THURSDAY-FRIDAY OCTOBER 29-30
Damned II
THE ART OF DEPRAVITY
Local and international artists — 140 of them — including Swiss surrealist HR Giger and Marilyn Manson are featured in Damned II: An Exhibition of Enlightened Darkness. More than 200 works explore the depraved and disturbing depths of the human soul, promising to captivate or repulse, intrigue or disgust. The exhibit begins Thursday at 7 p.m. with a VIP reception and absinthe tasting. The exhibit opens to the public at 9 p.m. and features performances by Satori Circus, Warrior Girl, the Detroit Flyhouse and Miss Pussykatt and the Devil Dolls, along with live music by Hayley Jane. On Friday, Damned hosts an optional six-course aphrodisiac dinner, featuring baked oysters, pan-seared duck breast and other delicacies that get the libido pumping. Dinner is followed by a formal masquerade ball featuring San Francisco musician Jill Tracy, who weds old-style cabaret with a gothic aesthetic. Dinner tickets are $49 and must be reserved in advance; formal attire including a mask (think darkly glamorous, not novelty Batman) is required for the ball. Dinner is at 6:30 p.m., the ball at 9 p.m. at the Tangent Gallery/Hastings Street Ballroom, 715 Milwaukee St., Detroit; for specifics on tickets, which range from $6.66 to $33, visit thatdamnedshow.com.
FRIDAY OCTOBER 30
Mystique Masquerade
DECKED-OUT DECADENCE
The Music Hall gets a seductively palatial makeover for the Mystique Masquerade, a masquerade ball which benefits the inimitable art programming and educational endeavors of the Music Hall. With an atmosphere inspired by the lavishness and glamour of everything from the court of Marie Antoinette to The Phantom of the Opera, Mystique features cuisine from restaurants that include Vicente's, Mosaic and Grille 24; music from Bump, the Nice Band, Crowned Heads of Rhythm and more; and entertainment running the gamut from Lily LaRue's burlesque routines to tarot card readings. At 7 p.m. at the Music Hall Center for the Performing Arts, 350 Madison Ave., Detroit; 313-887-8850; maskme.org; tickets are $65 advance, $85 day of. VIP tickets, which include access to two private areas with special performances and premium open bars, are $200.
FRIDAY-SUNDAY OCTOBER 30-NOVEMBER 1
The Hot Mess Chronicles
ONSTAGE ANTICS
In lieu of its annual performances of Night of the Living Dead: The Musical, the Abreact crew has cooked up a special Halloween treat for its loyal fans. The Hot Mess Chronicles features four original plays described as being in the style of The Twilight Zone or Creepshow. The intriguingly titled lineup features Varken's BLT, The Devil Went Down to Taylor, Pumpkin Love and Night of the Living Abreact: The Show that Wouldn't Die — all works sure to provide chuckles and goose-bumps. At 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday, 5 p.m. Sunday at the Abreact Performance Space, 1301 W. Lafayette Blvd., Detroit; 313-378-5405; theabreact.com; additional performances on Nov. 6 and 7.
SATURDAY OCTOBER 31
Creepy Cheapy Halloween Treat II
PARTY YOUR COSTUME OFF!
Wolfman Mac hosts the second installment of the Crofoot's Creepy Cheapy Halloween Treat, which features the popular seasonal gimmick of local bands performing as their musical heroes. The bill includes Prussia performing as the Velvet Underground, Childbite as Rage Against the Machine, Allan James and the Cold Wave as Weezer, Silverghost as Devo, Marco Polio and the New Vaccines as the Yeah, Yeah, Yeahs, and more. For a mere $5 you get all this and free candy. Score! At 8 p.m. at the Crofoot, 1 S. Saginaw St., Pontiac; 248-858-9333; thecrofoot.com.
