Tag: Halloween

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Vaudeville Smash Gets into Halloween Spirit with V-Grade Horror


We might not really do Halloween in this country, but I still have to applaud Vaudeville Smash for embracing the holiday with its latest EP V-Grade Horror. The disc is an ode to the schlocky horror flicks that terrified the band members as youngsters.

It features the lead single “Become the Night,” an epic vamp-disco number which features Tiaryn Griggs on guest vocals. She takes the part of a woman tempted to join the ranks of the undead! Other highlights include “Zombies Ate My Neighbours” and “Ghouls.”

You can get your fright on with Vaudeville Smash when they launch V-Grade Horror at Melbourne’s Northcote Social Club on November 1.

Image used with permission from Alpha Entertainment

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Celebrate Halloween in Sydney at The Metro’s Monster Mash

As a woman married to an American, I’ve always felt a wee bit jealous when he’s talked about Halloween. I remember once trying to trick or treat as a child with a couple of school friends, but as no one really expected us we only bagged health food bars and lollies that had sat in cupboards for years.

If you’ve waited all your life to celebrate this ghoulish holiday, you’ll want to get to The Metro in Sydney on October 30 for the Halloween Monster Mash. It’s going to be great fun with a witch cave, vampire bar tenders, and even a graveyard!

And it wouldn’t be The Metro without music. Artists like Dappled Cities, Last Dinosaurs, and SPOD will take the stage dressed as their favourite dead bands. Add some fire breathers, giant spiders, and a human vending machine and you’ve got a night guaranteed to raise the hairs on the back of your neck.

So make sure you dress up in your spookiest costume and embrace this American holiday at The Metro. There are still some early bird tickets available at $25. Otherwise you’ll pay $35 before the event or $40 at the door. Gets yours from the Halloween Monster Mash website.

Image source: Nvadim @ Stock.xchng

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Halloween Watch in the Music Channel

Plenty of my friends in the b5media music channel are celebrating Halloween with me today. Here’s a look at what they’ve been up to.

You all knew Scott at Metal Martyr would come up with the goods. Those hard rocking folks are just made for satanic holidays like this, right? He’s compiled a very cool metal soundtrack for the holiday, featuring tracks like Iron Maiden’s “Number of the Beast” and White Zombie’s “I’m Your Boogyman.” Spooky stuff.

If you’re after some lighter songs to add to your Halloween mix tape, Bruce at Our Digital Music has you covered. His Halloween top 10 features “Monster Mash,” “Black Magic Woman,” and one of my personal favourites, “Werewolves of London.”

As if that wasn’t enough Halloween music, Deb at She Plays Music has posted plenty of ghoulish girly music videos. Check it out to watch some Cranberries, Suzi Quatro, and Dusty Springfield.

At The Production Side, Albert serves up a little Stone Temple Pilots and Ray Parker Jr. Who you gonna call?

Bruce is also celebrating at The Rock Dose. Make sure you stop by and check out today’s quote and video featuring none other than Ozzy Osbourne. It had to be, right?

Sammi’s featuring Danny Elfman at 52 Bands. This is the guy behind the spooky soundtracks of The Corpse Bride, The Nightmare Before Christmas, and other Tim Burton classics.

Stuck for a Halloween costume? Mike at Big Apple Music Scene shows you how easy it is to look like Joey Ramone. Too cool!

Heather at Country Music Stop celebrates the season with a creepy classic from Alan Jackson.

Some say that Michael Jackson’s pretty scary today, but Roberta at Ear Sucker goes into the vault for her Halloween post. When I was little I couldn’t watch the clip for “Thriller,” and it still frightens me to this day!

Budding film makers may be interested in the cool Schoolyard Heroes contest Denise is talking about on News in Punk. You could win some creepy prizes, just for filming your Halloween party and posting it on YouTube.

Make sure you check out all these cool blogs for more thrills and chills this Halloween!

Image source: Timm Mossholder @ Unsplash

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Aussie Halloween Hits

As a kid growing up in Australia, I was always a little bit jealous of Americans celebrating Halloween. I thought how wonderful it must be to dress up in scary costumes and score loads of free lollies. I actually tried it once in primary school, but none of the neighbours I visited had any goodies to give me and I didn’t have the heart to toilet paper their houses because of it.

So this year I figured I’m going to celebrate anyway. Everyone else at b5media is doing it, so why can’t I? To get you in the mood, here’s five of the best Australian spooky songs.

I had to kick things off with a little AC/DC. It’d be unAustralian not to. “Highway to Hell” is one of their best, and scariest, with the late great Bon Scott up front.

I’ll be honest, I’m not a fan of The Scare. Their brand of chaotic punk just does nothing for me. But with a name like The Scare, and a song called “Bats!Bats!Bats!” I had to include it anyway!

Here’s Australia’s current dancefloor darlings Sneaky Sound System with their spooky hit “UFO.” This is the only live performance I’ve included here, basically because I don’t think the studio recording can match this for energy. Considering this is about spotting UFOs while you’re alone and far from home, it’s a strangely happy tune!

It’s not Halloween without monsters, so here’s the Something for Kate variety. I’ve always thought Paul Dempsey seemed far too calm for a man hunted down by monsters, but this is a very cool song nonetheless.

It wouldn’t be a Halloween list without Australia’s own Prince of Darkness, Nick Cave. “Red Right Hand” may be the creepiest song ever written. I love it!

Image source: Colton Sturgeon @ Unsplash