This year, unfortunately, Halloween is smack in the middle of the week, falling on a Tuesday evening. However, that doesn’t mean there’s any lack of Halloween-themed fun to be had the weekend prior. Friday and Saturday are packed with music-filled parties, where folks can put on their spookiest gear and dance through the weekend. Even on Tuesday night, there’s still plenty of live music to be caught, some in the spirit of Halloween and others not, (but just as fun because of the holiday.) So get your trick-or-treating done early and don’t miss these 26 shows we’ve picked out for you this Halloweekend.
LISTEN – Not Your Average Halloween Playlist
Friday, October 27
Recommended: Roka Hueka’s Annual Halloween Bash featuring Don Chicharron, Cheap Perfume and Bricheros @ Ophelia’s Electric Soapbox
Ophelia’s is hosting an eclectic lineup of Denver-based music, starting with the evening’s hosts, Latin Ska group Roka Hueka. Don Chicharron will bring their traditional Peruvian-Cumbia pop and psychedelia to the stage before them. And before them will be the feminist punk group Cheap Perfume, who are so intriguing that we sought out lead guitarist and singer Jane No to learn more about the band. Their song, “It’s Okay (to Punch Nazis)” in response to the social and political turmoil occurring in Charlottesville, Virginia earlier this year. Cheap Perfume has another song, “Trump Roast,” and no matter what your political views, this Ophelia’s show will no doubt be an interesting one.
Courtesy of Cheap Perfume on Facebook
Also See…
10/27 – Naughty Tricks & Treats featuring Ghosh v Bryan Matthew, Hijinx v Taktek, Doublecrush, Flame and Zenith Live @ The Church
10/27 – 3rd Annual Monster Ball featuring KISSM and ROOSTER @ The Oriental Theatre
10/27 – Today’s Paramount, Giardia, Never Kenezzard, Ora, Chaff and Enji @ Seventh Circle Music Collective
10/27 – The Infamous Stringdusters w/ Pert’ Near Sandstone @ The Ogden Theatre
10/27 – Chelsea Wolf w/ Youth Code @ The Bluebird Theater
10/27 – Shpongle @ The Fillmore
10/27 – Brujeria w/ Powerflo, Pinata Protest @ The Gothic Theatre
10/27 – Nothing More w/ Palisades, My Ticket Home, Hell Or Highwater @ Summit Music Hall
10/27 – Blind Melon w/ Duey and The Decibels ft. Ryan Quinn, Members of Yamn, Euforquestra, Fox Street, Other Worlds @ Cervantes’ Masterpiece Ballroom
10/27 – MLIMA w/ The Workshy (Late Set), Jubilingo @ Cervantes’ Other Side
10/27 – Sammy J / Anuhea @ The Marquis Theatre
10/27 – Wildermiss (EP Release) w/ The Bright Silence, The Solid Ocean, “There’s An Ape For That” @ Larimer Lounge
10/27 – Modern Suspects w/ OptycNerd, Vynyl @ Lost Lake
10/27 – Jocko Homo w/ Dirty Few, King Cardinal, Rootbeer, All Chiefs, Turvy Organ, DJ Rice Cube @ Hi-Dive
10/27 – Pegboard Nerds @ Beta Nightclub
10/27 – Hellgrammites w/ Meet The Giant, Teacup Gorilla @ The Lion’s Lair
10/27 – Ken Walker Sextet (Two Evening Sets) @ Dazzle Jazz
10/27 – “Friday Night Social” w/ Dave Devine Trio (Late Set) @ Dazzle Jazz
10/27 – Craig Morgan @ The Grizzly Rose
10/27 – Halloween Party: Today’s Paramount w/ Giardia, Never Kenezzard, Ora, Chaff @ Seventh Circle Music Collective
10/27 – Ready Set Go @ Goosetown Tavern
10/27 – The National Parks w/ Rivvrs @ Globe Hall
10/27 – Miguel Dakota and The Differents w/ Dayton Stone and The Undertones, Tyler Imbrey and The Ghost Review @ The Walnut Room
10/27 – Jonathan Butler (Two Sets) @ Soiled Dove Underground
10/27 – Kung Fu @ Be On Key Psychedelic Ripple
10/27 – Bob Lind @ Tuft Theatre
Saturday, October 28
Recommended: Deer Tick’s Groovy Pirate Ghost Mystery @ The Gothic Theatre
We caught these Rhode Islanders back in April at their sold-out gig at the Bluebird Theater, and with the recent success in Denver, it’s no surprise that Deer Tick is returning Halloween weekend, and to a bigger venue to boot. The show is part of a two-part tour for the band, who have been planning the evening’s music for months. Fans at the Gothic Theatre will be treated to two full sets, one of which will be entirely acoustic, the other entirely electric. With the release of two full albums just over six weeks prior to the Gothic show, it looks like Deer Tick will be coming in hot with their mix of folk, country and alternative rock to the Denver music scene.
