Halloween is one of the greatest party nights of the year, and it’s a great opportunity for any act who wants to put on a live music performance. There are chances aplenty, and it largely comes down to doing some legwork ahead of time.

Booking A Great Live Music Performance On Halloween

1 – Brush Up On The Classics

Halloween audiences are going to expect appropriate music, just like other holiday gigs. Even if you want to do a standard set, spice it up with a few classic Halloween tunes like “Monster Mash” and “Thriller,” or covers from bands known for their love of spooky things.

(In my personal opinion, there’s no better opener for a Halloween gig than Oingo Boingo’s classic Dead Man’s Party…)

2 – Set Your Sights

How big are you trying to go? If all you really want is a gig for beer money at someone’s party, you probably already know a few people planning one. Ask around and find out who might want a bit of live entertainment. Remember: putting on a killer show for 50 people leads to bigger gigs.

3 – Contact Local Promoters

With all the Halloween activities in an area, there are going to be promoters looking to fill plenty of gigs. Call around to any promoters you know and see what sort of inquiries they’ve had. If you’re not having much luck, just make it clear you’ll be available on October 30-31 if they need you.

4 – Throw Your Own Party

If you’ve got enough fans, why bother with someone else’s gig?  Create your own party and invite fans online to come help. If you happen to have some woods nearby–far away from noise regulations–you’ve got the beginnings of a truly legendary Halloween bash. (Maybe it could become a tradition…)

Keep Looking For Opportunities

You need every live music performance you can find, if you’re going to make it as an indie band. Keep leveraging those contacts and do some networking so you can land prime gigs for the holidays!

So, what’s the best Halloween show you’ve ever seen?