The week of all things Halloween is upon us. The parties and other sorts of spooky, fun shenanigans have already gotten underway, and there are many more to be had in the days to come. Among the most memorable events people look forward to every year are Halloween shows.
The week of all things Halloween is upon us. The parties and other sorts of spooky, fun shenanigans have already gotten underway, and there are many more to be had in the days to come. Among the most memorable events people look forward to every year are Halloween shows. Few things are as enjoyable as wearing costumes (some planned out and others not) while listening to local bands cover artists from years past. It is often a sweaty and joyous affair.
But Nightmare on Grace Street, which will be hosting a cassette release show through Pipeline Merch on Saturday, November 1 at Strange Matter, is offering a bit of variety by throwing out the cover songs and replacing them with original compositions. Nightmare on Grace Street is a music compilation featuring bands from around Virginia performing songs written specifically for the Halloween season.
Mark Golden, who initially started the project, and performs in The Green Hearts, Shangri-Lords, and Red Hot Lava Men, said the inspiration came from a Halloween compilation CD that was done years ago in Richmond. When the organizer of said compilation stopped releasing the CDs each year, Golden decided to take a stab at bringing it back to life.
“I was kinda resurrecting that idea,” Golden said. “Instead of people playing studio wizardry, one-man band kind of stuff, [we’d] get real bands to record.”
What Golden originally planned on doing was making a Christmas-themed compilation, but no one was interested at the time. It was a miscommunication that lead to the final Halloween release. Allison Apperson, who plays in Hot Lava, asked Golden if he was planning on releasing a Halloween compilation.
“I said, ‘No, it was actually a Christmas CD,” Golden said of his conversation with Apperson. “’But yeah, we could do a Halloween one.’ There’s a lot more interest in the Halloween thing than there was Christmas.”
Joining forces with Apperson and Kelly Queener, who plays in Peace Beast, the three began to search for bands who would want to perform on the release. The search, Golden said, was an easy one. “Between all of us, we had personal connections to every band that’s on there,” he said. “That came together really quick.”
Nightmare on Grace Street features bands such as Diamond Center, White Laces, and Hot Dolphin. Each song takes the listener on a ride through various Halloween themes and beyond, with references to pop-culture icons like Dr. Who, Gremlins, and even Resident Evil. The genres range from psychedelic folk and punk to power pop and garage rock, making it a collection of tunes everyone can enjoy.
And while there is the overarching Halloween theme, Golden said the bands were free to write whatever they wanted, making it more than a collection of novelty songs. “We didn’t place any parameters on it at all,” he said. “People came up with all sorts of stuff. There are a couple on there that are definitely Halloween, but there are a lot that would just just stand alone any time of year.”
Cassette tapes have grown in popularity over the last several years, due to a combination of 90’s nostalgia and cheap production costs. While Nightmare on Grace Street is being released on cassette, Golden said that wasn’t the initial goal–although the cost of duplication did play a factor in their decision to put it on cassette.
“The original plan… was to do just a digital-only [release],” he said. “Queener came up with the idea to do a cassette. They have had a revival recently, and you can do them fairly cheaply.” For those who don’t buy into the whole cassette revival, each copy comes with a digital download code for, depending on your point of view, a more convenient listening experience.
The Nightmare on Grace Street release show, taking place on Saturday, November 1 at Strange Matter, features Heavy Midgets, The Green Hearts, Peace Beast, Girl Choir, Grass Panther, and Kids Techno. Golden expects the show to be a fun time, and hopes to do similar compilations and shows in the future. “We plan on doing this again next year,” he said. “And now that it’s out, hopefully there will be other bands interested next year.”
Doors open at 9 and the show kicks off at 10. Admission is $8. The cassettes will be available for $5. And don’t forget to wear a costume for the occasion.
