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

Saturday Nov 22nd – 8pm $10
HANDS PLEASE, BOB MONDAY, RIGOR TORTOISE, and VERY VERY HOT EVIL

Monday Nov 24th – 7pm $FREE
Out Series: Improvised music sets

Wednesday Nov 26th – 8pm $10
WILL HICKS with CONSENSUAL PISS and PALATHEDA

Friday Nov 28th – 8pm $10
EVERYHOURSUN with LOWER INTERIORS, CALLA BURKE, and BREAKUP PRINCESS

Saturday Nov 29th – 8pm $10
ANALOG KID with SEISMIC SUTRA and JUDE MAUK

Sunday Nov 30th – 8pm $10
PSYCLOPS with ROMAN GABRIEL TODD, CUMSHOT WOUND, and TRUCKSTOP DICKPILL

Monday Dec 1st – 7pm $FREE
Out Series: Improvised music sets

Tuesday Dec 2nd – 8pm $10
I’VE NEVER BEEN HERE BEFORE with ANTADIE, GLAD I DIDN’T GET MY STUPID WISH, KNIFE EDGE DEATH MATCH, and MORNING DEW

Wednesday Dec 3rd – 8pm $10
DISINTEGRATION with SLUGG, GLAVER, and WAGE WORKER

Friday Dec 5th – 8pm $10
PET DEGREE with NIGHTJAR and MEOB

Saturday Dec 6th – 8pm $10
EL MANTIS with MAL NOMBRE and VILLAPHONIC

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

Friday Dec 12th – 8pm $10
BURSTERS with ESCORT MISSION and RAUNCHER

Saturday Dec 13th – 8pm $10
NEW ROMANTICS album release! With FKA ICE and SHRUDD

Monday Dec 15th – 7pm $FREE
Out Series: Improvised music sets

Thursday Dec 18th – 8pm $10
GLOBAL ABACUS SUPPLY

Friday Dec 19th – 8pm $10
DECIDE TODAY with LEBENTROPIC and RECOVERED MEDIA

Saturday Dec 20th – 8pm $10
ACADEMY ORDER with TEARS OF THE DYING and ATTIC EYES

Sunday Dec 21st – 8pm $10
BEN GARNETT TRIO with JOSEPH ALLRED

Monday Dec 22nd – 7pm $FREE
Out Series: Improvised music sets

Tuesday Dec 23rd – 8pm
STEAKS Holiday Party – more info TBA

Saturday Dec 27th -8pm $10
JOHN SILVER IV with BAD IDOLS and BONES IN THE MUSEUM

Sunday Dec 28th – 8pm $10
PSYCHIC LIGHTS with EAT’N’OUT

Monday Dec 29th – 7pm $FREE
Out Series: Improvised music sets

Wednesday Dec 31st
Come to our NEW YEAR’S EVE PARTY at Barley’s!

Thursday Jan 1st – 7pm $FREE
Annual New Year’s Day potluck

— Advance notices —

Tuesday Jan 27th – 8pm $20
JON SPENCER
Get your Advance Tickets now!