Halloweekend Hitlist

According to the National Retail Federation, participation in Halloween activities is down in several sectors as consumer spending continues to decline. From carving pumpkins to decorating houses to handing out candy, the econocalpyse maintains its steady death grip on wallets. Here is a list of this weekend’s best Halloween bets for $10.01 or less.• North: Party Monster IV at VooDoo Lounge inside Harrah’s Casino (1 Riverboat Drive, North Kansas City, 816-472-7777). Expect stiff competition at this costume contest Saturday night, with $1,000 given as the first-place prize and a 2010 premium Jones pool membership for second place. DJ Spider and DJ the DJ will be on the 1s and 2s. $10 cover. Recommended costume: Kanye West or Lady Gaga.• South: Bloodshot Ball at Raoul’s Velvet Room (7222 West 119th Street in Overland Park, 913-469-0466). According to bar manager Bob Shay, the B.B. is the “biggest party out south.” The festivities begin around 9 Saturday night with resident mashup king DJ Highnoone. The cover is $5. Recommended costume: a financial-crisis-bailout-inspired prison jumpsuit.• Downtown: Whoop Dee Doo with the Ssion and Nomathmatics at Czar Bar (1531 Grand, 816-221-2244). Leave the shorties at home Saturday night when the performance troupe aping a kids’ public-access TV show hosts a night of bobbing for eyeballs, zombie body shots, gross-food-eating contests and fortune tellers. The fun starts at 9 with a $10 cover. Recommend costume: anything with a mustache.• Midtown: the Pornhuskers at Davey’s Uptown (3402 Main, 816-753-1909). The local shock-punk favorites headline with Black Sabbath tribute band Rat Salad. The Klusterfux and Live Lock also perform. The show begins at 8:30 tonight, and the costume contest is at midnight. Cover: $10. Recommended costume: anything with pasties and/or sex toys attached.• Lawrence: Hammerlord and Troglodyte at Replay Lounge (946 Massachusetts, 785-749-7676). The reigning kings of all things dark play a hometown stage Friday night at 10 with masked death-metal outfit Troglodyte. The cover is $3, and so are the Jim Beam shots. Recommended costume: zombified Johnny Castle and Baby.

Fri., Oct. 30; Sat., Oct. 31, 2009