Halloween weekend show roundup

Chicago music fans have no excuse to stay at home this Halloween. Not only does the holiday fall on a weekend this year, but the Windy City is once again offering up plenty of excellent shows to check out. Below is a roundup of promising selections for both Friday and Saturday night to help make sure your Halloween rocks. If you're heading to a show not listed, be sure to leave a comment with the details.

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 30

Double Door (1572 N. Milwaukee)
In keeping with its annual tradition, the Wicker Park club will serve up another batch of Chicago-based acts performing as other bands. On the roster this year are Black Angus as Black Sabbath, The Midnight Shows as Huey Lewis and the News, Catfish Haven as Nirvana, Viceroy as Cheap Trick, Blackbox as Snoop Dogg and Hobo and the Boxcar as the White Stripes.

Doors 7 p.m., show 8 p.m., $12. More info and tickets.

Abbey Pub (3420 W. Grace)
While the Double Door has only one night of Halloween extravaganza this year, the Abbey Pub will offer two, kicking off Friday night with six bands masquerading as some excellent acts. The lineup: Penthouse Sweets as The Sex Pistols, Pleezer as Weezer, Broken China as the Bangles, Phil Angotti as Squeeze, Chris Dorf and friends as R.E.M. and Benge & Short as Elvis Costello and Nick Lowe.

Doors 8 p.m., show 8:45 p.m., $10 advance, $12 at door, 21 and over. More info and tickets.

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 31

Carmichael's Warehouse (1052 W. Monroe)
No, this isn't a new music venue. It's a 9,000 square foot warehouse in the West Loop that will hold XPLO Massacre, a Halloween art and music festival featuring 10 Chicago bands and 100 visual artists. The bands include Midstates & the Choir of Ghosts as Pulp, Darling as ELO, Word and Number as Aphex Twin, Panda Riot as Helium, The Nothingheads as Beck, The Clams as Black Sabbath, Flame Shark as The Band, Bogdog as Pink Floyd, Aviary Ghost as Tom Waits, and Abbot Smile as The Clash.

7 p.m., $10, 21 and over. More info.

Subterranean (2011 North Ave.)
A benefit show with all proceeds going to The Scotland Yard Gospel Choir, who recently suffered serious injuries and damages in a van accident on the way to an out of state gig (click here for details). The lineup includes BBU, New Duncan Imperials, Canasta, and Kevin Flynn and the Avondale Ramblers.

Doors 8 p.m., show 8:30 p.m., $10, 17 and over. More info and tickets.

Metro (3730 N. Clark)
This year, Metro will also join in the "bands playing other bands" fun with their 1st annual Halloween tribute show featuring Love Me Electric as Blink 182, Color Radio as Radiohead and Plunket as Limp Bizkit.

Doors 5:30 p.m., show 6 p.m.. $10, all ages. More info and tickets.

The Empty Bottle (1035 N. Western Ave.)
The Ponys will headline the club's Halloween night "Werewolf Bar Mitzvah," with France Has The Bomb, A/V Murder and The Get Drunk DJs also playing.

10 p.m., $12. More info and tickets.

Bottom Lounge (1375 W. Lake)
Psych-rock pioneer Roky Erickson will headline, with Land of Lincoln and The Great Society Mind Destroyers opening.

8 p.m., $20, 21 and over. More info and tickets.

Abbey Pub (3420 W. Grace)
The second night of the Abbey's Halloween bash will feature the Shaking Hand as AC/DC, Tomorrow the Moon as Psychedelic Furs, Androgynous Mustache as the J. Geils Band, the Delafields as the B-52s, the Webstirs as Fleetwood Mac and Tiny Speakers as the Everly Brothers.

Doors 8 p.m., show 8:45 p.m., $10 advance, $12 at door, 21 and over. More info and tickets.

Lincoln Hall (2424 N. Lincoln)
If you haven't yet had the chance to check out Chicago's newest rock club, you might want to catch the venue's first Halloween show featuring Detholz!, with Bobby Conn and Loto Ball Show opening.

9 p.m., $10, 18 and over. More info and tickets.

Quenchers (2401 N. Western Ave.)
Three Chicago-based bands are on tap, including Knife of Simpson, mbconn (who, according to Twitter pal @rarestock, will play a set of scary movie themes) and The World In Heat.

9 p.m., $5 donation, 21 and over. More info.