Thursday, October 31

Solid Gold with Grime Dogg, Allan Kingdom, Tickle Torture and Mike 2600

Turf Club, St. Paul

8 p.m., $15, 21+

Not only is this a chance to party with Solid Gold while wearing your best deep-sea-diver costume, but it also features support from some of the Cities' most intriguing emerging artists—raucous electro-pop artist Tickle Torture and rapper Allan Kingdom—plus a set by long lost Seattle grunge rockers Grime Dogg.

Cocktails at the Castle

American Swedish Institute, Minneapolis

7 p.m., $15, 21+

Live music from Strange Names and Crimes is just a small part of the draw for Cocktails at the Castle—which, yes, takes place at an actual castle at the beautiful Swedish Institute in South Minneapolis. The event will also feature mask-making, short horror films, ghost stories about the Turnblad Mansion by the Twin Cities Paranormal Society, and an opportunity to write your own obituary. Costumes encouraged.

Hot Damn EP-Release Party and Costume Contest

The Belmore, Minneapolis

8 p.m., $5 in costume/$7 no costume, 21+

Fans of the Goondas' heavy blues-punk sound would do well to check out Hot Damn, releasing their debut EP tonight. Both Hot Damn and the Goondas will perform along with Bollywood and Iguano, and the first 200 in the door will get a free copy of the new EP. Costumes are encouraged, and prizes will be given to the best-dressed.

"Multiple Personalities" Minnesota Cover Show

Lee's Liquor Lounge, Minneapolis

9 p.m., $5, 21+

Revel in your love for Minnesota music at this four-band cover show, with each band taking on a different local act's work. The Humbugs will perform as Semisonic, Ben Cook-Feltz will lead a band as the Jayhawks, Stacy K will play Bob Dylan, and PHO will play the hits of Prince.

El Le Faunt and His Traveling Circus Album-Release Show

Nomad Pub, Minneapolis

9 p.m., free, 21+

Halloween night seems like an ideal time for the release of El Le Faunt and His Traveling Circus to drop their new self-titled album (streaming here); their music already conjures up images of big top performers, carnival freakshows, and old-world cabaret. They'll be joined at this release show by Crow Call, Mike Gunther, Cantakerous Folk, and Walker Fields.

The Triple Rock's Halloween Spectacular

Triple Rock Social Club, Minneapolis

8 p.m., $8 with a costume/$10 without, 21+

Now in either its 9th or 10th year (even the Triple Rock doesn't know), this annual cover show features members of local punk and metal bands joining forces to pay tribute to their favorite acts. This year's, sets will be dedicated to Guns N Roses, Slayer, the Sex Pistols, Dio, and Glen Danzig.

Witchy Halloween Party

Eagles Club 34, Minneapolis

10 p.m., $5, 21+

Kitten Forever and Prissy Clerks bookend a lineup that also features two punk bands out of Seattle, Chastity Belt and Pony Time.

Halloween Havoc w/ Big Wave Dave and the Ripples, the Silk Sheiks

Tycoons, Duluth

10 p.m., $10 or $20 for the weekend, 21+

The first of three nights of Halloween Havoc kick off at Tycoons Alehouse. Each night features a roster of regional music acts combined with other unique entertainers. Thursday night’s lineup includes performances from Big Wave Dave and the Ripples, the Silk Sheiks, Timothy Martin and the New Norm along with magnificent Kelvin the Magician and Spin Collective.

The People Say Fox, West of Aldine

Dubh Linn Irish Pub, Duluth

8 p.m., free, 21+

Put on your Halloween best to compete for some big cash prizes at Dubh Linn’s costume contest all while rocking out with local act The People Say Fox and frequent Twin Ports visitors, West of Aldine. Remember to use up all of your Ylvis jokes now as they probably won’t be relevant by Christmas.

Fearlesss Moral Inventory, Songs of Shipwreck, Abe Curran’s Blue Rooster

Carmody Irish Pub, Duluth

9 p.m., free,  21+

Pay homage to the great musicians playing Carmody Irish Pub on Halloween by dressing up as a blue rooster or a marooned sea captain or whatever you think Fearless Moral Inventory looks like. The music kicks off at nine and the festivities include a costume contest and other prizes throughout the night.

Monstah Booty Jamz with Crafty Ellen

Red Star Lounge, Duluth

10 p.m., free, 21+

Do you like dressing up? Do you like dancing? When you dance do you tend to shake your rump? Then this is the party for you. Get dressed up and head to Red Star where DJ Crafty Ellen will be spinning as many booty jamz as you and your bad self can handle.

Friday, November 1

CLAPS Album-Release Show

Hexagon Bar, Minneapolis

9 p.m., free, 21+

Analog synth purveyors CLAPS celebrate the release of their new album Lies/White Lies, out November 1 on Forward Records, with support from Wet Hair, Miami Dolphins, and Hot Rash.

