The leaves are changing, the temperature is dropping, costume stores are popping up everywhere and Glenn Danzig rules your iPod. In the words of Jack Skellington, "this is Halloween, this is Halloween." Every year brings some interesting things to do and 2009 is no different. Dance parties, folk shows, and Misfits cover bands galore will fill your All Hallows Eve with some fun. Check out some of the best below.
TOTALLY HALLOWEEN WAREHOUSE JAM PART II
Extreme Dude #1: Yo bra, have you ever seen that scary movie with the guy who wears that hockey mask thing and slashes some horny teens?
Extreme Dude #2: Yeah man, that movie is totally scary.
Extreme Dude #1 and #2: Totally.
Totally Skateboarding, along with Exit Philadelphia and Kinetic Skateboarding, are hosting a warehouse party on October 30th; commonly known to many as Mischief Night. Appropriately titled “Totally Halloween Warehouse Jam Part II”, the party is a sequel to this past summers’ event that featured McRad and PoPo as well as a number of local skaters showing off their skills.
McRad and Chuck Treece will return to slash some throats with their Bad Brains-inspired skate punk. Costumes are strongly encouraged for all those looking to make some trouble. Prizes will be awarded in such categories as best costume and best trick in the bowl. You can be sure there will be more than just a few Michael Jacksons attempting to moonwalk around the pool.
The first Totally Warehouse party in June was totally awesome.
Philly Warehouse, Alter St. between 17th and 18th, Friday October 30th 7 pm, www.totallyskateboarding.com
ROBOTIQUE'S HALLOWEEN PARTY WITH DAM-FUNK
Robotique will be joining the other dance parties in the city by getting in the spirit of Halloween this upcoming Mischief night. Their usual residency at Kung Fu Necktie will be transformed into a Halloween party with special guest Dam-Funk (Stones Throw) bringing his signature west coast “modern funk” to the event. Get down to the "Monster Mash" with $2 Yards' Robotique Brew and half-priced well drinks 'till midnight.
Kung Fu Necktie, 1248 Front St., October 30th 10 pm, 21+ FREE, www.kungfunecktie.com
"FANGTASIA" AT THE PENTHOUSE CLUB
If you are one of those people who made your Sunday schedule revolve around this summer’s “True Blood” season, then be prepared to relive the glory days of Bill Compton and Sookie Stackhouse this coming Mischief night. The brand new gentleman’s club, the Penthouse Club, will transform into “Fangtasia” this Friday night and with that comes all the black leather you can expect from such a name. Indulge yourself in your inner-vampire by mingling with the city’s best bloodsuckers as the women of the club transform into soulless vampires for the evening.
You can look forward to an open bar from 9 to 10 pm and prizes handed out to the best costumes of the evening. These prizes are no joke. They could pay your rent. $1000 goes to the "prettiest young thing" and $500 goes to the best costume.
Ladies are free all night, so if you're a lady strapped for cash this is the place to be. I'm wondering if men dressed as ladies get in free as well?
Promises of motorcycles lowering from the ceiling and champagne glasses flowing over the course of the evening have been made. You might even be able to grab some of that True Blood yourself so make sure you know if you are a type B or type O kind of person.
Free shuttles will be departing from PYT at the Piazza all night.
The Penthouse Club, 3001 Castor Ave, October 30th 9 pm. Event info here.
CKY RETURN TO "HELLVIEW"
Keeping up with tradition, local heroes CKY will be playing 2 more “Hellview” shows in West Chester on Mischief Night this year. That’s right, shows with an s at the end. Starting at 7, the band will be playing an all ages show for the kiddies. At 10:30, they return to the stage for the 21+ show which is sure to be filled with drunken mayhem (last year guitarist Chad Ginsburg set his beard on fire…really). Expect songs from the band’s whole catalog, including the great Carver City which was released earlier this year.
Check out this review from last year's CKY Halloween show!
CKY at 7pm and 10:30pm. 10.30.09 at the Note, 142 E. Market Street, West Chester. Tickets: $30 advance. 7pm show All Ages. 10:30pm show 21+.
BROADZILLA MISCHIEF NIGHT
Aren’t you a little old to have a backpack full of toilet paper and eggs on Mischief Night? No…you’re not. Broadzilla DJs will be holding down the fort at Silk City on Friday night, spinning records and doing their thing. The party starts at 10 and you can get in free until midnight. Get the mischief out of the way early and head to Silk City for $2 High Life and spooky drink specials.
RELATED: Broadzilla says goodbye to The Barbary
Broadzilla Mischief Night, starts at 10. 10.30.09 at Silk City, 435 Spring Garden. Free before midnight, $5 after. 21+
TV CASUALTY AT KUNG FU NECKTIE
Around this time every year, a few kids get together in their parents garage and say “Hey, Halloween’s coming up…time for a Misfits cover band?” The likely story is they all agree, decide to bang out some stuff from Walk Among Us and Static Age for some of their friends, do their hair funny and that’s about that.
