Halloween: On the dark side

Goth nightclub Ground Zero throws its biggest parties of the year on Halloween. The masquerade promises dominatrixes, elaborate costumes, industrial music and ambience galore. (9 p.m. Sat. 18-plus. $10. Ground Zero, 15 NE. 4th St., Mpls. )

Dress up as the zombie version of your favorite -- or most reviled -- political figure at Ground Zero's election-themed party, which will feature special appearances by "President Ozomba" and "Mitt Zombie." Zombies get free entry. (9 p.m. Wed. 18-plus. $5. Ground Zero, 15 NE. 4th St., Mpls.)

First Ave's party is always a sure bet. This year's includes $1,000 in prizes, DJs Soviet Panda, Smitty and Roy Freedom, host Ian Rans and free crossover to Konkrete Jungle's party in the 7th Street Entry and the Bungalow's Holla-Ween in the Record Room. (8 p.m. Wed. 18-plus. $5-$10. First Avenue, 701 1st Av. N., Mpls.)

Clubhouse Jäger plays up its old-world charm with an appropriately old-timey, Prohibition-themed party that starts with cocktails, a photo booth and ragtime tunes before launching into a dance party from DJs Dirty McKenzie, Bryan Gerrard and SL8R. (8 p.m. Wed. $5-$10. Clubhouse Jäger, 923 Washington Av. N., Mpls.)

Bad Medicine Halloween Costume Party: Prizes, drink specials, a photo booth, live video projections and live music from Prissy Clerks, Food Pyramid and Friends by Fire. (9 p.m. Sat. Free. Memory Lanes, 2520 26th Av. S., Mpls.)

Red Carpet to Hell IV: Thousands of dollars in prizes, Halloween cocktails and DJ Paris. (9 p.m. Sat. Free. The Living Room and Prohibition at W Minneapolis, 821 Marquette Av. S.)

Stelloween: Cash prizes, DJs, drink specials and heated rooftop patio. (10 p.m. Sat. Free. Stella's Fish Cafe, 1400 W. Lake St., Mpls.)

The Haunted Manor: $1,000 in prizes. (9 p.m. Sat. Free. 18-plus. The Lounge, 411 2nd Av. N., Mpls.)

Hollywood Halloween: Celebrity costume contest with $500 in cash prizes, drink specials and DJs. (9 p.m. Sat. Free. Park Tavern, 3401 Louisiana Av. S., St. Louis Park.)

Thriller V: Prizes, DJ RonRon. (10 p.m. Sat. $15 or $85 for open bar. Aqua Nightclub, 400 1st Av. N., Mpls.)

Flesh & Fantasy: $10,000 in cash and prizes, drink specials, live performances. (9 p.m. Sat. $10-20. 18-plus. Myth, 3930 Southlawn Dr., Maplewood.)

Though it recently moved to the intimate Record Room for three out of four Saturdays a month, Soviet Panda's dance night Too Much Love returns to the First Avenue Mainroom for its Halloween edition. Expect a spooky mix of electro, disco and house and a costume contest with cash prizes. (10 p.m. Sat. $3. 18-plus. First Avenue, 701 1st Av. N., Mpls.)

The Halloween edition of weekly all-vinyl night CosmiQue features all-lady DJ trio Lady Heat spinning old-school soul, funk and R&B, plus a costume contest with prizes and drink specials. (10 p.m. Sat. Free. Cosmos at the Graves 601 Hotel, 601 1st Av. N., Mpls.)

Jake Rudh's weekly dance night Transmission falls on Oct. 31 this year, so he's taking it to the Varsity Theater for a big blowout. He'll fill the venue with the sounds of classic goth, darkwave and industrial, plus a set of "anything goes," Halloween style. (9 p.m. Wed. Free. Varsity Theater, 1308 SE. 4th St., Mpls.)

