Get your spook on

by JOHNSON CUMMINS

It’s finally here—the greatest holiday of the year, Halloween. What’s not to love about Satan’s favourite night, as there are pretty much no cons here at all? Check it—Halloween pisses off the gloomy-Gus goth set as they fade into the background for one night out of the year, not to mention that right-wing Christian fanatics are still getting their knickers in a twist over this celebration of all things evil. Conservative girls get more in touch with their inner slut by dressing up as naughty nurses, voluptuous Vampiras, scantily clad librarians etc., and given the right party and the right costumes, this is also the one day of the year that almost demands that you ingest hallucinogenic drugs for the ultimate in thrills, spills and chills. Not to mention that Halloween also provides the ultimate relief for cross-dressers, or people who might have a penchant for wearing a diaper in the privacy of their own home, to finally spring out of the closet. It’s the fuggin’ best!

If you really want to get the most mileage out of your Halloween get-up, there are plenty of Halloween-themed parties starting tonight, Oct. 29, and running right through Saturday. Tonight, those oogly, googly zombies the Brains give you a case of the creeps with the Nailheads and Nerve Control at Petit Campus. Another safe bet, if you really want to get your spook on early, would be the Misfits tribute night happening tonight at Katacombes. No Halloween would be complete without at least somebody doing a tribute night to these legendary horror punks, so sing along to “Skulls,”

“Halloween,” “Mommy, Can I Go Out and Kill Tonight” etc. with the Hellbillys and Demon’s Keepers. Slightly less horrifying but no less chilling tonight would be le Kid with the Peelies and Vicious/Delicious at l’Escogriffe.

On Friday, the one place to be is the Devil’s Night Out party being held at the devil’s den, le Milieu, with tribute bands once again ruling the roost. Check out Back Stabbathhh’s tribute to Black Sabbath (with members of Grand Trine), Dead Television Personalities paying tribute to Television Personalities (!) and Pretty on the Outside paying a tribute to Hole (?). Well, two out of three ain’t bad, and behind the decks, putting the scare in the air, none other than DJs Annie Q, Emily B, Lynne T and yers truly. Happening at the horrific hellhole known as Bar St. Laurent 2 are the zombie pirate sounds of Deathboat with Without Will and Tongue Wag. For those of you who really want to bask in the gloom, don’t miss the collaboration of Ghast and Molusk Repu, who perform a two-hour improv set of noise, doom and drone at the topically titled Loft From Hell (poke around for the address).

Finally, on Halloween, you can check out Satan’s favourite minstrels, Evil Boys From Hell, with Tabarnacos Surfers and Fattooth at the creepy former peeler joint Playhouse. Probably the best place to be, though, is the haunted Katacombes to see legendary Montreal hardcore heroes Fair Warning actually come back from the dead and torment people with forgotten lyrics, broken strings and general crankiness. Be very afraid!

PUTTING THE RAZOR BLADE IN YOUR APPLE SINCE 2004…
JONATHAN.CUMMINS@GMAIL.COM