Photography by Kenneth Coles
Also see…
10/28 – HELLoween Ball featuring TR/ST @ Bar Standard
10/28 – Supernatural Festival w/ Alesso, Carnage and more @ National Western Complex
10/28 – Halloween Hootenanny featuring DJ Wesley Wayne and VJ Bobby Broadway @ The Bluebird Theater
10/28 – Cuttin Up 2k17 Halloween Shutdown featuring DJ Certified (Alex Elli) and DJ Simone Says @ The Roxy Theatre
10/28 – The Fabulous Boogienauts, The Mazlows, Emergency Pull Out and Los Hits @ Herman’s Hideaway
10/28 – Stranger Brunch w/ Boyhollow @ Ophelia’s
10/28 – Dance Yourself Clean (Halloween Edition) @ Larimer Lounge
10/28 – Ratio Halloween w/ Loretta Kill, Faim @ Ratio Beerworks
10/28 – The Infamous Stringdusters w/ Midnight North @ The Ogden Theatre
10/28 – Tom Keifer & Lita Ford @ The Fillmore
10/28 – Russ w/ PNB Rock @ Red Rocks
10/28 – The Maine w/ Night Riots, Dreamers @ Summit Music Hall
10/28 – Lee “Scratch” Perry + Subatomic Sound System w/ Special Guests @ Cervantes’ Other Side
10/28 – DMX w/ Special Guests @ Cervantes’ Masterpiece Ballroom
10/28 – Gemini Syndrome w/ Deadset Society, Spoken @ The Marquis Theatre
10/28 – Bob Log III w/ Colfax Speed Queen @ Lost Lake
10/28 – Trippy Turtle w/ Henrik The Artist @ Beta Nightclub
10/28 – Saustro w/ Savage Blush, Bipedal Approach @ The Lion’s Lair
10/28 – Tom “Bones” Malone w/ Monday Big Band (Two Sets) @ Dazzle Jazz
10/28 – 3rd Annual Great Zombie Gatsby Ball @ Nocturne Jazz
10/28 – Luke Combs @ The Grizzly Rose
10/28 – DJ Hollow & DJ Tower (Morning Set) @ Ophelia’s Electric Soapbox
10/28 – DJ A-L (Late Set) @ Ophelia’s Electric Soapbox
10/28 – Dead Orchids @ Goosetown Tavern
10/28 – Cults w/ Cullen Omori, Hideout @ Globe Hall
10/28 – Transdermal Celebration: A Tribute to The Music of Ween @ The Walnut Room
10/28 – Jackopierce @ Soiled Dove Underground
10/28 – Kung Fu @ Be On Key Psychedelic Ripple
10/28 – Thunderthief w/ Mammoth Water, Fed Rez, Gioto, Pheel @ Your Mom’s House Denver
10/28 – Vintage Spare Parts @ Tuft Theatre
10/28 – The Kirkland Brothers @ Daniels Hall at Swallow Hill Music
Sunday, October 29
Recommended: Hardluck Halloween with The Vanilla Milkshakes and The Denver Meatpacking Company @ Lion’s Lair
If you’re planning to celebrate the holiday and rock a different costume each night Friday through Tuesday, this lesser known show on Sunday at Lion’s Lair is for you. Denver Meatpacking Company, who earned their name through an online poll taken by their friends and family, are a local indie-rock band. They’ll be co-headlining the evening with Vanilla Milkshake, a punk/grunge foursome who was nominated in 2015 for the best post-punk band at the Denver Westword Music Showcase. The group came together just back in 2013, but it’s the little guys that often put on the greatest shows.
