Music

Parties to Haunt on Halloween Night

"The gold standard in upheaval. Bigger and better and more murder."

The Dum Dum Girls play Making Time.

Henri David’s Halloween The Ball

Philly’s got a ton freaky traditions ’round this time of year, but this one’s usually the party to beat. Henri David’s Halloween The Ball has been going strong for 45 years and awards prizes for costumes in categories like Most Beautiful Female Impersonator, Most Believable Female Impersonator, Most Unbelievably Spectacular and (new this year) Most Sensual Fantasy. The main attraction is likely the host himself, whose frequent costume changes keep you guessing. This party is probably not for everybody, but everybody should go at least once, just to be sure. —Patrick Rapa

$25 (or $60 without a costume) | Fri., Oct. 31, 9 p.m., Sheraton Philadelphia Downtown Hotel, 201 N. 17th St., 215-732-7711.

Making Time / Pure Halloween

For those who have had enough of being tricked and treated and terrorized behind the walls, the Making Time people are offering a distinctly not-scary Halloween rager (but costumes are still encouraged). Dave P., Sammy Slice and the rest of the merry MT crew will be teaming up with the ever-cool and ever-bratty Dum Dum Girls for a night of good vibes. We’re sure that the dark pop chicks will be wearing some witchy and bitchy threads: Will you be able to keep up? —Indira Jiminez

$15 | Fri., Oct. 31, 9 p.m.-2 a.m., with the Dum Dum Girls and DJs Dave P. and Sammy Slide, Mike Z, Dave Pak, Rocktits, Broadzilla and Greg D, Union Transfer, 1026 Spring Garden St., makingtimeisrad.com.

Dracula’s Ball

Hosted by the dark souls at Dancing Ferret, the all-ages Dracula’s Ball is the go-to get-down for vampires and vampire allies. This year it features performances by Interface and Spider Lilies, and promises lots of Goth/industrial/synth type stuff to dance to. Costumes not required, but c’mon. —Patrick Rapa

$18.50 | Fri., Oct. 31, 9 p.m., Trocadero, 1003 Arch St., draculasball.com.

HALLOqWEENs Ball

This two-floor LGBTQ Halloween extravaganza features over a dozen DJs and MCs. Headliners include raunchy rapper Cakes da Killa, ballroom/house DJ MikeQ and Philadelphia’s Factory Girls party crew. Hauntings, bewitchings, possessions and sacrifices are advertised — and given the kinetic ensemble, not entirely unlikely. —Sam Fox

$10 | Fri., Oct. 31, 9 p.m., The Barbary, 951 Frankford Ave., 215-634-7400, thebarbary.org.

Night Of The Philly Dead: Brews and Brains

Nothing says Halloween like zombies and zymurgy, right? International House is hosting a party that’s all about getting undead and unsober. DJ Skeme Richards is on the decks till 2 a.m., and the bar is going to be pouring all sorts of creepy concoctions like Dock Street Walker (brewed with roasted goat brains — seriously) and two punches in gross-out Halloween flavors like Blood & Guts and White Zombie. Snacks are coming by way of chef Barbie Marshall, who will tell you scary stories from her tenure on TV’s Hell’s Kitchen if you’re lucky. —Caroline Russock

$50-$65 | Fri., Oct. 31, 9 p.m., with DJ Skeme, International House, 3701 Chestnut St., ihphilly.org/phillydead.

TJ Kong’s Halloween Costume Ball/Rock ’n’ Roll Murdershow

TJ Kong’s annual bloodbath is going big for its fifth year, with eight bands on two stages in Philly’s rockingest basement. We asked Mr. Kong himself, Dan Bruskewicz, what people should expect. He did not mince words: “The gold standard in upheaval. Bigger and better and more murder.”—Patrick Rapa

$15 | Fri., Oct. 31, 8 p.m., with TJ Kong and the Atomic Bomb, Northern Arms, Mumblr, Tutlie, Mo Lowda & The Humble, Lantern, The Bernhardt Family Band and Divine Hand Ensemble, Underground Arts, 1200 Callowhill St., undergroundarts.org.