Stage veteran Lynne Jordan casts her spell over fans with an evening of story and song at the Raue Center for the Arts in Crystal Lake.
This Halloween looks a bit different from last year’s: For starters, live shows are back and full of tricks and treats. And with the spooky holiday on a Sunday this year, that means three whole nights to scare up some musical entertainment with a number of concerts across the suburbs and Chicago.
Costumes are encouraged at most events, but don’t be caught without a mask at any of them.
Here are 13 hot shows this weekend:
Emo celebration
Chicago’s Golden Dagger kicks off the weekend’s festivities with an Emo Halloween Party, featuring OK Cool with Arlen Gun Club, Background Character, Jungheim, DJ LeashKid and a set on the tables by Avery Springer.
8 p.m. Friday, Oct. 29, at Golden Dagger, 2447 N. Halsted St., Chicago. $12. (773) 857-0166 or goldendagger.com.
Bridget Stiebris and Haley Blomquist kick off the weekend at Golden Dagger’s Emo Halloween Party Friday. – Courtesy of Nina Gaulin Two nights of Halloweekend
Montrose Saloon honors the holiday with two nights of bands celebrating bands. Halloweekend kicks off Friday with Part-time Lovers as The Ramones, The Statutes of Liberty as The Velvet Underground, The Crayola Kids as The Wonder Stuff, Rachel Drew as White Stripes, Inspiral Parkas as Bauhaus and Dream House as Siouxsie & the Banshees. Saturday sees Green Thoughts take on The Smithereens, Guns & Ammunition play Thin Lizzy, Phil Angotti as The Zombies, The Heeby Jeebies as The Cramps, The Webstirs channel Paul McCartney and Androgynous Mustache plays the best of Billy Joel.
8:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, Oct. 29-30, at Montrose Saloon, 2933 W. Montrose Ave., Chicago. $20 each night. montrosesaloon.com.
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Indie rock band Aktar Aktar reunites for a Halloween show at O’Neill’s Pub in Lombard Friday, Oct. 29. – Courtesy of Aktar Aktar Aktar Aktar reunion
Aktar Aktar is back! The West suburban indie rock band celebrates a reunion — as well as Halloween — as the original lineup gets back together after a few years on other projects for a full-production show at O’Neill’s Pub in Lombard. Soak up the wild original rock, paired with a DJ and drink specials.
9 p.m. Friday, Oct. 29, at O’Neill’s Pub, 236 E. St. Charles Road, Lombard. $5. facebook.com.
German house producer Zedd takes over the Byline Bank Aragon Ballroom with his Zedd Halloween show Friday, Oct. 29. – Courtesy of Zedd Undead Zedd?
German house producer Zedd returns to Chicago to celebrate with his Zedd Halloween show. Get costumed up for some spooky dance hall fun with Zedd and his tourmates on this stop, Surf Mesa and Pat Lok.
9 p.m. Friday, Oct. 29, at Byline Bank Aragon Ballroom, 1106 W. Lawrence Ave., Chicago. $75. (773) 561-9500 or livenation.com.
Caitlin Edwards, front, and Bumsy and the Moochers hit Tivoli Bowl for Punk the Burbs 4, a full day of rock, punk and more Saturday in Downers Grove. – Courtesy of Julie Hermes Photography Punk the Burbs 4
Punk the Burbs, the annual suburban-heavy celebration of regional hard-rock and punk acts, returns for its fourth edition, this time at Downers Grove’s Tivoli Bowl. With 15 acts — featuring The Crombies, The Run Around, Bumsy and the Moochers, Soy City Stranglers, This Obsession, The C-Sides, Meskales, Torch the Hive, The Repellents, The Centaurettes, Guardrail, Sweetie, The Brash Menagerie, Robot Civil War and Fire Cat — the fest will mosh through a full day of all-ages Halloween-themed fun, complete with bowling and costume contests.
Noon Saturday, Oct. 30, at Tivoli Bowl, 938 Warren Ave., Downers Grove. $15. eventbrite.com.