Imagine that same scenario but instead have the kids be members of Paint it Black, Ted Leo and the Pharmacists, AM/FM and Atom and His Package. This, my friends, is TV Casualty, the “All-Star” Misfits cover band playing at Kung Fu Necktie on Halloween night.
Not only is this going to be a show to remember, especially compared to the travesty that passes for the Misfits live in 2009, all of the proceeds go to West Philadelphia based community advocacy group People’s Emergency Center. So come dress up and shout for a good cause.
TV Casualty starts at 8 pm. 10.31.09 at Kung Fu Necktie, 1248 N Front Street. Tickets: $8. 21+
COWMUDDY AT THE FIRE
You’d think at a club called The Fire, a Halloween show would be a little spookier. Nonetheless, an all local show will be happening at the club on Saturday night with indie folker Cowmuddy as the main draw. Joining the festivities will be folk punks Hunter’s Cannon, the rock fusion of iNFiNiEN, the proggy The Subtle Urge and Todd Young. Hopefully there’ll at least be people in costume or covers of “The Monster Mash.”
Cowmuddy starts at 9pm. 10.31.09 at the Fire, 412 West Girard Avenue. Tickets: $7. 21+
THE SHITFITS
Another town, another Misfits cover band. They might not have a punk rock all-star lineup, but The Shitfits headline an all tribute night at the Note on Halloween night. Yes, The Shitfits. Joining the Shitfits (it feels good to type that) will be Dirty Diamond, a “dirty” tribute to Neil Diamond. Tell me that doesn’t sound fantastic. Rounding out the night is The Chesterfield Kings, a tribute to Jawbreaker. It’s about time someone figured out that this sounds like a good idea. Will it work? Check it out and see for yourself.
The Shitfits with The Chesterfield Kings, start at 9pm. 10.31.09 at the Note, 142 E. Market Street, West Chester. Tickets: $8. 21+
MAKING TIME
As if this weekend’s CMJ-alternative wasn’t enough, Making Time is teaming up with R5 next weekend for Halloween Freakout: The Sequel. DJ nutjobs Simian Mobile Disco will be holding this one down, playing a set in the evening and spinning late. Making Time regulars Dave P, and Mike Z will be there too, as well as the Rock Tits Crew, Adam Sparkles, Pink Skull, and the Broadzilla DJs. Clearly you’ll get your money’s worth at this one. Advance tickets are available at The Last Drop Coffee House, Tequilla Sunrise Records, and AKA music.
Related: the poster for this party is bad-ass.
Making Time presents: The Making Time/R5 Halloween Freakout…The Sequel with Simian Mobile Disco, starts at 9pm. 10.31.09 at 2424 Studios, 2424 East York St. All ages, $25.
INcognito AT THE BOOMOX
Inciting and Rizumu present INcognito, a dance/masquerade party featuring These Are Powers (Dead Oceans), Sovereign States (Inciting), Reading Rainbow and print/sculpture/blacklight/video installations from artist Mark Price (see these photos from his Glowlab show in NYC earlier this year).
There's also a costume contest. The winner wins one year of free entry to all Rizumu and Inciting events.
These guys are known to curate some pretty creative dance events and this one should be no different.
NOTE: This show was originally scheduled at the 941 Theater. It has been moved to The Boombox.
Inciting and Rizumu present INcognito. Starts at 9:00 pm. 10.31.09. 2120 E Westmoreland Street (at Amber). 4th Floor. $10 before 12am / $15 after.
THE DEAD MILKMEN AT THE TROCADERO
Punk rock girls, get ready. The Dead Milkmen return from the grave for Halloween at the Trocadero with another Philadelphia institution, Live Not On Evil (who release their new single “Coming Back To Life” that night). The lineup is rounded out by The Tough Shits and Secret Cinema who will be providing “horror, gore and more.” Sounds scary.
RELATED: Dead Milkmen at Human BBQ
The Dead Milkmen starts at 8:30. 10.31.09 at the Trocadero, 1003 Arch Street. Tickets: $18.50 advance/$21 doors. All ages.
JOHNNY BRENDA'S HALLOWEEN COSTUME PARTY
Johnny Brenda’s gets in on the Halloween fun too this weekend with their Halloween Costume Party. The Rag DJs spin the “dance party jams” (the words on the flyer, not mine) while you and yours drink and dance and dress funny. Group costumes are always the best, I suggest going as every member of every incarnation of Kiss. If someone decides to do this, please e-mail us pictures.
Johnny Brenda’s Halloween Costume Party, starts at 8. 10.31.09 at Johnny Brenda’s, Frankford and Girard. No cover. 21+
SUBDIVISION AND METROPOLIS AT PILAM
In case you were wondering what the guys and gals of UPenn’s PiLam had up their sleeves this Halloween, your questions have been answered. This Saturday PiLam will host two of the city’s biggest DJ collectives Subdivision and Metropolis for a night of ghoulish dancing and other Halloween activities. The former a heavy bass and dubstep orgy that has shaken the foundations of many a dance party this past year will join forces with the disco kings of Metropolis, so make sure you can dance in your new Transformers costume.
PiLam, 3914 Spruce St., October 31st 10 pm, BYOB $8, www.myspace.com/thepilam
