Hard to believe it's that time again. But here they come—an assorted mix of kooks masquerading as things they are not in the never-ending quest for bags of loot. Nothing like Election Day in America.
The more local promoter Joel Jizzol thought about it, the more the whole Nov. 4 "poll dance" was starting to look eerily like his favorite day of the year—October 31.
"I've been throwing some type of Halloween bash for the past 17 years, and I always try to outdo myself," he explains. "In searching for a theme this year, I came across a picture of Uncle Sam that my artist friend Max Rudolph zombified, and it hit me. What a perfect analogy of what has gotten this country into such a mess."
Enter Zombie Nation (myspace.com/joeljizzol), the 18th annual installment of Jester's Masquerade. In its first incarnations, Jizzol recalls his "cool parents" allowing him to invite a few dozen friends to his "creepy basement." Later some "cool landlords" afforded him the opportunity to (literally) elevate the status of his annual ode to All Hallow's Eve by allowing crowds up to 100 in his apartments' attics.
By the mid-to-late '90s, the coolness quotient of the entire event was upped again, courtesy of Jizzol's ability to secure proper venues (including the former Springdale Turn Hall) coupled with his newfound legal status regarding the purchase and consumption of alcohol.
For the past five years at the Waterfront, bands like Split Shift, Yucky Octopus and Gaiah have ensured annual crowds of 300-plus for Jester's Masquerade, a benchmark this year's crop of performers—including Pallet, Q, The Naughty Parts, Siren, DJ Kev, DJ Seik and more—hope to surpass this Saturday.
The event will not only consume every square inch of Holyoke's Waterfront Tavern Oct. 25, but also slice it up into themed sections, including the "Graveyard" area for bands (replete with a 20-foot-plus "Zombie King" that bellows fog from its hands and mouth and is wired for a multitude of lighting effects), the DJ-laden "Boiler Room," and the smoker-friendly "Lung Cancer Alley." Enter Zombie Nation dressed like a zombie and save $5 off the normal door admission price of $15, too.
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Similarly blurring the line between Halloween and friends of Halliburton are Noho indie mainstays The Figments, of all people—offering what its band members liken to both a trickless treat and a polyphonic stimulus package for these trying economic times. The band's fourth full-length, Twelve Belles, can be downloaded gratis at thefigmentsrock.com.
"You know, [we]… didn't see the reward in ordering 1000 CDs and giving them out," explains drummer Brian Marchese. "Without having to pay for a disc or art, we didn't take much of a hit. And really, it's been successful beyond our expectations, with more than 400 downloads in the first four days!"
This Saturday, Oct. 25, Marchese will take to the stage with his Sitting Next To Brian project, tackling the tunes of The Who at The Elevens. Others slated to get their Daltrey on include The Novels, Party Wolf, Thrillpillow and The Swillmerchants.
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In contrast, mood-altering soft-popsters The Winterpills had their Cake and want their CD release party proper, too. The Noho-based quintet celebrate their third studio effort, Central Chambers, at the Iron Horse this Saturday, Oct. 25, fresh off a mini-touring stint with the nationally-known Cali-alt rockers. "Apparently, Cake's manager heard us on WFUV in New York, and has been a fan for a couple of years," explains Winterpill singer/keyboardist Flora Reed.
Lastly, fledgling Amherst outfit The Young Flyers will also have some high profile bill-mates when they take to the stage at Sierra Grille Oct. 23. According to the venue's Myspace, that show will be kicked off by a "super secret giant bunch of surprise openers" that are not to be missed."
Send correspondence to Nightcrawler, P.O. Box 427, Somers, CT 06071; fax to (860) 698-9373 or email: Garycarra@aol.com.
