This week sees the return of what has become a beloved Halloween season tradition at the Northside Tavern. Every year, local musician Adam Stone enlists a variety of Cincinnati musicians to form makeshift "tribute bands" celebrating various iconic or cult favorite acts.
Last year, local artists paid tribute to everyone from The Who and The Mars Volta to Cake and Morphine. This week, the event extends into two nights. Dubbed "Season of the Witch," the festivities will begin at 8 p.m. Halloween night (Thursday) and then pick up again at 8 p.m. on Friday (Nov. 1).
The theme of this year's concerts is “female-fronted Halloween covers” — numerous local women are involved in the tributes and the artists being tributed are (almost) all women or women-guided bands.
Below is the schedule of tributes posted to the event's Facebook page, as well as which musicians are doing the tributing. Both shows are free; you must be 21 or older to attend. And, of course, costumes are encouraged (even on the non-Halloween night!).
Thursday, Oct. 31st
9 p.m. Avril Lavigne (featuring members of Wavelette, BERSHY, The Ophelias)
9:45 p.m. Beach House (Emily Ash, members of Slug Death)
10:30 p.m. The Cranberries (Molly Sullivan, members of Butt, The Guitars, Jess Lamb & the Factory)
11:15 p.m. Yeah Yeah Yeahs (Appaloosa, Sky Hank)
Midnight The Cardigans (Little Lights, Disaster Class, Bi, Quotah, Madqueen)
Friday, Nov. 1
9 p.m. Galaxie 500 (Slow Glows)
9:45 p.m. Joni Mitchell (Elsa Kennedy)
10:30 p.m. Amy Winehouse (Heavy Hinges, Mynah Tones)
11:15 p.m. Spice Girls (Freedom Nicole Moore & the Electric Moon)
Midnight Alanis Morisette (Madqueen, Young Heirlooms, The Everyday People Band, Bi)