Goblins and ghouls and ghosts, oh my! Get spooky this October 29th at Spec Labs’ frighteningly fun, Spec-O-Ween! Join us as we haunt the night with live performances by the Spec Bands and the Spec-ond City Players, featuring many talented neurodivergent and autistic artists, musicians, singers, actors, and comedians at Spec Labs! DJ Index (Lucas Salusky) will also be spinning some of your favorite Halloween tunes to get the audience pumped for the live performers.
Not to mention an exciting performance by our special musical guest, Tom Kenny & the Hi-Seas! That's right, the voice of your favorite pineapple dwelling sea creature, Spongebob Squarepants, will be taking the stage with his RocknSoul party band! Their high energy 13-piece band is known for rock classics and raucous performances that are sure to get the crowd up on its feet. We're so honored to have Tom Kenny & the Hi-Seas playing alongside our artists at Spec-O-Ween to celebrate the neurodiverse and autistic community! We can't wait to see what they have in store for us. Watch the video below to get a taste of what the band has to offer and check them out on Instagram @tomkennyandthehiseas to get pumped for their live performance at Spec-O-Ween!
This year we’re hosting our fan-favorite Halloween show at the Barnsdall Gallery Theatre in Hollywood. The night will be nothing short of spooktacular with our awesome lineup of comedy, music, and costumes to die for!
It’s not Spec-O-Ween without some classic Halloween tunes courtesy of the Spec Bands. In preparation of this spooky spectacle, I took a trip to the bands’ NoHo rehearsal sessions to get a glimpse of what these magical artists were brewing up for the show. When I entered, the first Spec Band’s singers were honing their time warping harmonies. One at a time, each singer practiced finding their note to ensure wicked good vocals for the performance night. From there, the vibe turned psycho as the Spec Band rocked out a rendition of the Talking Heads’ iconic “Psycho Killer.” The band’s guitarist, Spencer, slayed several mind-blowing guitar riffs throughout the setlist, supported by the spellbinding talent of his fellow bandmates.
The freaks came out when the second Spec Band took to the stage with an extra spooky version of Rick James’ “Super Freak.” Lyric changes like “she’s a very freaky ghoul” turned this beloved funk jam into the perfect Halloween tribute. A little bit of saxophone, trombone, and some well-timed tambourine throughout the set added an extra oomph to the band’s sound. Towards the end of rehearsal, the conversation turned to choreography, as the band brainstormed ways they could liven up their spine-tingling set with dance moves. An impromptu dance lesson had the whole room shuffling side to side and clapping their hands along to the beat. The scene was infectious. Their dance moves and scary good vocals are sure to get the audience up on their feet and howling like the wolf!
From there, I headed over to the Spec-ond City Players rehearsals, where all our favorite monsters and slasher villains came out to play in some killer comedy sketches. The sketches have the perfect mix of horror and humor that is sure to have you splitting your sides. One sketch, a trick-or-treating adventure that turns nightmarish, was written by one of the Spec-ond City Player’s very own, Chelsea Darnell. The atmosphere was collaborative and fun, with each of the players getting to add their own personal touch to the characters they’re bringing to life. The best live comedy is all about comedic timing and audience engagement, both of which the Spec-ond City Players have in spades.
The Spec Bands and Spec-ond City Players will bounce off each other’s acts in a satisfying blend of Halloween-themed music and comedy. Add some Tom Kenny & the Hi-Seas to the mix, and Spec-O-Ween is sure to be a night of mischief, magic, and lots of laughter that will keep your spirits lifted way past the witching hour.
Festivities start at 6 pm, giving you just enough time to stock up on candy before the show starts at 7 pm. Costumes are a must if you want to fit in at our Halloween bash. You might even get the chance to win our Spec-O-ween costume contest! So, dress to impress (or possess) and fight for your shot at the Spec-O-ween costume prize. Tickets are expected to sell out, so don’t miss out on your chance to party it up ghost style with our Spec Labs’ artists! Head over to speclabs.org or click on the flier below to secure your tickets for our Spec-O-Ween extravaganza--before it's too late!
We’re dying to see you there! ;)
-Michael Ware, Spectrum Laboratory
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