ELECTRONIC DANCE MUSIC PRODUCERS HiJax are behind this two-night party that transforms Bar Fly and Studio B into a multi-room party with live painting, art galleries, costume contests and more than 20 DJs. (9 p.m. next Thu.-Fri. $5-$13. 18-plus. 711 Hennepin Av. S., Mpls.)

Gamut Slam Halloween Costume Party: Slam Academy and Gamut Gallery's party includes scary live projected visuals plus ethereal soundscapes, dubstep and techno spun by local electronic artists. (8 p.m. Sat. $10. Gamut Gallery, 1006 Marquette Av. S., Mpls.)

Spooky Kind Beats Halloween: $1,000 in cash and prizes, two rooms of Kind Beats DJs. (10 p.m. Sat. $10-$15. Ladies free before 11 p.m. 18-plus. Epic, 110 N. 5th St.., Mpls.)

Holla-Ween VI: The Bungalow presents a night of hip-hop and reggae spun by DJs Verb X, Smash Adams, Defiant and Phoenix, with free crossover. (8 p.m. Wed. $5-$10. 18-plus. The Record Room at First Avenue, 701 1st Av. N., Mpls.)

Everyone's favorite ELO cover band, E.L.nO., can always be counted on to wig out on Halloween. The Dave Campbell-fronted band plays back-to-back shows this weekend, kicking off Friday at Lee's Liquor Lounge with a set that will also include a one-time-only, 10-minute foray into Duran Duran's catalog, while openers Joey Ryan and the Inks cover 1974-era Bob Dylan. (9 p.m. Fri. $12. 101 Glenwood Av. N., Mpls.) Then on Saturday, E.L.nO. will be joined by Kinks cover band Kinda Kinky at Brit's Pub's bash, which encourages partiers to dress like their favorite Brit. (7:30 p.m. Sat. Free. 1110 Nicollet Mall, Mpls.)

One-off cover-band nights have become a Halloween tradition. The Hot Roxx Hextravangaza at Hexagon features Boss tribute band Tramps Like Us, Roky Erickson tribute band Roky Cafe, Father You See Queen doing electronic '60s covers, Heavy Deeds covering classic country, New York's Marching Jaybirds doing bluegrass Appalachian tunes and Hot Roxx DJs MacKu$ and Jen spinning vinyl between sets. (9 p.m. Sun. Free. 600 27th Av. S., Mpls.)

Triple Rock's cover-band night features the Al Church-fronted Halloween and Oates tribute band, Maiden Minneapolis covering Iron Maiden, and Me and My Arrowsmith (Me and My Arrow covering Aerosmith) plus Naked Raygun and Ted Nugent cover bands and a costume contest. (7 p.m. Wed. $8-$10. 18-plus. 629 Cedar Av. S., Mpls.)

Queer-indie dance night Berlin is throwing its first Halloween party, headlined by DJ Shannon Blowtorch and hosted by burlesque artist Mistress Victoria DeVille, who'll also perform. The dance party -- think tunes from the Gossip, Yeah Yeah Yeahs and Bikini Kill -- is rounded out with a costume contest for prizes and a photo booth. (10 p.m. Sat. $6-$8. Hell's Kitchen, 80 S. 6th St., Mpls.)

Sinful Halloween Nights at the Saloon: Three nights of costume contests, dance parties and cash prizes, plus the Amateur Shower Contest on Sunday night. (9 p.m. Fri.-Sun. $5-$10. 21-plus Fri.-Sat., 18-plus Sun. 830 Hennepin Av. S., Mpls.)

Halloween at Lush: Blush ladies' night on Friday with DJ Shannon Blowtorch; DJ Kris Holiday on Saturday. Both nights include costume contests for bar tabs. Wednesday boasts $1 drinks til midnight and DJ D-Baz. (9 p.m. Fri.-Sat., 7 p.m. Wed. Free. 18-plus. 990 Central Av. NE., Mpls.)

