A few years back my whole group dressed as mimes. We even did the first set with no talking. It went over big!
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Halloween costumes for bands
- Thread starter Eric Moesle
- Start date
I use to play in a Halloween cover band, nothing but novelty monster music, called the Live Zombie Band. Dressed as Zombies. We had a whole stchick where we made a tape and played it throught the PA that zombies have seen in the vincinity of. (what ever club we were playing at) and to be on the look out for the unburied dead. Then we'd come ambling out from some hidden corner and hit the stage.
No, we don't do Monster Mash, it's the Mustang Sally of monster novelty music.
Another time we performed as Dead Elvis. The singer, who does a great Elvis, came out in his white jump suit and zombie make up. Oh yeah, he was caried on to the stage in a coffin.
A good time was had by all.
Andy
No, we don't do Monster Mash, it's the Mustang Sally of monster novelty music.
Another time we performed as Dead Elvis. The singer, who does a great Elvis, came out in his white jump suit and zombie make up. Oh yeah, he was caried on to the stage in a coffin.
A good time was had by all.
Andy
Well I know this could be concieved as Cheezy but I did an Halloween Show with a Band was in a few years ago call Dethecation. and we Dressed up as Famous Horror movies manics .. The drummer was Jason Vorhees, I was Leatherface, one Guitard was the Scream Ghost, the Lead Singer was Freddy Kruger and the other Guitard was Micheal Myers. Actually looked pretty cool
We did a cover of blurs "coffee and TV" and we all dressed up as milk bottles/cartons.. this is our drummer tryin to resolve a area for the gal to gain access 
We did a cover of blurs "coffee and TV" and we all dressed up as milk bottles/cartons.. this is our drummer tryin to resolve a area for the gal to gain access
Nice!
I loves Halloweeen gigs!
Just had a discussion with the lead singer. We are either going to do men of the cloth or medieval characters.
Dude! its obvious...dress up as john entwistle...who was dressed up as a skeleton! you'd get bassist + points
We did pirates for Halloween a couple of years ago... I actually got second place in the costume contest that night, and I didn't even know there WAS a costume contest!
And then we did a gig once in May around Prom season (not a Prom, though)... and we all dressed in tuxes, except the chick bassist, who wore a gown and Converse shoes. We called it "Rockin' on Prom Night." Oh, yeah, and none of us are anywhere near Prom age.
We did another show where we all wore suit jackets. That was fun, but not really a "costume" per se...
And then we did a gig once in May around Prom season (not a Prom, though)... and we all dressed in tuxes, except the chick bassist, who wore a gown and Converse shoes. We called it "Rockin' on Prom Night." Oh, yeah, and none of us are anywhere near Prom age.
We did another show where we all wore suit jackets. That was fun, but not really a "costume" per se...
In my opinion dressing up for a halloween show is iffy. Depends on the music. A band with "serious" in the description would look stupid. A cover band or something else would look good doing it.
I advise you against matching outfits- leave that for the Temptations.
I also advise you against all year round dressing up- that's a gimmick needed for music that is missing something (usually talent).
The closest i ever came to dressing up for a show was carving out a huge pumpkin from the bottom and wearing it over my head. It lasted about 10 seconds into the first song. That's also the night i found out i'm allergic to pumpkins! I watched the video the next day- it was embarrassing watching myself scratch my face every 30 seconds the entire set.
I advise you against matching outfits- leave that for the Temptations.
I also advise you against all year round dressing up- that's a gimmick needed for music that is missing something (usually talent).
The closest i ever came to dressing up for a show was carving out a huge pumpkin from the bottom and wearing it over my head. It lasted about 10 seconds into the first song. That's also the night i found out i'm allergic to pumpkins! I watched the video the next day- it was embarrassing watching myself scratch my face every 30 seconds the entire set.
Last year my group went as Blue Man Group
http://www.susanszoocrew.com/bluemen.php
We had a blast
Well, the guest percussion was a giant bunny but he didn't wear the costume very long soo.....
We already figured out half of this year's..... at least we figured out the guitarist and the singer LOL.
Our guidelines were...
NO masks
NO gloves
No heavy hot suit (i.e. bunny costumes)
I don't do the high heels thing so that's my own requirement...
