The Pilot Light Halloween Show!

Since the first installment in 2002, our annual fundraiser/benefit show is one of the biggest, best times of the year! Over time it has moved around as it outgrew our humble walls, moving to larger spaces (big thanks to our friends Mill & Mine, Ironwood Studios, the Bijou Theatre, Fireproof, and others!)

It’s a rock-n-roll masquerade show with some of your favorite Pilot Light regulars putting together bands and dressing up to perform as your favorite stars on an impossible bill. It’s also the only time each year we book cover bands (well, sometimes we do it on April Fools’ Day too), so the emphasis is on bringing the best and most accurate presentation possible.

Want to perform? Get in touch with your idea at booking@thepilotlight.com . The slots are usually 20min / 5-song sets, with the headliner playing a little longer. One catch: once a band has been done for Halloween, it can never be repeated! Below is a list of artists who have already been done (if you notice anything missing, please get in touch.)

The show is always on Halloween Night, October 31st. This benefit show is a huge help to keep Pilot Light going, so please come out and support!

Previously on Halloween:
ABBA
AC/DC
Add N to (X) (2024)
Alabama (2022)
Asia
B-52s (2005)
Bauhaus (2022)
Beach Boys (2011)
Beastie Boys
The Beatles
Beck (2024)
Big Star (2023)
Billy Idol
Black Flag
Blondie
Blue Oyster Cult (2019)
Bob Dylan (2024)
Broadcast (2024)
Butthole Surfers 
Buzzcocks (2019)
The Cars (2013)
Cheap Trick (2009)
The Circle Jerks
The Clash
Concrete Blonde
Crazy Horse
Cream (2017)
Creation
Creedence Clearwater Revival
The Cure
Daft Punk (2022)
The Damned
Daniel Johnston
Dead Kennedys
Depeche Mode (2024)
Descendents
Devo (2004)
Dolly Parton
Dr. T and Electric Mayhem (2005)
Duran Duran (2008)
Echo and the Bunnymen
Elvis Costello (2017)
Eyehategod
The Fall (2021)
Flipper
The Frogs
Fugazi (2023)
Gary Numan
The Germs
The Go-Go’s
Green Day (2024)
The Gun Club
Hall and Oates
Heart (2025)
Hole (2023)
Huey Lewis and the News
Iggy & The Stooges
The Jazz Butcher (2017)
Jesus and Mary Chain
The Jesus Lizard
Jimmy Buffet (2023)
Johnny Thunders & The Heartbreakers
Joy Division
Judas Priest
The Kinks (2017)
Kraftwerk (2002)
Marilyn Manson (2017)
Mazzy Starr (2025)
MC5 (2021)
Melvins
Michael Jackson
Milli Vanilli
Minor Threat
The Minutemen
Misfits (2007)
The Monks (2022)
Motorhead
The Nerves (2019)
Neutral Milk Hotel (2025)
New Order
Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds (2019)
Nine Inch Nails (2025)
Nirvana (2008)
No Doubt (2025)
Notorious B.I.G. (2023)
OMD
Patsy Cline
Pavement
Peaches (2023)
Pink Floyd
Pixies
Plasmatics
Poison Idea (2008)
The Police (2023)
Queen
The Ramones
The Replacements (2022)
Roky Erickson (2016)
Roxy Music
Sam Cooke (2012)
Siouxsie and the Banshees (2009)
Sleep
The Smiths
Soft Cell
Sparks
Spinal Tap (2006)
The Strokes (2025)
Subhumans
Suicide (2021)
T-Rex
Television
Thin Lizzy
Tiny Tim (2021)
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers (2025)
Velvet Underground
The Ventures (2015)
Weezer
The White Stripes (2024)
Willie Nelson (2022)
Wipers
Wire
X
X-Ray Spex
The Zombies (2014)
ZZ Top

(updated Nov 10, 2024)

Coming up next



Tuesday June 2nd – 8pm $15
TÓMARÚM with GUDSFIRLADT, ANCIENT STORM, and STORM AND URGE

Wednesday June 3rd – 8pm $10
STAR FAMILY SINGERS with 20CATS and ZAC MILES

Thursday June 4th – 8pm $10
CORPSE DUST with NEW ROMANTICS and SPECTRAL BODY

Friday + Saturday June 5th + 6th – 11am/12pm $FREE
KNOXVILLE COMMUNITY MEDIA 50th ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION



Monday June 8th – 7pm $FREE
Out Series: Improvised music sets

Wednesday June 10th – 8pm $10
ROCK EUROPA with NIGHTJAR, RUN40, and HIGH HEAT

Thursday June 11th – 8pm $10
FLAT TIRED with THE ALTERNATES, WAY BELOW, and 20CATS

Saturday June 13th – 8pm $10
BLAKE WORTHINGTON STRING BAND with WILLOW & JESSE and MADDIE MCULLOUGH

Sunday June 14th – 8pm $10
FAST PREACHER with KATARA and MINTESSENCE

Monday June 15th – 7pm $FREE
Out Series: Improvised music sets
LATE SHOW- 9pm $10
STUNT GIRL with OUIJA 13 and DUCK BUTTER

Friday June 19th – 8pm $10
BOOK NOT BROOKE with ANTADIE and LOREM IPSUM DOLOR SIT AMET

Saturday June 20th – 8pm $10
SCORNUL with FKA ICE, OBSIDIAN URN, and ONCE MORE AGAIN

Sunday June 21st – 8pm $10
HIDAZE with LOVESHYNE and TOWER BROTHERS

Monday June 22nd – 8pm $12 advance / $15 day of show
DEAKIN with VIBRATOR
Get your Advance Tickets now!

Tuesday June 23rd – 8pm $10
86HOPE with NAUM, PSYCHIC BAOS, and LOWER INTERIORS

Thursday June 25th – 8pm $10
PURSER with ALISON SWAFFORD and CALLA BURKE

Friday June 26th – 8pm $10
DRUGSTORE LIPSTICK with GLAD I DIDN’T GET MY STUPID WISH and ANTADIE

Saturday June 27th – 8pm $10
THE CAROLYN with DOUBLE JOINTED and BAD IDOLS

— Advance notices —

Friday Aug 21st – 8pm $12 advance / $15 day of show
SPIKE HELLIS with AURAGRAPH and NEW ROMANTICS
Get your Advance Tickets now!

Thursday Sept 10th – 8pm $12 advance / $15 day of show
SHEARLING with TBA
Get your Advance Tickets now!

Sunday Oct 3rd – 8pm $20 advance / $25 day of show
POLKADOT CADAVER with BENEATH THE HOLLOW
Get your Advance Tickets now!