Cover songs once again dominated set lists from coast to coast this weekend as bands celebrated Halloween. As promised, moe. paid tribute to big hair and cheesy light shows with The Headbangers’ Left Ball: An Evening of Heavy moe.tal at the Aragon Ballroom in Chicago. The set list included classics such as Metallicas Enter Sandman, which opened the show, as well as Judas Priests Breaking the Law, Black Sabbaths Sweet Leaf and Motley Crues Shout the Devil. Appropriately, the members of moe. donned wigs, spandex and leather.
Meanwhile, Umpreys McGee took the stage at the Murat Centre in Indianapolis dressed as Egyptians: Brendan Bayliss as a mummy, Jake Cinninger as a pharaoh, Joel Cummins as Moses, Kris Myers as a prince, Ryan Stasik as a woman and Andy Farag as a peasant. The group also covered Metallica, by kicking off the second set with And Justice for All. Other bust-outs included Billy Idols White Wedding and Huey Lewis and the News Heart and Soul (surprisingly, the band opted not to cover the obvious Bangles song).
Over in Ohio, Derek Trucks sat in with ekoostik hookah at the Newport Music Hall in Columbus. Trucks added guitar to Through Hiker midway through the first set.
At New Yorks Madison Square Garden, Widespread Panic welcomed trumpeter Efrem Towns of the Dirty Dozen Brass Band. He joined in at the end of the first set for The Talking Heads Life During Wartime. The remaining members of DDBB came out in the second set for Love Is The Drug > Arleen > Coconut > The Time Warp. The setlist also included a Ramones medley, featuring Pet Sematary > Beat On The Brat > I Wanna Be Sedated.
Up the street at Irving Plaza, Particle paid homage to legendary 70s dance club Studio 54. The show included takes on Disco Inferno, Celebration, Jungle Boogie, Funky Town and of course, Stayin Alive.
A bit farther north, The Slip took the stage at The Paradise in Boston, churning out classic rock songs such as Led Zeppelins In The Light, The Beatles Happiness Is A Warm Gun, The Whos Baba O Riley and Ben E Kings Stand By Me.
Down at the Saenger Theater in New Orleans, Govt Mule was introduced as Raven Black Knight & The Pimps, (a play on Mules song Raven Black Night and Motown group Gladys Knight & the Pips) as Warren Haynes emerged dressed as a cop. Notable covers included the Adams Family Theme and the Munsters Theme, as well as Bob Marleys Lively Up Yourself, The Beatles Youve Got to Hide Your Love Away, David Crosbys Almost Cut My Hair and Neil Youngs Southern Man, the latter two with Chris Robinson and Paul Stacey of New Earth Mud. Guitarist Brian Stoltz (Neville Brothers, Funky Meters) also joined in for Out of the Rain to close the second set.