Nothing that will scratch instruments
No staining stuff
Grease paint works great, it's just hard to not rub your face when sweaty. Long wigs don't work well cause they can get tangled in strings if they come in front of your shoulders. Ditto for long hair (I really gotta get a haircut!).
Keep in mind you have to be able to move.....breathe.......get your strap around your body.....etc. Oh, and make sure to wear something presentable underneath in case you have to disrobe.
http://www.susanszoocrew.com/bluemen.php
We had a blast
Well, the guest percussion was a giant bunny but he didn't wear the costume very long soo.....
We already figured out half of this year's..... at least we figured out the guitarist and the singer LOL.
Our guidelines were...
NO masks
NO gloves
No heavy hot suit (i.e. bunny costumes)
I don't do the high heels thing so that's my own requirement...
Nothing that will scratch instruments
No staining stuff
Grease paint works great, it's just hard to not rub your face when sweaty. Long wigs don't work well cause they can get tangled in strings if they come in front of your shoulders. Ditto for long hair (I really gotta get a haircut!).
Keep in mind you have to be able to move.....breathe.......get your strap around your body.....etc. Oh, and make sure to wear something presentable underneath in case you have to disrobe
.
Not always ...
Two bands come to mind.
Man or Astroman -- The whole band concept was that they were from outer space and they dressed accordingly. They were actually very good if you were into surf punk.
Captured by Robots -- The original bass player from the Blue Meanies built robots that he was able to control to play instruments (guitar, drums, bass, etc.) and the concept was that these robots from outerspace captured him and made him their slave. His costume was a bloody t-shirt with his entrails falling out. The theater of the show was pretty good, but robots didn't really play anything too interesting. It was mostly power chords.
So you can make it work, but you really have to go all out.
Some quick advice: don't do the ghost in a bedsheet thing. Don't get me wrong: most classic costume ever. But very hard to play, see through the eyeholes, etc.
On our Halloween gig, the band will dress as indians. The Chippendales are out of the question for us, since we have a female singer.
*visualises female singer in bow tie and no shirt*
Well, that's not that bad of an idea after all!
Hah, do share with the class.
Well you could go two ways with this.
1.The group could all do individual costumes and you end up with a crazy melange of characters- which I personally like.
Some of my bands previous combos:
Doctor Evil(me), Austin Powers, Nun, Freddy Krueger.
Milli Vanilli(me), Darth Maul, Frosty the Snowman, Knight.
Britney Spears(me), PowerPuff Girl, Ace Frehley, Mobster.
Dirty Sanchez(me-the best costume ever! You take your standard Spanish Cowboy outfit and add a rich, thick Hershey Syrup moustache... everyone at the gig wanted their picture with me- I shoulda charged!), Captain Kirk, Carl from Aqua Teen Hunger Force, a baby.
2.You can do the group theme.
Wizard of Oz
Gilligans Island
Munsters
Survivor(the band) and you could play "Eye of the Tiger" over and over!
1.The group could all do individual costumes and you end up with a crazy melange of characters- which I personally like.
Some of my bands previous combos:
Doctor Evil(me), Austin Powers, Nun, Freddy Krueger.
Milli Vanilli(me), Darth Maul, Frosty the Snowman, Knight.
Britney Spears(me), PowerPuff Girl, Ace Frehley, Mobster.
Dirty Sanchez(me-the best costume ever! You take your standard Spanish Cowboy outfit and add a rich, thick Hershey Syrup moustache... everyone at the gig wanted their picture with me- I shoulda charged!), Captain Kirk, Carl from Aqua Teen Hunger Force, a baby.
2.You can do the group theme.
Wizard of Oz
Gilligans Island
Munsters
Survivor(the band) and you could play "Eye of the Tiger" over and over!
good point, Alice Cooper put on a great show a few years ago when i saw him. But all the other stuff- when i see someone in costume coming out on the stage i instantly head for the bar.
There is an old mansion that my friend owns close by and every year on Halloween we have free shows there. Usually the bands work on themes. One year my band dressed up the like Misfits and did all Misfits cover songs. Last year one of the bands did the Pixies and another just went for the 80s Hair band theme and played all those wonderfully cheesy 80s metal tunes. Kinda cheesy, but people love it.
