123 Pleasant Street to host Halloween party

Halloween may fall on Oct. 31, but the celebration for the month’s spookiest night lasts longer than one week. Many people love the fun and excitement Halloween brings, and leaving the festivities to just one day of costumes and partying simply isn’t enough.

If you fall into this category of Halloween-adoring folk, Friday will be a "Night of the Dancing Dead" with Surgeon General’s Warning and 600LBS of Sin! at 123 Pleasant Street.

The night promises to be an evening of great music and dancing, and the venue will also feature a contest for the best costume.

Surgeon General’s Warning, a Morgantown blues/hard rock band, is thrilled to perform for the night’s eager patrons, and the group is pulling out all the stops to ensure the event will be a night to remember.

"We’re decorating 123 with a haunted house theme all the way: black lights, spider webs and such," said Tommy Bailey, bassist/vocalist for the group. "Also, we are dressing as zombies when we play. People can expect a jam-band dance party all night, with a costume contest, as well."

In addition to the enthralling visual spectacle, Surgeon General’s Warning boasts a musical proficiency matched by few in the local music scene.

Led by guitarist Chris Jones’ shredding licks and Travis Klein’s tasteful soul on saxophone, Surgeon General’s Warning’s musicianship is hard to top.

"Our guitarist and sax player are musically intellectual virtuosos," Bailey said. "Not to downplay other local talent around, but you don’t hear the level of musicianship with other acts, normally."

With natural talent oozing from the group, Bailey said they do everything they can to make sure such skills are highlighted.

"We also have a part we’re working into our set where every one of us is banging on drums at the front of the stage while Jim (Bailey) does a drum solo over it," Bailey said. "We’re doing everything we can to make it as exciting as possible."

Also taking the stage Friday night are 123 Pleasant Street veterans 600LBS of Sin!

Formed in 2009, the group has toured the region regularly since its inception, filling many of Wet Virginia’s stages with their mixture of honky-tonk, reggae, southern rock, bluegrass, folk and blues.

They have opened for many great artists including Larry Keel & Natural Bridge, Donna the Buffalo, and Yellow Dubmarine.

"I’m very excited about Friday’s show," said Libby Eddy, singer/fiddle player of 600LBS of Sin! "The electricity of Halloween will still be in the air. People should expect to show up and groove all night."

People are encouraged to dress in their most creative costumes for their chance to claim "best costume" honors, and concertgoers are expected to show up planning to party.

"We’re trying to make it as crazy as possible, so people should expect this to be the Halloween party for Friday," Bailey said.

You must be 18 years old to enter.

The show starts at 10 p.m., and there will be a $7 cover charge.