Halloween is so nice we’re doing it twice

The top gigs happening on Halloween weekend PLUS a salute to one of our fave venues, about to RIP.

Traditionally, the greatest holiday of all time is stacked with awesome things to do. This week, though, things are oddly a little quiet in the live music department as dance parties are occupying most of the venues. I was born with two left feet, so I’m a bit bummed but there are still some killer shows happening this week including one of the best third wave black metal bands to come down the pipe (who are oddly enough performing at a venue that is definitely off the beaten path) as well as the return of an ex- pat musician who epitomizes everything about Halloween.

Before I get to the top six shows of the week, I’d like to give a hearty thanks to Yannick and co. for putting in years of faithful services of providing a stage and adding so much passion to the scene with the amazing music venue Katacombes. The former bank will be closing its doors come the New Year due to rent price hikes and much needed renovations being ignored by their current landlord. The venue’s impact on the live music scene in Montreal is immeasurable and I wish them good luck and godspeed in any endeavour they undertake in the future.

Thursday: It seems Montreal has postponed Halloween by one day but somebody forgot to tell the ghouls at Turbo Haüs and la Vitrola. At Turbo Haüs you can catch Junkowl, Gutser, Dizastra, Junko Daydream and Bucky Harris. 2040 St-Denis, 8 p.m., $10/$5 with costume

For a good ol’ spooky-ooky time, make tracks to la Vitrola and catch the dark post-punk sounds of Persons Unknown with Perestroika and Sheintot. I don’t know if somebody is pulling the wool over my eyes but there is also something bearing the totally rad moniker of Boohaus opening. 4602 St-Laurent, 9 p.m., PWYC

My big pick of the week is this — but just barely as my love for the show on Saturday night at Brasserie Beaubien knows no bounds — one of Black Metal’s truly legendary bands 1349 will bring the evil at (get this) Piranha Bar with heavy as fug openers Uada and Cloak. To really fug up the nerds donning corpse paint, you should totally wear your furry costume to this one. 680 Ste-Catherine W., 7:30 p.m., $25/$28

Friday: The city of Montreal is asking you to celebrate Halloween a day late due to nasty weather (?) so if you’re smart you will make this a twofer Halloween and really get your spook on with one of Montreal’s greatest ex-pat performer Corpusse, who plays his annual gig in his hometown with his buds Tonnes, Bum, Nuppeppo and Brain Condom at the always rad venue Brasserie Beaubien. Fer realz, if you have never seen Corpusse before, you have to go to this as he is one of the best performers under the sun. 73 Beaubien E., 8:30 p.m., $12

A tribute to one of my favourite bands, Devo, is coming up the 401 from Toronto and should to be a real hoot: Are We Not Devo? We Are Not! bring the spud boy/spud girl vibe to l’Esco with opener Johnny Couteau. 4461 St-Denis, 9 p.m., $13.16

Finally, if you just want to show off your slutty costume and dance all night, you can check out an all too rare performance by Montreal’s best new wave cover band Tina Trons, who will shake and shimmy through two sets at Barfly. 4062A St-Laurent, 10 p.m., $7/$5 with a costume

Current Obsession: The Small Faces, self-titled

jonathan.cummins@gmail.com