Eighties Mayhem Halloween Dance Party

Many of this year’s scary-season festivities are canceled, but thanks to the Black Cat, FYM Productions, and the magic of Twitch, you can dull the pain of your protracted quarantine with three hours of new wave and goth rock this Halloween. Costumes and dancing are strongly encouraged, but if you want to log into Black Cat’s first virtual Eighties Mayhem Halloween Dance Party just to enjoy the music (courtesy of DJ Steve EP, DJ MissGuided and Killa K), that’s fine too! FYM Productions has been throwing themed dance parties for the better part of 20 years, including cult-favorite “Cryfests,” which pit the most danceable tracks of The Smiths against those of The Cure. This Halloween, they’re bringing a Beetlejuice-themed party to your living room. The event is free, so feel free to log into the Twitch stream with nothing but your love for guitars and synthesizers. However, if you can afford to make a donation on your way in, you can bet it will be deeply appreciated by the Black Cat, one of D.C.’s most iconic music venues. (Since it opened, their stage has hosted the likes of Death, Fugazi, Bad Religion, Elliott Smith, Radiohead, Childish Gambino and more.) The Black Cat’s owner recently said that the pandemic has the spot losing $20,000 a month. By chipping in a few bucks and dancing to Depeche Mode in your living room, you could help prevent Black Cat from going the way of U Street Music Hall. Talk about scary. The party begins at 9 p.m. on Oct. 31 on Twitch. Free, donations encouraged.