Photo courtesy of Denver Meatpacking Company on Facebook
Also See…
10/29 – A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie @ The Ogden Theatre
10/29 – Ministry and Death Grips @ The Fillmore Auditorium
10/29 – Halsey with PARTYNEXTDOOR and Charli XCX @ The Pepsi Center
10/29 – HIM with CKY and 3teeth @ Summit Music Hall
10/29 – Koo Koo Kanga Roo w/ Superfun Yeah Yeah, Rocketship @ The Marquis Theatre
10/29 – 2Mex + Onry Ozzborn w/ Early Adopted, Curta @ Larimer Lounge
10/29 – Gorgon City + Detlef w/ Sureshot + Ben A @ Beta Nightclub
10/29 – Hardluck Halloween Show: Vanilla Milkshakes w/ DMPC, Uncle Bad Touch @ The Lion’s Lair
10/29 – Ryan Fourt (CD Release, Evening Set) @ Dazzle Jazz
10/29 – Jonathan Sarag (CD Release, Late Set) @ Dazzle Jazz
10/29 – KYGO St. Jude Jam @ The Grizzly Rose
10/29 – DJ Hollow & DJ Tower (Morning Set) @ Ophelia’s Electric Soapbox
10/29 – Governor Mortimer Leech (Late Set) @ Ophelia’s Electric Soapbox
10/29 – Simo @ Soiled Dove Underground
Monday, October 30
Recommended: The Used with Glassjaw @ The Fillmore Auditorium
As it turns out, the spirit of Halloween calms down quite a bit on Hallow’s Eve, like the calm before the storm. Monday night has no shortage of good tunes, however, i.e. The Used’s gig at the Fillmore. The music of this foursome from Utah focuses on the “exposed nature of acoustic writing.” Since the start of their musical career around the turn of the millennium, The Used has put out six full-length albums, though their claim to fame is still their very first, aptly named The Used. The band’s upcoming album will be recorded live with a full orchestra, which we won’t get to fully experience on Monday evening, but it’ll be a great little taste of what this group can do.
Photo courtesy of The Used on Facebook
Also See…
10/30 – Lecrae @ The Ogden Theatre
10/30 – Hiss Golden Messenger @ The Bluebird Theater
10/30 – Bruno Mars @ The Pepsi Center
10/30 – Cobalt @ Hi-Dive
10/30 – WE DREAM DAWN @ Ophelia’s Electric Soapbox
10/30 – Andrés, Demon In Me, Digisaurus and Yes Ma’am @ Seventh Circle Music Collective
Halloween – Tuesday, October 31
Recommended: Itchy-O’s Hallowmass @ Summit Music Hall
Denver’s own Itchy-O will be getting real spooky on Halloween night with their percussion-centered electronic music. The evening will not be just your average costume party, but rather an awakening, soul-shaking “celebration of temperance.” Concert-goers are encouraged to bring with them to the show mementos from the past, present, and future, all of which will be sanctimoniously burned during a ceremony on Thursday, November 2, (location TBD). The 50-piece band features a drum corps battery, Taiko drummers, and an abundance of electronics including synthesizers, theremin, vocoders, and more, making for one epic Halloween.
Photo courtesy of Itchy-O on Facebook
Also See…
10/31 – Lipgloss w/ Boyhollow @ La Rumba
10/31 – Dawn of the Nerds w/ Fury, Tyro @ Beta Nightclub
10/31 – Gari Safari Halloween Costume Party @ The Church
10/31 – Dream Theater @ The Paramount Theatre
10/31 – Terri Jo Jenkins and Janina Gastineau @ Dazzle
10/31 – The Front Bottoms w/ Basement, Bad Bad Hats @ The Ogden Theatre
10/31 – Alvvays w/ Jay Som @ The Bluebird Theater
10/31 – Chris Robinson Brotherhood @ The Gothic Theatre
10/31 – Halloween Night Menagerie ft. Wabakinoset, Metafonics, Zeta June, King Friday @ Cervantes’ Masterpiece Ballroom
10/31 – Token w/ Special Guests @ Cervantes’ Other Side
10/31 – Have Mercy w/ Boston Manor, Can’t Swim, A Will Away @ The Marquis Theatre
10/31 – Voidbringer w/ Forgotten Within, Skulls @ Larimer Lounge
10/31 – Mystery Skulls @ Lost Lake
10/31 – Space In Time w/ Keef Duster, Colfax Speed Queen, Wild Call @ Hi-Dive
10/31 – Adam Bodine Trio: Halloween Spooktacular @ Nocturne Jazz
10/31 – Euforquestra w/ Space Orphan @ Ophelia’s Electric Soapbox
10/31 – The Wrecks w/ Vesperteen, The Technicolors @ Globe Hall