last updated: Sunday, July 31, 2011
Epilogue
It's easy to see why Halloween has become such a tradition and ritual in basement concerts the last few years. For one, it's probably the best time for concerts during the calendar year. Concerts were never seen as scary endeavors, but something about October and the fact that scariness is in the air, adds a twist and imagination to concerts. It also gives the performers a chance to be extra creative during this time, and design playlists with the scary in mind.
But this year's edition will have added emotions to it, there is no doubt that in the background of the whole event will be the acknowledgement that this will be the final full-time Halloween event in concert history. And Halloween concerts have gotten to the point where they have gotten better each year, and 2009's version presumably will see the performers using everything they've learned about their Halloween concerts to this point. Some things have worked, other things have not in these formats. The performers know this. There's also that thin line between scary and entertaining during these Halloween shows that the performers must constantly balance. But what will also make 2009 unique is the fact that Halloween concerts will begin on the 1st. In the past, there would only be one single Halloween concert, held each Halloween night. While this made Halloween extra special, and even though these concerts were excellent, having a full month to conduct Halloween mastery would be more ideal, and frankly, more appropriate since this will be the final edition.
So what do we expect in this month-long Halloween phenomenon in basement concerts? We expect anything and everything. And it will be a growing month. We won't see all the eggs in the basket on the first night, but rather, like Andy did so wonderfully in the month of September, Halloween music should be and will be filtered in, delicately at first, and then grow from there. As a matter of fact, Andy has been on the Halloween wagon for a month already, and on October 1st, Gary will join him, and together they will plunge into the craziness and darkness that will be October 2009, the Halloween 2009 Concert Season. The finale will be held on a Saturday night, Halloween Night, in what will serve as the final goodbye to Halloween in the cellar forever. Embrace this month, never let the thought out of your mind that this is your final opportunity to be scary, be carefree, be rambunctious, be crazy, be dark, and be creative in the Halloween season.
Good luck to both performers and have a very happy and safe Halloween '09!