Fright Nights

Life's been pretty damn scary lately. Between the double-fisted drama of the über-contentious race for the White House and the roller coaster stock market, we've been hoping this is all just some titanically bad nightmare everyone's gonna wake up from. Needless to say, some letting loose is most definitely in order, and Halloween is gonna provide us plenty of opportunities. The annual celebration of All Hallows Eve is always big-time, with a slew of scary celebrations and freak-filled fests happening around the Valley. What follows is our annual compilation of the more fabbo and fantastic fetes, going down from Thursday, October 30, until Saturday, November 1. To wit: If you wanna hang with celebs and glitterati, check out Scottsdale's Ghost Ball. Gotta get your groove on? Try bumping your hump at Coach & Willie's. Break out your best costumes (we hear The Joker from The Dark Knight's gonna be huge this year) and get ready to scare up a good time.

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 30

SPECIAL EVENTS

The Clubhouse Music Venue
1320 E. Broadway Rd., Tempe
www.clubhousegigs.com
The five members of Suicide Silence will unleash their ferocious grindcore sound. Emmure, Beneath the Massacre, After The Burial, and Architects are also on the bill. 7 p.m. $15. Call 480-968-3238.

Marquee Theatre
730 N. Mill Ave., Tempe
www.luckymanonline.com
Danish rockabilly superstars HorrorPops visit the Valley with support from Beat Union, and 7 Shot Screamers. 6:30 p.m. $16. Call 480-829-0707.

Phoenix Little Theatre
100 E. McDowell Rd.
www.phoenixtheatre.com
Scorpius Dance Theatre presents A Vampire Tale, a captivatingly lurid production concerning the dark seduction of an innocent young woman into the shadowy underworld of the undead by a "motley crew of bloodsuckers." 8 p.m. $20 (with a $5 discount for those in vampire costume). Runs through November 8. Call 602-254-2151.

Trunk Space
1506 Grand Ave.
www.thetrunkspace.com
Get groovy with gypsy jazz from Opa Culpa, polka by Haunted Cologne, and acoustic music from Daryl Scairiot. 7 p.m. $8. Call 602-256-6006.

BARS & CLUBS

The Blooze Bar
12014 N. 32nd St.
www.thebloozebar.com
Rockabilly Halloween show featuring Hillbilly Hellcats, DJ El Weedo, vintage hot rods, and more. 9 p.m. Call 602-788-4574.

Chasers Bar & Nightclub
8005 E. Roosevelt St., Scottsdale
www.chaserslive.com
evil's Night Costume Bash with music from A Few Random Drunks, The Elders UK, Dimonet, R.A.G.I.D., and more. 9 p.m.-2 a.m. $5. Call 480-945-4985.

e4
4282 N. Drinkwater Blvd., Scottsdale
www.e4-az.com
Twice as Nice Halloween Bash featuring DJ Breez on the decks and a sexy costume contest with $500 cash prizes. 10 p.m.-2 a.m. $10. Call 480-970-3325.

Rhythm Room
1019 E. Indian School Rd.
www.rhythmroom.com
Sonorous performs spooky old-timey tunes and Black Sabbath covers, with support from Voodoo Organist and Cascabel. 8 p.m.-2 a.m. $8. Call 602-265-4842.

The Rogue Bar
423 N. Scottsdale Rd., Scottsdale
www.myspace.com/theroguebar
The Nightmare Before Halloween with music from The Strand, Treasure Mammal, The Unfamiliar, and Talk Fiction. 8:30 p.m.-2 a.m. $5. Call 480-947-3580.

Rogue West
3593 W. Northern Ave.
www.myspace.com/roguewest
Psychobilly bands The Koffin Kats, and Buried in Red perform. 9 p.m.-2 a.m.

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 31

SPECIAL EVENTS

Alwun House
1204 E. Roosevelt St.
www.alwunhouse.org
The annual Monsters Ball Halloween Fundraiser and Costume Party features readings of Edgar Allan Poe's writings by Planet Poe Players, DJs, performance artists, dancing, cabaret and burlesque, complimentary hors d'oeuvres, a no-host bar, and more. 21 and over only. 7 p.m.-1 a.m. $10 in advance, $13 at the door. While there, enjoy the annual "Monster's Menagerie" group exhibit, consisting of "evil, satirical, edgy, dangerous, otherworldly, and fantasy" works of art. Call 602-253-7887.

Biltmore Fashion Park
24th St. & Camelback Rd.
The "Movies in the Park" series screens the 1960 Hitchcock classic Psycho. 7:30 p.m. Free. Call 602-955-1963.

Chandler Cinemas
2140 N. Arizona Ave., Chandler
Broadway Bound & Gagged, the local troupe of Rocky Horror Picture Show shadow-casters, will present two performances of the cult classic on Friday and Saturday, each featuring "virgin sacrifices," games, costume contests, and surprises. Not recommended for those under 17 without adult accompaniment. 8 and 11 p.m. $7. Call 602-502-8421 or visit www.azrocky.com.

The Clubhouse Music Venue
1320 E. Broadway Rd., Tempe
www.clubhousegigs.com
The hip-hop artists of The Mighty Underdogs and Zion I are scheduled to perform. 9:30 p.m. $18. Call 480-968-3238 or visit um.ducatking.com.

Craftsman Court Massacre
Craftsman Ct. between 3rd & 5th Avenues, Scottsdale
Dos Gringos and ACME Bar & Grill team up to provide a horrific Halloween-night extravaganza and block party featuring haunted houses, DJ Switch and DJ Design blasting out the jams, $3 SoCo and Bud Lights, and more. 8 p.m. Call 480-423-3800.

The Dagger Deathrace II
www.thedaggerzone.com
The second annual Halloween night "alleycat" is part bike race and part scavenger hunt, with cyclists cruising on Valley streets and participating in kooky and spooky tasks. Top finishers take home prizes from such sponsors as Sabre Sunglasses, Vans, F.B.M., and Dong Bong. E-mail daggersdeathrace@hotmail.com or visit the website the day of the event for starting time and location.

District Stage at Tempe Marketplace
2000 E. Rio Salado Pkwy., Tempe
Rolling Rock Halloween Bash with performances by rockers Hoobastank and Saving Abel. 8 p.m. Call 480-966-9338.