Halloween Cover Show

Turf Club, St. Paul

9 p.m., $8, 21+

A handful of the finest cover bands in the Cities converge for a night of costumed mayhem, including the Blackberry Brandy Boys (who cover "cosmic country" tunes), Wangs (who cover the songs of Wings), I Mauled Glass (Alice Cooper covers), and Tramps Like Us (Springsteen).

Tangier 57, Care Bears Care Bears Yeah, 500 Million Society

Red Star Lounge, Duluth

8 p.m., free, 21+

The swinging cats of Tangier 57 kick off November with a sure to be swanky Friday night bash at Red Star Lounge. Along for the ride will be the Tim Nelson led 500 Million Society as well as relative newcomers to the downtown Duluth scene Care Bears, Care Bears, Yeah. It’ll be an eclectic affair with genres representing everything from comedic folk to psych/pop to Esquivel-style lounge.

Halloween Havoc w/ The Boomchucks, The 4ontheFloor, Cars & Trucks

Tycoons, Duluth

10 p.m., $10 or $20 for the weekend, 21+

Night two of Tycoons’ Halloween Havoc features three of the region’s most popular acts plus a performance from Kelvin the Magician. Even though Halloween will be technically over, keep dressing up. You’ll stand out less dressing as your favorite internet meme tonight than you would in July. Stick around all night for performances from Cars & Trucks, The 4ontheFloor, and The Boomchucks.

All the Pretty Horses, Bratwurst, The Tico Three

RT Quinlan’s, Duluth

10 p.m., $5, 21+

Some venues tend to shun the more gruesome parts of an All Hallows’ Eve party - not RT Quinlan’s. Local mavens of meat Bratwurst never cease to include the “performance” in their performance art/musical experiment and given that it’s Halloween expect everything to be bigger and bloodier. Joining Bratwurst will be Venus DeMars and All the Pretty Horses who also tends to put on quite a show including props such as instruments of bondage and power tools. How will Israel Malachi and The Tico Three compete? You’ll have to show up to find out.

Ian Alexy and the Deserters, Teague Alexy, Five Pints ‘A Rye

The Rex, Duluth

10 p.m., $5, 21+

Honor the spirit of friends and family who’ve passed on during the annual Day of the Dead celebration at The Rex. Ian Alexy will host the party (and an encore event will happen the following day at Harriet Brewing in Minneapolis). Performers for the Duluth show will include Ian with his band the Deserters alongside brother Teague and Five Pints ‘A Rye.

Saturday, November 2

Verskotzi Album-Release Show

Icehouse, Minneapolis

11 p.m., $8, 21+

Joey Verskotzki releases his sweet, sunny indie pop album Lemon Heart at Icehouse this Saturday, with support from Dan Rodriguez.

Sun Gods to Gamma Rays

Kitty Cat Klub, Minneapolis

9 p.m., $5, 21+

If you were as enchanted with Sun Gods to Gamma Rays' cosmic Local Show session as we were, then you'll know that the Kitty Cat seems like the ideal environment for steeping in their moody, ethereal sounds. They'll be joined by Speed's the Name and the Parlour Suite.

Halloween Havoc w/ Gramma’s Boyfriend, Root City Band, Heatbox

Tycoons, Duluth

10 p.m., $10 or $20 for the weekend, 21+

The final night of Halloween Havoc features a trio of out of town acts with strong ties to the shores of Lake Superior. Wear your favorite dance-themed costume and comfortable shoes as Haley Bonar and Gramma’s Boyfriend gets things started with an electro-infused punk-disco performance followed by sets from Root City Band, Heatbox and a ventriloquist!

Wolf Blood, The Horror, Exiles

Red Star Lounge, Duluth

10 p.m., free, 21+

Angry you didn’t win Thursday’s costume contests? Did you get more stale bubble gum than you did peanut butter cups during your trick-or-treat adventures? Don’t worry, this is the show where you can let it all out. Rage along with the likes of Wolf Blood, The Horror, and Exiles. This show will be loud and you will be moshing. Hey, it’s a great way to work off those extra candy calories

The Farsights, Songs of Shipwreck, Ashala

Beaner’s Central

7 p.m. , $5, all ages

Who’ll be the first to whisper the word hipster when four-eyed pop-punk band the Farsights teams up for an all-ages show with the bearded folk rockers in Songs of Shipwreck and the swoony indie pop trio of Ashala? Maybe if they all combine for an open jam they can cover all of the labels associated with that clichéd term du jour. Labels aside, this early evening performance highlight’s a selection of Duluth’s up and coming stars.

Twin Ports concert recommendations courtesy of Duluth Local Show host Walt Dizzo.