Wizard of Oz Party
Oct. 31, 9:30 p.m.
Atwood’s Tavern
877 Cambridge St., Cambridge
$5, 21+, 617-864-2792
www.atwoodstavern.com
Bow Thayer and his band Perfect Trainwreck will rock your Sunday night away at Atwood’s. Their agreeable folk/country/rock sound seems sufficiently Kansan to fit with the “Wizard of Oz” costume theme. If it turns from black and white to color a third of the way through the evening, you’ll know you’ve had too much to drink.
The Guys as Girls
Oct. 30, 7 p.m.
Church
69 Kilmarnock St., Boston
$12, 21+, 617-236-7600
www.churchofboston.com
Four all-male bands will dress in drag as they cover Britney Spears (The Hot Protestants), the Go-Go’s (the Luxury), Lady Gaga (Midatlantic) and, saving the queen for last, Madonna (the Lights Out). There’s also a costume party where you get to dress as your favorite rock star or band. Men, we suggest you continue the drag theme and dress up as a girl rocker. It’s ballsier.
Mayhem and Madness Halloween Bash
Oct. 30, 8 p.m.
McGann’s
197 Portland St., Boston
$50, 21+, 617-227-4059
www.bostonypa.com
In addition to the standard costume contest, this party includes loads of candy to satiate the latent trick-or-treater within, as well as psychic readings for the first two hours. What kinds of shockingly common-place things will they know about your private life?
Great Pumpkin Festival
Oct. 30, 4 p.m. to 1 a.m.
Cambridge Brewing Company
One Kendall Sq., Cambridge
$10, 21+, 617-494-1994
www.cambridgebrewing.org
You’d better like pumpkins for this one! The CBC will feature eight pumpkin-flavored ales, plus another 18 guest brews and pumpkin-flavored food as well. They also promise “Giant pumpkins, costumes and other assorted spookiness.” Those awaiting the Great Pump-kin will be disappointed, as goes the tradition.
Sherman Burns Halloween Party
Oct. 31, 8 p.m.
Middle East Upstairs
480 Mass. Ave. Cambridge
$12, 18+, 617-864-3278
www.rockonconcerts.com
This one features rock bands with some awesome names: 18 Wheels of Justice, Manwithahorn and Dead Cats Dead Rats. All sounds pretty intense, huh? Also, enjoy a sure-to-be saucy performance from the Dirty Dishes Burlesque Review, who, despite the season, tend to be more concerned with taking off costumes than putting them on. The best costume gets $100.
