Let the Ghoul Times Roll
Halloween week all dressed up
BY ADRIENNE VAN DER VALK
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Mistress of Reality |
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| C-Rayz Walz |
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| Architecture in Helsinki |
There’s nothing scarier than being all dressed up and having no place to go. Luckily, folks in this town recognize Halloween as the oh-so-worthy holiday that it is and, as usual, are giving it the treatment it deserves by brewing up a smorgasbord of spooktacular shows to get our fancifully bedecked asses out and shaking.
There really couldn’t be a better way to set the tone for All Hallows Eve than Mood Area 52‘s live soundtrack for the classic Nosferatu, which fills the notably haunted halls of the Bijou at midnight on Friday, Oct. 26 ($5; see page 49 for more on the Bijou’s Halloween weekend). If old-timey undead guys aren’t your scene, John Henry’s has got Hip Hop Halloween featuring a staggering run-down of artists including Animal Farm, COR-One and A Sol (10 pm, $4, 21+). Saturday the 27th, JH’s swaps baggy pants for leg warmers with the ’80s cover band M80, shaking it all the way back to a time when synthesizers weren’t considered ironic (10 pm, $4, 21+). If you just don’t know what you want to be this year, check out the not-long-for-this-town Ray Charles Manson Family Feud. They’re bringing their collective multiple personality disorder to McShane’s on the 27th and can really bring down the house with their rock ‘n’ roll version of “Mama Said Knock You Out” (9 pm, $3-$5, 21+).
Fast forward a few days to the actual day of reckoning and prepare yourself for the horrifying reality of having to choose between Eleven Eyes at Sam Bond’s (9 pm, $5, 21+) or Architecture in Helsinki with Jason Webley Quintet at the WOW Hall (9 pm, $15 adv., $17 door, all ages). Remember what I said about synthesizers being ironic? I take it all back after watching A in H’s awesome video for “Do the Whirlwind” on YouTube. This Australian pop outfit will make you want to dress up like an old-school Atari character and live in simpler, pixilated and primary-colored times. How they got matched up with the madcap Mr. Webley is a mystery, but a pretty rad one considering they’re both acts likely to get a crowd whipped into a serious frenzy. A few blocks north the frighteningly festive Sam Bond’s will host Eugene’s favorite jazz band. They will not only creep you out with their unique brand of fusion-y phantasm, but they might just give you a prize for costumed awesomeness.
Two final shows to debate as you dab fake blood on your body part of choice: C-Rayz Walz with Marv Ellis and Freak Funk featuring Lafa Taylor will inject the Indigo District with a double dose of hip hop on the 31st; an all-ages show starts at 6:30 pm ($10, under 7 free) and late-night for the older folks kicks off at 11 pm ($15, $10 with costume). More traditional followers of the darkness may prefer Mistress of Reality and their super sexy tribute to Black Sabbath at Diablo’s Downtown Lounge (with the Wayne Gacy Trio, 10 pm, $15 adv., $20 door). Diablo’s is just naturally scary, with its flaming walls, penchant for hosting the leather-clad and a serious history of Halloween debauchery. If years past are any indication, these Mistress chicks are probably not messing around … and don’t you forget it!
To make Halloween the freakiest, feistiest and most fantastic it can be, this holiday needs (and deserves!) a week-long build up and special attention to planning of both schedule and outerwear. With so many rockin’ parties to choose from (far more than there’s room for here), you can stop worrying about how to have fun and start coming up with something a whole lot more original than being a lame-ass hobo or predictably naughty nurse.
A Note From the Publisher
Dear Readers,
The last two years have been some of the hardest in Eugene Weekly’s 43 years. There were moments when keeping the paper alive felt uncertain. And yet, here we are — still publishing, still investigating, still showing up every week.
That’s because of you!
Not just because of financial support (though that matters enormously), but because of the emails, notes, conversations, encouragement and ideas you shared along the way. You reminded us why this paper exists and who it’s for.
Listening to readers has always been at the heart of Eugene Weekly. This year, that meant launching our popular weekly Activist Alert column, after many of you told us there was no single, reliable place to find information about rallies, meetings and ways to get involved. You asked. We responded.
We’ve also continued to deepen the coverage that sets Eugene Weekly apart, including our in-depth reporting on local real estate development through Bricks & Mortar — digging into what’s being built, who’s behind it and how those decisions shape our community.
And, of course, we’ve continued to bring you the stories and features many of you depend on: investigations and local government reporting, arts and culture coverage, sudoku and crossword puzzles, Savage Love, and our extensive community events calendar. We feature award-winning stories by University of Oregon student reporters getting real world journalism experience. All free. In print and online.
None of this happens by accident. It happens because readers step up and say: this matters.
As we head into a new year, please consider supporting Eugene Weekly if you’re able. Every dollar helps keep us digging, questioning, celebrating — and yes, occasionally annoying exactly the right people. We consider that a public service.
Thank you for standing with us!
Publisher
Eugene Weekly
P.S. If you’d like to talk about supporting EW, I’d love to hear from you!
jody@eugeneweekly.com
(541) 484-0519