Halloween in Brooklyn
by Lauren Beck
There are two kinds of people in the world: (1) Halloween people (2) non-Halloween people. Of the Halloween people, there are three types: (1) kids (2) well-adjusted adults who enjoy casual holiday fun (3) people who treat October 31 as their last night on earth. Those populating the latter category should find their way to The Autumn Bowl, a 19th-century industrial site on the Greenpoint waterfront that is hosting a series of audio-visual installations throughout the fall. On Halloween, it will morph into a macabre world where one-man metal-punk party Andrew W.K. is king. There is a chance that under his rule, you will fist-pump your way to your last dying breath.
Those falling into the relaxed pro-Halloween category have a more difficult choice to make: namely, subjecting themselves to the high-risk/high-reward scenario of circa-2012 Smashing Pumpkins at Barclays Center or going the safer route with a solid selection of local bands taking on the songs and personalities of indie heavyweights at Death by Audio’s annual Halloween covers show. On one hand, there’s a reasonable chance Billy Corgan will piss off an arena full of people with some ego-stroking antic; on the other, hearing Corgan seethe, “Disarm you with a smile” bleeds with such exceptional Halloween-appropriate eeriness, it’d be worth it. (The tour features the band’s 2012 album Oceania played in its entirety, plus classics and deep cuts.)
If you prefer to harbor your memories of the Smashing Pumpkins in a safe place, then stick to DBA’s nostalgia: Mr. Dream is set to transform their hard-edged rock into Siouxie & the Banshees’ high-gloss catalog; Sleepies will be taking on The Pixies; Acid Problem will be covering The Ramones; and Heaven’s Gate will be fronting as Joy Division.
For the non-Halloween people, your options are split between gorging on shrunken Snickers bars or economy-sized boxes of Junior Mints. You will die young without ever having really lived. Choose wisely.
UPDATE: In the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy, Andrew W.K.'s show at The Autumn Bowl has been canceled. Tickets can be refunded at the point of purchase. The Smashing Pumpkins' show at Barclays Center has been postponed. Ticket-holders are advised to keep their tickets and be on the lookout for a rescheduled date. In better news, the covers show at Death by Audio is a go, as is a medley of local bands playing the likes of Tom Petty, Fleetwood Mac, the Grateful Dead, The Replacements (and lots more) at Glasslands.
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