by LORRAINE CARPENTER

Dead leaves and a haunting chill, two signs that ghouls and goblins, witches and werewolves, Britneys and Bushes, Saddams and Osamas will soon be demanding treats for protection from their tricks. But we have our own trick for these evildoers: we're going out, and you can, too.

For things that go bump in the night, check out Club Soda's Freaky Flow tonight, Thursday, Oct. 30 (9 p.m., $10-$12) and win prizes for most authentic old school costumes. Expect MCs Juice and Bless, DJs Killa-Jewel, Red Dredd and Skeptik.

Tokyo's Be Famous goes feline tonight, Oct. 30, with Fuck Me I'm a Pussycat (no bestiality, please). There's a secret prize, so suit up and feel the ghostly groove of DJ Bruno Brown. Info: 842-6838.

Taste some Hot Buttered Soul with DJs Andy Williams and Kobal, offering the devil's blend of soul, funk, afro, jazz, Brazilian and house at O Patro Vys on Friday, Oct. 31, 10 p.m.

The undead are welcome at Living, where ladies drink free 'til the midnight hour and DJs Marco G, Renegade and Perpall Jr. spin intense beats, R&B and chillout on Friday, Oct. 31.

Call 859-5487 for details about the costume ball at Metropolis on Friday, Oct. 31 (9 p.m., $7-$10), or turn your trick at The Pimp's Paradise at Exit on Friday, Oct. 31 (10 p.m., $8-$10), where cash goes to best SuperPimp and NastyGirl and DJs Toddy Flores, Fiend, Skeptic, Mana and Ball drop R&B, hip hop, funk, soul and reggae on two floors.

Want big money? At Dôme's fright-night dance party with DJ Groove on Saturday, Nov. 1, the best costume wins a whopping $2,000 cash!

Open your mind to some pharmaceutical fun at Laboratoire with DJ Niko at Café Campus on Friday, Oct. 31 (8 p.m., $5, $3 with costume), where $1 meds, genetically modified shooters and back-alley biopsies will be provided by Campus's non-certified staff.

Foufounes feels the fear on Friday, Oct. 31 (9 p.m., $6.66) to the tune of DJ Mutante, Misfits tribute band Astro Zombies From Mars, visuals by Kidd Phreak and a $500 costume prize.

Win Cruella, Emily Strange and Black Sun gift certificates at Buried Alive V on Friday, Oct. 31 (10 p.m., $5), on the second floor of Saphir. It's last rites for these Dark Wave Night Halloween parties, so toast the final burial with DJs Mr. Black and Uriel and local death rockers Bordello.

For homo haunts, Parking's Overdose and Unity II's Kink! go head to head for Halloween tonight, Thursday, Oct. 30. At Parking (10 p.m., $4), DJs Mini and John Selway celebrate Overdose's second anniversary, offering a free drink to the costumed and rocking the floor with hard electro. At Unity II (10 p.m., $2.75), come costumed or nearly naked for Attack of the Nymphos, featuring the electro freeze of DJ Frigid, a "terrifying surprise performance," the Kröm make-up police and Emily Strange swag.

Also in the Village, celebrate Madoween at Cabaret Mado on Friday, Oct. 31 (10 p.m., $5), with DJ Marc Laflamme and performances at 11 p.m. and 1 a.m. by Miss Jean-Marc, Dream, Nicole, Madame X and all their lovely dancers.

Supersize the spooky

If you like the fear long and large, party afterhours at Aria on Friday, Oct. 31 (1:30 a.m., $28-$35) with DJs Marco Carola, Christian Smith, Danilo Vigorito and Yaz, and on Saturday, Nov. 1 (1:30 a.m., $25-$30) with Chris Fortier, Hyper, XL, and Nic B. Info: 987-6712, www.aria-nightclub.com.

Meanwhile, Stereo goes Scareo on Friday, Oct. 31, offering $1,000 in prizes as Martin Villeneuve and residents Brad Copeland and Big Al rock the haunted house. Info: 286-0325. And Sona rises from the dead on Saturday, Nov. 1, with its Freaky party (not the official re-opening, that's mid-November, but whatever). That kicks off at 2 a.m. and boasts DJs Anthony Pappa, Chus & Ceballos and more.

Ghosts and ghouls convene for Gloom at the Château Medieval de St-Adolphe d'Howard (north of Morin Heights) on Saturday, Nov. 1 (9 p.m., $35, $45). This sixth annual costume ball features the bloodied beats of seven DJs and a live set by "the queen of acid trance," Space Girl. Info: (450) 625-7000, www.rayjunior.com.

