Wigs and wails

Halloween returns: It’s amazing to see the Sacramento Halloween Show in all its glory—with a packed audience, prime venue and legit organization—and remember, not too long ago, it took place in someone’s house.

With Kermit the Frog and Fozzie Bear trading off as emcees, Saturday’s flora- and fauna-themed event at the Verge Center for the Arts converted plenty of new fans—presumably for life. And what’s not to love? Local musicians form new tribute bands—more than 25 in all—for one 12-minute set, not only presenting the songs but also the appearance and mannerisms of the famous act of their choosing. At more than eight hours long, the annual show definitely qualifies as a marathon, but I can’t think of a much better way to spend a day in Sacramento.

With that, I’m going to give out some totally unofficial, unimportant, just-for-funsies Sacramento Halloween Show awards.

Best sideburns: Neil Young. So black, so furry.

Best celebrity cameo: Jack Sparrow performing with Adam Ant.

Best mustache: Scorpions, even when said platinum blonde, handlebar mustache slowly peeled off.

Best worst accent: also the German-ish Scorpions.

Best hair toss: Smashing Pumpkins, for literally tossing a wig into the crowd.

Best demeanor: Cat Stevens. I just wanted to hug you and pet your head.

Best facial expression: the bassist in the Partridge Family Band, for his overwhelmingly peppy, deranged clown smile.

Best overall ridiculousness: the Partridge Family Band. First of all, the mere choice to do the Partridge Family Band. Then, the velour jumpsuits; the giant cardboard bus; the consistent jokes; the puka shell necklace and the awkward fake laughs to conclude every song. I nearly died. Plus, see above.

Best technical performance: Kate Bush. Whoa. What a voice. And what a spot-on aesthetic, from the shadowy makeup to the flowing, ethereal red dress. I also enjoyed her backup singers, dressed like angels while letting out crying cat-like shrieks.

Best monologue: Guns N’ Roses. “You see someone with a camera, you fucking punch them in the face.” They also would have won “Best way to end the Sacramento Halloween Show,” for their fantastic, abrupt midsong cut-off: “You know what? Fuck you, Sacramento. We’re going home.” But then they came back for an encore and played “Welcome to the Jungle.” Again.

—Janelle Bitker

So male: When it comes to discussing Sacramento-turned-San-Francisco-garage-rock band Male Gaze, it’s advised not to get hung up on the name. To some, four men naming their band after a feminist criticism term for the way visual arts are structured around masculine viewers is a big no-no. Instead, focus on legacy and face value. Male Gaze is comprised of Mark Kaiser (Mayyors), Adam Cimino (the Mall), and Adam Finken and Matt Jones (Blasted Canyons).

Recorded with Chris Woodhouse, Male Gaze’s sophomore album King Leer is a dynamic outing compared to its primal debut. After some delay, it’s scheduled to drop June 17 on Castle Face Records. It’s not that Male Gaze has gone power-pop in the traditional San Francisco sense. Nothing about “Got It Bad” indicates a neutered hypermasculinity. But the acoustic aside of “Green Flash” folks up the formula and subdues the adrenaline rush, while “Ranessa” is vulnerable on an Elvis Costello level. King Leer shows Jones letting those tenor vocals off the leash and his bandmates follow suit. Past comparisons to Modern English remain, but there’s something poppier in a track like “Krav Maga” that hints of Weezer’s “Hash Pipe” without stinking of it. As for the problematic name, the chorus “I wanna take you down like Krav Maga” won’t help nullify the issue. Clever, yes. But, not helping.

By “This Is It,” Male Gaze had pushed the parameters enough for King Leer to avoid being heard as another unchecked dude manifesto. The swap of leer for King Lear is also clever. Much like with its debut Gale Maze, Male Gaze makes concerted efforts to disarm their chosen name. With King Leer the music simply follows suit.

—Blake Gillespie