Halloween falls on a Saturday, and the list of things to do on Halloween in Davis has been growing for two weeks, with costume nights, themed DJ sets and spooky open mics filling the calendar since mid-October. Now the big week is here. The music picks up Wednesday with a five band house party and wraps up late Saturday with DJs downtown. In between, there’s a rave named for a horror video game, goth bands at the Melon Ball, indie folk outdoors at a house and zombies on bikes in Community Park.
Dig out the costume. Most of these shows ask for one, and one of them won’t take no for an answer.
Wednesday, October 28: A Head Start
Heart Container has only been a band since July, and it’s already throwing its own Halloween Fest. The Davis post-hardcore group releases its first single, “PSOT,” five days earlier, so the party lands in its release week. Digital Frequency, Kissmitts, Budget Cut and State Ceanothus fill out the bill, DJ Vyvance handles the records, and vendors set up alongside. Costumes are encouraged. It starts at 5 PM, costs $10 and is all ages.
Thursday, October 29: Halloweekend, Unofficially
AggieBats and Partridge Records have declared Thursday the start of Halloweekend, and their Five Nights at Freddy’s Rave is the opening move, with four DJs starting at 7 PM and wrapping at 10. Animatronic bear costumes are optional but would fit right in. It’s all ages, $10 to $15, and no one is turned away for lack of funds. The address goes out by DM, so plan ahead.
Over at Sophia’s Thai Kitchen, DRC Creatives returns at 9 PM with jonnykachow and djgzang on the decks. No cover.
Friday, October 30: The Night Before
Davis-raised songwriter Nat Lefkoff, who has spent the fall on tour, shares a Halloween house show at Treehouse with Shower Breakfast. Lefkoff writes indie folk, and Shower Breakfast has been playing around Davis, Sacramento and San Francisco this year. The show is outdoors, so bring a blanket or a low-back chair, grab a slice of pizza, and maybe leave with a flash tattoo. It starts at 7 PM ($10, all ages).
At Root of Happiness Kava Bar, the Davis trio Big Sticky Mess plays funk with jazz and hip hop mixed in at 8 PM. It’s free, and the band suggests treating it as a dress rehearsal for Saturday’s costume. Also at 8 PM, Raveyard (the name says most of it) brings student DJs to The Domes at Baggins End on campus.
Saturday, October 31: The Main Event
Start in daylight. The 8th Annual Zombie Bike Parade Festival takes over Community Park at 11 AM and runs until 3 PM, with DJ Drip Drop, four students from the Da Vinci High School Music Club, spinning Halloween music all day. Bounce houses, food trucks and the skate park round it out, and it’s free, which makes it the easy pick for families and the undead alike.
Once it’s dark, Aggie Bats and KDVS host the Goth Gala at the Melon Ball, with three live bands and an opening DJ set from Ghoulie Julie. Costumes or goth wear are encouraged, though black clothes and a little eyeliner should get you through the door. It starts at 6:30 PM, costs $10 to $15 with no one turned away for lack of funds, and is open to all ages.
Fright Fest is the show that means it about costumes: they’re mandatory. Mia Soundz and Never Enough Sound pack five bands into one house show, with Porcelain Sun, Playground Insults, TV Static, First Name Basis and Charity Kiss. Doors open at 6 PM and music starts at 6:30. Tickets are $5 in advance or $10 at the door.
At 7:30 PM, digita1frequency hosts (freq)ween, a Halloween DJ party at a house with buck2tb, ttrippingdose and _1hexx sharing the lineup. Costumes are encouraged, and the plan is to dance until late. Tickets are $10.
For anyone still on their feet at 10 PM, DJs JM, Barcode and Adrian G play Halloween Night at G Street Wunderbar until 1 AM (21 and over).
More Things to Do on Halloween in Davis
Halloween events in Davis are still coming in, so check back on the Davis Music Guide calendar as the week goes on. If there’s a band playing your haunted house and it isn’t listed, add it through Submit an Event.
