“To be or not to be”… While Hamlet would be a pretty rad costume, I doubt your friends would recognize you as the esteemed prince and not the drunken, trust fund-sanctified ‘back-to-school’ conqueror (and who cares if they did?). But hey, don’t let that deter your dreams of impressing all your buds with a costume for the ages (or more appropriately, the weekend). Wanna ensure that your costume is a smashing success this All Hallows’ Eve? Here are some outfit inspiration ideas centered on everyone’s FAVE topic around here: music.
Robert Plant
Some say he’s the greatest front man to ever grace the stage; some say he should’ve worn more clothes (or should have at least covered some of that chest hair spillage). Either way, portraying Plant circa-1970 will undoubtedly raise eyebrows amidst of a gaggle of ghouls and gals. Now don’t go busting out off-key Led Zeppelin renditions to every poor soul within earshot, but if you have the physique to pull of this character of characters, we urge you to “Ramble On”!
Particulars:
Curly wig
Tight blue jeans
Necklace (think vintage)
Retro long sleeve shirt (unbuttoned, see below)
Chest hair (a must!)
Rick Astley
If you have ever been “Rickrolled” (which more or less includes every online user), you’re definitely familiar with the genuine ginger, Rick Astley. While his angelic sound never took off (screw you, Huey Lewis and the News), his presence lingers in our hearts and minds to this day. Part your hair and get ready to administer a little “rickrolling” yourself!
Particulars:
Red Wig
Blazer
Pleated Khaki pants
Colorful polo (horizontal stripes)
Amplified sound
TLC (T-Boz, Left Eye or Chilli)
In the endless pursuit for a suitable mate, so many took on the “No Scrubs” mantra, made popular by 90s RnB act TLC. When these three hit the scene, we didn’t know how to respond, but hoped they would show pity on us lesser beings. With spunk, charm and wit, they taught us not to compromise and to take charge of our own lives (cue the tears!). To immortalize their ever-influential career, grab a couple of sultry shirtless fellas and rock the original girl band style (sorry Destiny’s Child)!
Particulars:
Colorful sports bra (accentuated with sequins, glitter, etc.)
Baggy pants (see above)
Beauty accessories (hairspray, nail polish, etc.)
Stilettos (Pumps. In. The. Club.)
Okay, maybe our costume ideas aren’t the BEST you’ve ever heard, but we hope this at least kickstarts your costume creativity with a little musical musing. Now, go forth and pillage your neighborhood Goodwill/Salvation Army! We’ll leave you with some sounds that are sure to put your in the Halloween spirit…
Austin’s big musical hullabaloo, Austin City Limits Festival, is upon us. In a mere matter of days over 100,000 music lovers from all over the country will crowd into Zilker Park in the near 100 degree (or over) weather for the chance to see some of the most premier bands and artists around. It’s one big hot sweaty weird Austin mess, and is completely AWESOME.
Front Gate Tickets’ illustrious marketing department has put together their individual Top 5 Must-See artists for this year’s ACL Festival (in no particular order). Peruse, enjoy, GO SEE!
{ click on the artist’s name to see what day they play!)
Summer is the season for festivals, y’all… and BOY do we have a bunch of them going on right now! Kahbang Fest in Bangor, Maine just did it’s thing and was hugely successful in it’s third year. There are scads of stellar festivals set to kick off soon, and we want to give you the lowdown on all the summer fun!
If you’ve got blues on the brain, the only place to be at the end of this month is at Bluestock Fest in Hunter, NY. Such American blues greats as Robert Cray, Elvin Bishop, Tommy Castro, Shemekia Copeland and Buddy Guy will grace the stage, along with many others, in this three day humdinger of an event. You can buy tickets HERE.
The Houston Press is putting on a super fab new festival called BestFest. Kicking off on September 24th, this brand new event boasts acts such as Cake, Deer Tick, Bun B, Buxton, The Ton Tons and more. And it’s not all about music, BestFest will highlight the best restaurants, artists and musicians during the two day shindig. You can buy tickets HERE.
The 3rd Annual Taos Mountain Music Festival is a two-dayer, August 20th and 21st in stunning Taos, New Mexico. This event is the perfect chance to see artists like Matisyahu, Ozomatli, Afroman, Langhorne Slim and others. The Taos Ski Valley is the ideal venue for an outdoor music festival which sits on four acres of National Forest land and is surrounded by the towering Sangre de Cristo Mountains. You can buy tickets HERE.
Pensacola Beach’s DeLuna Fest will kick of the fall, from October 14th-16th. This is a not-miss, stunning with the likes of Jane’s Addiction, Weezer, The Shins, Cut Copy, Cold War Kids, Ghostland Observatory, The New Pornographers, Ladytron, Ra Ra Riot, Black Joe Lewis & the Honeybears and literally tons more. You can buy tickets HERE.
Austin City Limits Festivalis slated for September 16-18 here in Austin at Zilker Park. With acts like Arcade Fire, Kanye West, Stevie Wonder, My Morning Jacket, Fleet Foxes, Social Distortion, Big Boi, Foster the People, Fitz and the Tantrums, Wanda Jackson, Bomba Estereo, The Head and the Heart and more, I don’t know how ACL Fest WOULDN’T rock your proverbial socks off. You can buy tickets HERE.
Doheny Days is set on the idyllic Orange County Beach, frothy ocean waves lapping a the beach, the sunsets blazing perfectly overhead. The beach is also home to campgrounds, tidepools, volleyball courts and an educational interpretive center… guaranteeing a whoppin’ good time! See Ben Harper, Weezer, Ziggy Marley, Neon Trees, Black Uhuru, JJ Grey and Mofro and other great artists. You can buy tickets HERE.
Now’s your chance to soak up the last of summer, see some shows, guzzle some booze, eat some fried food and laze in the grass amid the sweet, sweet sounds of some of the best musical artists around!
Robert Plant
TLC (T-Boz, Left Eye or Chilli)