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10 Memorable Musical Costumes from the Past Decade

Relix favorites have long been known to show off their musical talent by tackling another artist’s song, and Halloween provides these bands with an opportunity to take the cover to a whole new level. Many bands cover an entire album from start to finish on All Hallow’s Eve while some opt to play songs that fit into a musical theme. It is a great opportunity to get creative, stretch the limits on the ‘jamband’ genre and give fans an unexpected treat. We have limited this list to only musical costumes performed on Halloween since 2000 and those shows with coherent musical themes.

1. Phish, Indio, California, Halloween 2009 The Rolling Stones’ Exile on Main Street

Keeping with a much-loved Halloween tradition, Phish chose to the Rolling Stones’ Exile on Main Street from a list of 99 potential albums as their Halloween “costume” at Festival 8 in 2009. Four of the album’s tracks were played onstage for the first time ever: “Soul Survivor,” “Casino Boogie,” “Turd on the Run,” and “Let it Loose.” Sharon Jones and three horn players (one of whom is a Dap King) backed the band, adding a large dose of swampy blues to the set. Both Anastasio and Gordon have noted that the Rolling Stones had a great influence on the band during its formative years.

2. The Disco Biscuits, Eugene, Oregon, Halloween 2001 Walt Disney’s Alice in Wonderland

While the Disco Biscuits haven’t donned a music costume, per se, Halloween 2001 gave the band the opportunity to perform a themed set. Albeit, it was a jammed out and highly improvised take on Walt Disney’s score from Alice in Wonderland, but it was an hour and fifteen minute tour down through the rabbit hole. The Biscuits also performed tracks from Disney’s Fantasia in Halloween 2007. Download here

3. Gov’t Mule, St. Paul, Minnesota, Halloween 2007 Led Zeppelin’s Houses of the Holy

Led Zeppelin is an obvious influence on Gov’t Mule, and the band paid tribute to the British rock stars by performing the 1973 album Houses of the Holy from cover to cover. Following a set of Mule tunes, former Black Crowes guitarist Audley Freed joined Mule for the second Zeppelin set. Though Warren Haynes’ voice is deeper than Plant’s, the Caribbean-flavored “D’Yer Mak’er” and heavy blues riffs of “The Ocean” and “Over the Hills and Far Away” fit well into Mule’s sound.

4. moe., Nashville, Tennessee, Halloween 2004 A Salute to the Grand Ole Opry

In keeping with Halloween tribute shows (like 2003’s tribute to “Heavy moe.tal”), moe. billed its Halloween show in Nashville “A Salute to the Grand Ole Opry.” The show included two sets of acoustic originals and covers, Nashville-style, and a third set that was straight up electric moe. The band covered artists like the Carter Family (“Will The Circle Be Unbroken”), Steve Earle (“Seven Bridges Road”), Gram Parsons (“Six Days on the Road”), Hank Williams, Sr. (“Hey Good Lookin’”), Johnny Cash (“One Piece at a Time”), Willie Nelson (“On The Road Again”), and a slew of other artists as well as traditional tunes. Download here

5. Perpetual Groove, Richmond, Virginia, Halloween 2009 A John Hughes Variety Show

The members of Perpetual Groove, who are all self-professed film buffs, use Halloween as an opportunity to celebrate a particular film each year. In 2009, as a tribute to filmmaker John Hughes who passed away several months prior, Perpetual Groove performed songs from the classic coming-of-age films. PGroove covered songs like “Music for a Found Harmonium” (from 1988’s She’s Having a Baby), “Oh Yeah” and “Twist and Shout” (from 1986’s Ferris Bueller’s Day Off) and “Don’t You (Forget About Me)” (from 1985’s The Breakfast Club), among others. This year, their Halloween show has been billed as “PERPle Rain,” so concert-goers can expect Prince songs and lots of glitter, according to the band. Download here