Like a college kid celebrating a birthday, we just don't have one Halloween night this year, we have four. Starting tonight and running through Monday, the Boston area is flush with solid Halloween party spooktaculars, ranging from the usual cover shows to haunted house happenings to the bi-annual ManRay gathering (which is its own franchise at this point in Boston's chilly alternative nightlife game). It's impossible to capture everything that's going on, but below are Vanyaland's picks for what to do around town, particularly on a stacked-deck Saturday. There's enough happening to wear that Eleven or Harley Quinn or Sexy Ken Bone costume several times over, and don't forget, whatever happens this weekend, it's only for fun. The real horror arrives November 8, so get in the good times while you can.
October 28 and 29: Ladyfest and Girls Rock Campaign benefit shows at O’Brien’s Pub
Allston rock club O’Brien’s Pub is going all-in on Halloween for not just one good cause this year, but two. On Friday, local musicians band together to perform the music of Fleetwood Mac, Bjork, Fiona Apple, Sleater Kinney, and others to benefit Ladyfest Boston, and on Saturday, a fundraiser for Girls Rock Campaign features a Runaways cover band, Solo Sexx as Salt N’ Pepa, and Viva Gina as Babes in Toyland. We don’t know how it’s taken so long for a Boston band to be Babes In Toyland for Halloween (maybe it’s happened, we dunno, it’s hard to keep up), but anyone paying tribute to the great Kat Bjelland is cool with us. Get loud for all the right reasons.
3 Harvard Ave. in Allston :: 8 p.m. each night :: 21-plus each night :: $8 on Friday, $10 on Saturday :: Ladyfest Facebook event page :: Girls Rock Campaign Facebook event page
