Madison’s foremost Halloween party is right around the corner, and we all know what that means: good music, jaw-dropping costumes and cops on horses. The city-sanctioned, ticketed Freakfest that replaced Madison’s wild and lawless Halloween affairs of yore has become the new normal, celebrating its 10th year on Saturday, Oct. 31.
But before you make your way through the crowd of Donald Trumps, Left Sharks and Taylor Swifts, it’s important to be prepared. Here is our list of five Freakfest must-sees.
GGOOLLDD
Capitol Stage, 9:30 p.m.
This glittery Milwaukee group does a nice job summing things up with their Facebook tagline: “GGOOLLD is awesome, if you’re into that sort of thing.” The electro-pop band exudes confidence on stage with a powerful live set. Massive synth hooks? They’ve got those. Choruses that would make Springsteen jealous? Those too.
MisterWives
Capitol Stage, 10:45 p.m.
Take Taylor Swift’s soaring vocals, pair them with Of Monsters and Men’s folky harmonies, throw in some disco grooves, and you’re getting close to the sound of this eclectic and energetic sextet. The New York City-based indie pop band formed just three years ago but has already gained a massive following, as evidenced by more than 100 million Spotify plays. While it’s easy to get caught up in the hype, MisterWives are in it for the long haul because they do what matters most — write great songs that are catchy as hell.
Me eN You
Frances Stage, 11 p.m.
This up-and-coming Madison collective’s lineup is ever changing, and their specially prepared Freakfest show is set to feature members of different musical communities coalescing for a “17-person effort.” The band fuses hip-hop, funk, soul and indie rock for a surprisingly fluid sound.
Chase Rice
Gilman Stage, midnight
Chase Rice is a man of the people. A dude’s dude, if you will. He recently tweeted:
You’ll find this laid-back, no-nonsense approach to life in the Floridian country singer’s tunes, where typical topics include driving cars, fishing and drinking beer with the boys. Rice doesn’t take himself too seriously, and it makes him one of the most refreshing, fun country acts in recent years. He will headline Freakfest’s first all-country stage.
The O’My’s
Frances Stage, 12:30 a.m.
There’s something about Chicago soul music. From Chaka Khan to Curtis Mayfield, our downstairs neighbors just get it. Building upon the city’s great musical tradition is the O’My’s, a group of remarkably talented 20-somethings who draw from familiar sounds — soul, blues and R&B — to create a world of their own. The band has shared stages with Chance the Rapper, Wyclef Jean and even Yo-Yo Ma, and earlier this year released a new EP, Keeping the Faith. It’s a powerful and emotional listen, due in no small part to singer Maceo Hymes’ mammoth voice.
