Shiver me timbers, Halloween (and fall weather) is here – and some top music makers want to help you get your ghoul on. Dig out your fake blood capsules and Alice Cooper eye makeup, your mullet wigs and skull caps, your corpse paint and Jason masks, and check out one of these 10 sure bets.
1. Death To T.O. V
Probably your only chance to hear Fake Palms do Television, Biblical do the Who, members of Ice Cream, Twist, Vallens and Slim Twig do Alanis Morissette, Calvin Love do Iggy and the Stooges, Fucked Up & Young Guv do Backstreet Boys, Greys do the Smashing Pumpkins, and members of Sloan and Good Enough do Descendents.
Lee’s Palace and Dance Cave (529 Bloor West), Friday (October 30), 7 pm. $17.50. ticketfly.com.
2. Devil’s Night Warehouse Party
Geary Lane hosts this costume party with Programm, Mystic Triangle, Jay Holy, Josh Korody’s Nailbiter and the solo project debut of Etiquette’s Andrew Roy.
Geary Lane (360 Geary), Friday (October 30), 8:30 pm. $10-$12. rotate.com, soundscapesmusic.com, ticketscene.ca.
3. Pure Acid
Costumes are mandatory at this futuristic groove live set by Chicago legend Jamal Moss, aka Hieroglyphic Being, aka The Sun God.
Luanda House (974 Bloor West), Friday (October 30), 10:30 pm. $10-$15. ticketfly.com.
Crosss
4. Crosss
Some bands were made for Halloween, like Crosss, with their ultra-creepy, cosmic-doom sound and occult-circling imagery and lyrics. Dirty Frigs, Chicago’s Earring and Brooklyn’s BBIGPIGG will also get you committed.
Smiling Buddha (961 College), Saturday (October 31), 9 pm. $10 at the door.
5. Dudebox Is Fucking Dead VI
Head to the Facebook event page for a good laugh (sample line: “Are you gonna put on a Meek Mill outfit, then lie down in front of anyone dressed as Drake so they can walk all over you?”), but the gist is: hot costumed strangers, good vibes, $ going to Lifeline Syria and DJ sets by Yes Yes Y’all‘s Nino Brown, James Redi, Jon Chetty, HRMXNY and Night Moves.
At 876 Bloor West, Saturday (October 31), 10 pm. $10-$15.
Poisonous Relationship (aka Jamie Crewe).
6. Hotnuts Halloqween
The popular queer dance party brings Glasgow’s Poisonous Relationship (aka Jamie Crewe) to town for Hallow’s Eve, and her steamy house music should be a wildly weird fit with the Nightmare On Sesame Street-themed party.
The Garrison (1197 Dundas West), Saturday (October 31), 10:30 pm. $10.
Boi-1Da
7. Boi-1Da
Get down with Grammy-winning OVO/Drake producer Boi-1Da in the intimate, sweaty environs of Parts & Labour for the resto/venue’s Halloween party, also with Big Jacks and Diggy the DJ.
Parts & Labour (1566 Queen West), Saturday (October 31), 10 pm. $TBA.
8. OcTARANTINOber
Love Quentin Tarantino films? More specifically: love their soundtracks? Jack Rabbit Slim’s, Toronto’s only Pulp Fiction cover band, play gems from all of ’em at the final instalment of their October Handlebar residency. Dress as your fave character, obviously.
Handlebar (159 Augusta), Saturday (October 31), 9 pm. $5 at the door.
Public Animal
9. Public Animal’s Dazed And Confused
The rock and roll beast that is Toronto’s Public Animal takes on the Dazed And Confused soundtrack with guest singers from HotKid, Mercy Now, Mokomokai, Danko Jones, Bonnie Doon, Midnight Malice and more.
Bovine Sex Club (542 Queen West), Saturday (October 31), 9 pm. $10 at the door.
10. Discopia
Billed as a “post-apocalyptic Halloween bash,” this breakandenter/Box of Kittens event has DJs in two rooms – Atom™ & Tobias from Germany and Chile play a live set for three hours in the main room alone – plus sound and light installations by alienInFlux, Tiger and Franz Kinkerzoink and others.
Polish Combatants Hall (206 Beverley), Saturday (October 31), 10 pm. $35 & up. playderecord.com, soundscapesmusic.com, residentadvisor.net.
carlag@nowtoronto.com | @carlagillis
