwaukee’s Biggest Halloween Bash.”
Insane Clown Posse photo courtesy of insaneclownposse.com
GWAR photo courtesy of gwar.net