SATURDAY-SUNDAY OCTOBER 31-NOVEMBER 1
Pilobolus
SHAPE SHIFTERS
Pilobolus is a modern dance company that performs a startling combination of dance, gymnastics and athleticism. Its style is characterized by the way the dancers' bodies interact during performances — combining and connecting to form shapes that fluidly transform as if the dancers were a single organism. Throw in the group's penchant for incorporating bawdy humor into its act, and it's no wonder that Pilobolus has achieved a level of visibility — from an appearance on Oprah to performing at the Academy Awards — uncommon for most dance troupes. Since its creation in 1971, the group has maintained an egalitarian approach to choreography, creating dances through improvisation and collaboration. Pilobolus performs at 7:30 p.m. Saturday and 2:30 p.m. Sunday at the Detroit Opera House, 1526 Broadway St., Detroit; 313-237-SING; michiganopera.org; $29-$76.
SATURDAY OCTOBER 31
You're Gonna Die!
DANCE YOUR LIFE AWAY
A Halloween dance party of epic proportions, You're Gonna Die! features music, a costume contest with prizes going to both the best and worst attired, and of course, plenty of the undead mucking up the dance floor with blood, sweat and gore. Tunes are provided by the Wolfman Band and the DJ crews of Macho City and Disco/Secret, including Mike Trombly, Mike Kearns, Tommy Ferrera and Scott Zacharias. The party begins at 8 p.m. and wraps up at 2 a.m., with an extra hour thrown in thanks to Daylight Savings, at the Museum of Contemporary Art Detroit; 4454 Woodward Ave., Detroit; 313-832-6622; mocadetroit.org; tickets are $8 in advance, $10 at the door with costume, $20 without.
SUNDAY NOVEMBER 1
The Body Music Mini-Festival
SLAP HAPPY
Keith Terry brings his body music expertise to Ann Arbor for a series of workshops and performances. Terry started out his musical career as a percussionist until realizing that many of the same sounds elicited from the drum could be created by using his body. The resulting stomps, claps, snaps, coughs, slaps and skips create an unorthodox percussive noise that is part music and part performance art. Last year, Terry produced the first Body Music Festival which showcased artists from all over the world. As part of his tireless commitment to educating the masses about the multicultural traditions of body music, Terry presents a scaled down version of the fest featuring national, regional and local groups. The day ends with an open mic session so attendees can take a stab (or rather, a slap) at the techniques they just watched. The free mini-festival takes place from 1 to 5 p.m. at the Pendleton Room of the Michigan Union, 530 S. State St., Ann Arbor. Terry also performs with his Slammin All Body Band Friday Nov. 6 at 7 p.m. at Hill Auditorium, 825 N. University, Ann Arbor. Tickets are $10, available by calling 734-764-2538.
MONDAY NOVEMBER 2
The Potions
A DILLY OF A SHOW
Alright, this is an unusual bill. It's a showcase of tunesmiths under sponsorship that makes the title a tongue-twister: Perkins Pickles Presents the Potions. Taking their slightly deranged cue from rock and country, the Potions, composed of local yokels such as Phil Salatrik, Matt Hartigan and Richie Wohlfiel, will be joined by Cashman of Nashville, playing its own brand of outlaw blues. And Dale Beavers and Andrew Gyorke will perform as the Dodge Brothers. As for that sponsorship, yes, there will be pickles, and maybe even a guy dressed up as a big crunchy one. At $5, the price won't sour you, and you should have enough change left over to get, um, pickled. Show starts at 9 p.m. at the Painted Lady, 2930 Jacob St., Hamtramck; 313-874-2991.
ONGOING
Square Blue Residue
BIRD'S EYE VIEW
The paintings of artist Dennis Hayes IV feature birds in surreal, geometrical landscapes. While the works — which are made almost solely from salvaged wood and paint — draw inspiration from the classical nature paintings of John James Audubon, they also include references to modern science, exploring how nature and science intersect in contemporary life. Hayes draws attention to the irony that exists in the fact that in their quest to understand nature, people often adversely affect it. Hayes' first solo exhibit in Detroit, Square Blue Residue includes paintings, prints and installations, and is on display through Nov. 7 at Re:View Contemporary Gallery, 444 W. Willis St., unit 111, Detroit; 313-833-9000; reviewcontemporary.com.