Deadset 2: Jetset's Halloween party features resident DJs J.R. and Punchy. (10 p.m. Sat. Free. 115 N. 1st St., Mpls.)

Surly Brewing is taking the occasion of Halloween weekend to celebrate the release of its highly sought-after imperial stout, Darkness. Daylong festivities include live music from metal bands, food trucks and plenty of Surly, including limited releases and casks. See page 36. (11 a.m.-6 p.m. Sat. Free. Surly Brewery, 4811 Dusharme Dr., Brooklyn Center.)

The Pourhouse's big Halloween bash comes in the form of Pourabooza, an all-day beer fest with a 20-band lineup headlined by the 4onthefloor, Vikings cheerleaders, a pig roast and free beer from 1 to 2 p.m. (Noon-2 a.m. Sun. $12.50. 10 S. 5th St., Mpls.)

Trick or Drink: Harriet Brewing hosts a costume ball and beer fest with live music from the Premiums and seven beers on tap. (4 p.m.-midnight Sat. Free. 3036 Minnehaha Av. S., Mpls.)

Light Grey Art Lab's new exhibition exploring the history and symbolism of the occult and the Tarot opens just in time for Halloween. The opening reception for the group show includes live tarot readings and the gallery's new illustrated tarot set available for purchase. (Free opening reception 7-10 p.m. Fri. Runs through Nov. 9. Light Grey Art Lab, 118 E. 26th St., Mpls.)

Cult Status' group show dedicated to the horror-film genre features work by Jennifer Davis, Mark Rivard, Steakmob, Erin Sayer, Amina Harper, Biafra Inc. and more. (7 p.m. Sat. Free. Cult Status Gallery, 2913 Harriet Av. S., Mpls.)

Chicka-Boom! BareBones Halloween Outdoor Puppet Extravanganza: Grassroots performance celebrating the seasonal arc of death through puppetry, with a live 40-piece orchestra. (7 p.m. Fri., Sat. & Wed. $5-$10 suggested donation. Hidden Falls Regional Park, 1305 S. Mississippi River Blvd., St. Paul.)

Transvestite Soup Halloween Show: "Rocky Horror Picture Show" players Transvestite Soup's two nights of shows include pre-show events, costume contests and a screening of the cult classic. (11 p.m. Fri.-Sat. $10. Uptown Theater, 2906 Hennepin Av. S., Mpls.)

"Blacula: Young, Black and Undead": Inspired by the 1972 Blaxpoitation film "Blacula," this production from Chicago playwright Reginald Edmund is a funkified tragicomedy that explores sexual politics and true love. (7 p.m. Wed. $8-$10. Bryant-Lake Bowl, 810 W. Lake St., Mpls.)

Twin Cities Horror Festival: Ten-day festival features local theater, storytelling, dance and music artists presenting their takes on the theme of "horror" in more than 30 performances. (Thu.-next Sat. $15/$70 for festival pass. Southern Theater, 1420 Washington Av. S., Mpls.)

Victorian Ghost Stories: Costumed actors present dramatic readings of 19th-century ghost stories in the dimly lit parlor of the James J. Hill House. (6 p.m. & 7:30 p.m. Sun. & Wed. $10. 240 Summit Av., St. Paul.)

"Finding Frankenstein": Learn what inspired Mary Shelley to pen her classic horror novel. (7 p.m. Fri. $13. Alexander Ramsey House, 265 S. Exchange St., St. Paul.)

The Loft's 4th Annual Dead Writers' Party: Local authors gather around a ouija board in an attempt to communicate with a famous author, plus scary stories, libations, parlor games, costumes and prizes. (5:30 p.m. Tue. $5. Kieran's Irish Pub, 601 1st Av. N., Mpls.)

Spooky Boobies Burlesque Show: Sideshow acts, lounge singers and creepy-yet-sexy burlesque, plus a costume contest. (10 p.m. Fri. $7-$10. Station 4, 201 E. 4th St., St. Paul.)