Party with pagans all night long at Creep: Festival of the Dead, at the historic Caserne Létourneux (411 Létourneux at Notre-Dame E.). On Friday, Oct. 31 (10 p.m., $25), the venue will fill with the ghosts of old, the infectious techno of DJs Nivoc, Soundshaper, Eloi Brunelle and Baya and spiritual sights of VJs Shayam and Nicolas Syriannis. Costumes are a must, so those without will be painted and accessorized by makeup artists on-site. Info: www.equinoxereunion.com.

The Scream party plants its horror in three beautiful rooms at Centre Ville (915 Ste-Catherine E.) on Friday, Oct. 31 (10 p.m., $40), with four live bands, six MCs and 26 DJs, including local favourites the Horrorist and DJ Iznogood. Info: www.psychofrogg.com, 997-4203, 204-0738.

Or hit the last hurrah at the Fetish Funhouse Halloween Masquerade with DJ Jayk74, also on Friday, Oct. 31 (10 p.m., $8). Patrons are invited to sample witches' brew and be horn-ed beasts around the lounge one last time. The dark fetish dress code applies, and wearers of the best costumes earn high quality photos of themselves and their naughty creations, so whip out that vinyl, velour and lace, my prettys.

Bands of death

Hear heavy hands on ghoulish guitars as local acts Lamb of God, Killswitch Engage, Shadows Fall and Unearth infiltrate Spectrum tonight, Thursday, Oct. 30, and see local psychobillies Gutter Demons crawl to Café Chaos on Friday, Oct. 31 (9 p.m.) to launch their album, Enter the Demonz.

Le Swimming unleashes its Monsters and Beauties on Friday, Oct. 31 (9 p.m., $10), with hot local rock 'n' rollers les Breastfeeders and Comme Un Homme Libre, costume prizes, and spooky surprises, the same night Groovy Aardvark play Cabaret du Plateau (7:30 p.m., $12-$15) and award the costumed with two free brews.

Catch local world-pop ensemble la Chango Family as they join hands with creepy clowns, acrobats and jugglers for Carnival de los Muertos at Spectrum on Friday, Oct. 31 (8:30 p.m., $17.25/$12 students).

Get hot for Halloween and gun for a costume prize on Saturday, Nov. 1 (9 p.m., $8), as Robin Black & the Intergalactic Rock Stars kick out the glam at Lee-Lee and Rico's monthly Sex Motel at Saphir, where the darker Distortion soirée rings out on the other floor.

Tiki freaks, meanwhile, will plan on getting lei'd at St-Henri's Va-et-Vient on Friday, Oct. 31, 9:30 p.m., in the company of the Mai Tai Orchestra. Rockabilly hellhound Bloodshot Bill poses a triple threat this Halloween, spreading crazy fever from NDG to Mile End. He's hosting a Halloween Hootenanny at the Wheel Club on Saturday, Nov. 1, opening for hard-ass rockers the Donkeys at Casa del Popolo on Friday, Oct. 31 (9 p.m., $6.66, $4.44 with costume) and playing along with a hot fashion show at Meow (3697 St-Laurent) tonight, Thursday, Oct. 30 (8 p.m., $3).

Stage fright, scary movies

Rocky Horror turns 30 this year so Karma Productions are doing the time warp again with a live production at Kola Note on Thursday, Oct. 30 (8 p.m.) and Friday, Oct. 31 (8 p.m., midnight, both nights: $20/$16 students). Meanwhile, the lovely Plastik Patrik hosts the classic Halloween Rocky Horror Picture Show experience at the Rialto, where the film screens tonight, Thursday, Oct. 30 (9 p.m.), Friday, Oct. 31 (9 p.m., midnight) and Saturday, Nov. 1 (9 p.m., midnight, all nights: $11.95-$13.95) and costume contest mayhem ensues.

Have a film fit with the second annual Spasm Festival on Friday, Oct. 31 at SAT and Saturday, Nov. 1 with the Night Shift at Club Soda (8 p.m., $13 each night). Québécois horror, sci-fi and fantasy shorts will show at both venues, followed by party sights and sounds from the likes of DJ Mini and Phylactere Cola, VJ Pillow and live painters Lattakeuse Dimage and live music by PMS on Extasy. Info: www.spasm.ca.

Dinner and a show, anyone? Montreal's classic Maison Hantée (1037 Bleury) has completely remixed and revived its show, The Banquet, with new characters, scenery, SFX, music and menu. Dine and discover the shameful secret of the scary wait staff and let a psychic forecast your nightmares (Tue.-Sat. at 8 p.m., 6 p.m. on Sundays, $46). Note that reservations are required and large groups are recommended. Info: 392-9268, www.maisonhantee.qc.ca.

Witness Wiccan rituals, see real freaks, lewd dancing, fortune tellers, mediums and the undead at Travesty Theatre's Maskarade Ball on Friday, Oct. 31 (8 p.m., $6, location TBA). Info: travestytheatre@hotmail.com, www.travestytheatre.com. And have a fun and fright-filled Halloween…

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