Halloween is traditionally believed to be the day when the human and spirit world can interact, leaving the living vulnerable to evil spirits that run amok. This year, people have an opportunity to break away from run-of-the-mill house parties and haunted houses and explore different ways to celebrate the holiday.
The Ramones, the B52s, the Misfits, U2, Green Day, the Early November, the Clash and the Deftones — hear them all Saturday night at the Launchpad.
It’s the Night of the Living Coverbands, an event created by John Salazar with help from Joe Anderson and the Launchpad staff.
Salazar said having bands dress up is an inviting premise.
“I figured it would be fun to have everybody dress up as a particular group as opposed to when everyone’s dressed up random and end up playing their own music,” he said. “I just thought it’d be hilarious to do a show like that.”
The featured bands aren’t the only ones dressing up.
Salazar said the audience typically goes in costume, but since it’s a 21-and-older event patrons will have to identify themselves before changing into costume once they’ve received a wristband or stamp.
Originally planned as a one-time event, Salazar said he got so much positive feedback that he’s making the show a yearly occurrence.
“I know a lot of people who don’t celebrate holidays, but they celebrate Halloween,” he said. “So I think there’s just something unique about the holiday itself, and you combine that with such a robust local music scene, and the result is kind of a surefire hit.”
Some go to haunted houses, while others trick-or-treat, and for the last 14 years, a small Albuquerque community spends Halloween celebrating Balkan dance tradition.
The 14th Annual Balkan Bash will take place at Winning Coffee Company on Saturday, and it features music by the Goddess of Arno, a local six-piece Balkan dance band. Aside from the music and dance, a cash-prize costume contest will take place.
Beth Cohen, a band member, said the traditional line dance comes from Eastern European countries and unites people.
“It’s a way you can dance together as a community, which we don’t really do so much today,” she said. “It’s kind of multi-generational. It’s very similar to the Greek Festival. It’s this unique kind of music that you don’t get to hear a lot.”
Band member Randy Edmunds said the performance encourages audience participation.
“Something we’ve kind of lost here — it’s become the performers up here and the audience down here watching, and that’s all you get,” he said.
It’s also an opportunity for beginners to explore something that’s foreign to most people, band member Jamie Cohen-Edmunds said. She said the bash caters to novices and is meant to be more fun than serious.
“It’s very low-pressure. It’s not intimidating in any way,” she said. “It is a lot of fun, and we do gear it toward newcomers, because we know there’s not a really big community for it here.”
After a night of Halloween parties and bar-hopping, Katie Calico said some green chile sure would hit the spot.
The owner of the Talking Fountain, an art gallery and boutique, will host a craft bazaar on Halloween. She said a cook-off will feature 17 green chile dishes, in addition to live music, a costume contest and children’s art activities.
Get content from The Daily Lobo delivered to your inbox
“We’re having some face painters, body painters, and not just, like, a pumpkin on your cheek,” Calico said. “We’re trying to put together a last-minute costume/prop booth. We have a tutu vendor coming — that kind of stuff … If people are stuck for a costume, come by and we’ll have a bunch of used stuff and some donated costumes if people are in a pinch.”
The cook-off contest costs $5 to eat and vote in, and proceeds will benefit the late hip-hop artist Steven “Oki” Nance’s family.
Calico said vendors will offer soap, body products, cakes, jewelry and tarot readings.
“It’s an opportunity for venders to come and make some money,” she said. “I just love people get all into the judging. It’s just fun in general.”