Acoustic with Each Day
Indie folk-rockers Taylor Oechsel and Christopher Marszalek take the Garage Band Brewing stage as their band Each Day shares its newest single, “Every Little Thing,” as part of Plainfield’s big night of tunes, costumes and craft brews.
7 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 30, at Garage Band Brewing, 15025 S. Des Plaines St. #1b, Plainfield. Free. (815) 782-6367 or garagebandbrewing.com.
Lynne Jordan casts a spell
Jazz vocalist, stage veteran and musical storyteller Lynne Jordan weaves her spell over Crystal Lake audiences this Halloween weekend with a Saturday night treat of her funny and touching stories and songs on the Raue Center stage.
8 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 30, at Raue Center for the Arts, 26 N. Williams St., Crystal Lake. $27-$33 ($18.90-$23.10 for RaueNOW members). (815) 356-9212 or rauecenter.org.
Album Covers Presents Black Sabbath
The Album Covers crew at Aurora’s The Venue presents a special pre-Halloween party Saturday with a cover performance of the English heavy metal band’s 1970 debut album “Black Sabbath” along with a second set of fan-favorite hits by the band. Fox Valley artists Chad Watson, Justin O’Connell and newcomer Matt Anderson will tag along for the party.
8 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 30, at The Venue, 21 S. Broadway Ave., Aurora. $15-$20. (331) 212-8490 or themusicvenue.org.
Prom Night in Palatine
Do you like scary movies? Head to Durty Nellie’s decked out as your favorite horror movie legend — or even scarier, your old prom dress or tux — for a terrifying twist on Prom Night. Expect two separate costume contests, food and drink specials and fun twists on alternative faves by Modern Day Romeos and punky gems from There Goes the Neighborhood.
8 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 30, at Durty Nellie’s, 180 N. Smith St., Palatine. $8. (847) 358-9150 or nelliespalatine.com.
Kevin Costner & Modern West
Celebrate Halloween — along with some local history — in style as Kevin Costner & Modern West bring the “Tales From Yellowstone Tour” to the grand opening of the restored and revamped Des Plaines Theatre by Onesti Entertainment. Kicking off the night with Hollywood splendor, guests will be escorted down a red carpet before a celebratory champagne toast and a performance of the national anthem by Chicago legend Wayne Messmer.
5 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 31, at the Des Plaines Theatre, 1476 Miner St., Des Plaines. $99. (630) 962-7000 or desplainestheatre.com.
Not-so-spooky Subterranean
Join Out of Context as they host A Not-So-Spooky Halloween Sunday featuring some scene favorites: Malort & Savior headlines the Subterranean Downstairs show along with Molly O’Malley portraying Fall Out Boy, Can’t Hang channeling Paramore, Farhampton as All Time Low and Jeff Schaller & Friends playing as Finch.
8 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 31, at Subterranean, 2011 W. North Ave., Chicago. $10-$12. (773) 278-6600 or subt.net.
The Footlight District headlines a Halloween night show at Carol’s Pub with Fluorescents and Black Bolts. – Courtesy of The Footlight District Carol’s goes creepy
The five Scarborough siblings conjure up a killer Halloween show at Carol’s Pub as their band The Footlight District slings its fun Southern-tinged rock with just a hint of mystical charm. They’re joined by pop-punk rising stars Fluorescents and the powerful West suburban blues-rocking Black Bolts.
8 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 31, at Carol’s Pub, 4659 N. Clark St., Chicago. Free. (773) 754-8000 or carolschicago.com.
Lonnie Phillips and Kat and Tony Baker of Broken Robots play Martyrs’ Halloween Pride Takeover Sunday night. – Courtesy of Joel Lopez Martyrs’ Pride
Wood Dale modern rockers Broken Robots will show off their newest single, “Runaway” (released that day), when they play the Halloween Pride Takeover at Martyrs’ Sunday. The Haus of Everything-hosted show features a full night of entertainment, including Mikey Everything, Boys Vs. Girls, Domomoon, Hasaan Honus and a massive lineup of musical guests, each with their own spin on Halloween fun.
8 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 31, at Martyrs’, 3855 N. Lincoln Ave., Chicago. $10. (773) 404-9494 or martyrslive.com.
