Exquisite Corpse Ball, A Beloved Halloween Concert Tradition, Returns Friday

ROSCOE VILLAGE — Exquisite Corpse Ball, an annual Halloween party, concert and fundraiser, is returning to Beat Kitchen Friday for what event organizers and musicians call “Dork Christmas” and the “best day of the year.”

Concertgoers can expect to celebrate Halloween with hit tunes from KISS, Eminem, Pearl Jam and more at the rock club at 2100 W. Belmont Ave. in Roscoe Village.

Except it won’t be iconic KISS bassist Gene Simmons, a.k.a. “The Demon,” taking the stage, but rather local Chicago band Mom Genes, who will be pulling out all the stops with costumes and props for the return of the annual concert.

The Halloween event features seven Chicago bands as they perform 25-minute long sets as iconic acts, with show-stopping costumes, iconic setlists and more fun bits to go along with the theme.

Tony Rogers, Chicago musician and multimedia artist, will be taking the stage adorned in the iconic KISS black-and-white face paint, dressed in costumes and wigs he sourced months in advance alongside his band Mom Genes.

“The prep and the execution is very much like the spirit of kids at Christmas,” Rogers said. “We put a lot of energy into the costumes and I think the audience comes to expect it.”

Other acts will include the Daytonics as KC & The Sunshine Band, Kid Million as Eminem, Undead Friends as the Zombies, the Good as Pearl Jam, Seth Limmer as the J. Geils Band and the Bette Davis Guys as the Psychedelic Furs.

The annual Halloween show has run for 19 years, starting at the former rock-themed bar Sylvie’s before beginning its yearly stint at Beat Kitchen five years ago.

Rogers has spent the last 10 years participating in the annual Halloween benefit show after admiring the event as an attendee, with his previous acts including David Bowie, Queen and Ozzy Osbourne — where he truly took the form of the heavy metal legend by biting the head off a fake bat.

While Rogers is gearing up for the ultimate rock ‘n’ roll set, musician and Intonation Music founding member David Singer has been practicing his rap skills as he prepares to perform as the “Slim Shady” era of Eminem — which he is “cautiously optimistic about.”

The collaborative show features seven different bands, with overlapping members who have participated in many iterations of the Exquisite Corpse Ball, pushing the groups to “do something bigger and more grandiose” every year, Singer said.

This is what keeps audiences coming back, organizers said. Audiences start to guess set lists and plan their own costumes months in advance while performing acts try their best to keep the details of their performance top secret until the show.

“We call it Dork Christmas because everybody gets super excited to show up every year,” Singer said. “The audience is fully in costume, the bands’ costumes get bigger and more elaborate.”

But the show isn’t just a gathering for the local music-obsessed and rock ‘n’ roll fans looking for a fun way to celebrate Halloween: The concert series continues to be a fundraiser for Intonation Music.

The Bronzeville-based nonprofit brings the art of music making to Chicago youth for free through partnerships with schools, the Park District and community organizations.

Kids are able to join their own bands led by professional musicians where they learn all the aspects of making their own music while gaining problem-solving and teamwork skills, Executive Director Tonya Howell told Block Club.

The nonprofit, currently celebrating its 20th year, continues to expand with its first physical location in Bronzeville, where kids can come to practice music, use recording equipment and hang out.

Traditions and gatherings centered around music and in benefit of Intonation are vital to nonprofit and its larger mission of music education, Howell said.

“The more people that know about what we do, especially those who love music and understand how important music is in their own lives, they’re more likely to stay connected, spread the word, come to our events and possibly donate,” Howell said.

The concert that has become a tradition will be an evening of “egoless” and comedic performances, good music and Halloween vibes all to put the spotlight on Intonation Music to “keep the lights on at our headquarters and buy guitars,” Singer said.

The Exquisite Corpse Ball returns to Beat Kitchen, 2100 W. Belmont Ave., 7 p.m. Friday. Tickets are $26.96 and can be purchased here.

“We’re just going to keep the party going until they kick us out,” Singer said.

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