Local rockers dress up as their favorite bands for a special Halloween show at Soda Bar
By Logan Broyles | SDUN Reporter
For the third consecutive year, Soda Bar will be holding it’s All Hallows’ Eve show featuring some of the most popular bands in San Diego dressed up as their favorite bands and playing covers of their classic hits.
The headlining performance will be local indie band Roxy Jones doing their best impression of the smooth-voiced lyricist Devin the Dude. Founded in 2007, Roxy Jones is comprised of Peter Graves on vocals and guitar, Phillip Dupasquier on Bass, Darin Lee on drums and Rose Rock – a better name for a musician you will not find – on piano and organ.
“This show is different than any other Halloween party going on,” Graves said. “The cover bands aren’t really cover bands, they’re local bands that are doing a cover band as something fun for Halloween. My band, Roxy Jones, is doing a set as Devin the Dude.”
Graves, who came up with the idea for the Halloween show three years ago, said waking up with a headache the next day was part of the fun. “I just asked my friends that are already in bands to do a special one-night cover band,” he said. “It was so much fun the first year that we decided we should do it every year for Halloween. We [covered] Ludacris last year and people went nuts.”
Funk and hip-hop masters Brendan B & the Breaks will be paying tribute to the ghost of ODB when they don full Wu-Tang Clan gear and rip through some of the group’s all-time classics.
Teddy Fantastico will be going through the hit album “The Decline” while dressed up as their favorite punk group, NOFX.
“We chose NOFX cause its a band most people in San Diego grew up listening to at one point or another,” said Theodore Kyffin of Teddy Fantastico. “I hand-picked the members of the band from a bunch of other local bands. I picked guys who all grew up on skate punk and thought it would be fun.”
It is safe to assume someone in the Wild Wild Wets will be rocking a platinum blonde wig in preparation for their stint as 1970s new-wave icon, Blondie.
“This is the third consecutive year we’ve thrown this party and it is always a good time,” said Wild Wild Wets vocalist Michael Turi. “This year it will actually be on Halloween night which will only add to the debauchery.”
The Wild Wild Wets are a psychedelic rock band founded in 2011, and are often accompanied by a projectionist during their performances. Turi said he liked the concept and the chance for his band to break from their usual mold. “We’ve got all year to do that,” he said.
Tickets are $5, and the show starts at 9 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 31. Extras that night include art by Brandon Kinkel, photos by Nicole Espina and a “commune” photo booth. Soda Bar is located at 3615 El Cajon Blvd. For more information and tickets visit sodabarmusic.com.
