Annual costumed "Hallorager" comes to Eli's Mile High Club
Celebrating its eleventh anniversary, local psychedelic glam/stoner-metal group Glitter Wizard's annual Hallorager party takes over Eli's Mile High Club Saturday night with four bands performing "in costume."
The SF-based glam/stoner/prog band has been bashing out its unique style of over-the-top hard rock for over a decade. Originally formed in Santa Cruz before relocating to San Francisco, Glitter Wizard twists together elements of Black Sabbath, Hawkwind, Blue Cheer and Black Oak Arkansas with outlandishly Spandex-clad lead singer Wendy Stonehenge working the stage in a high-energy frenzy that recalls Jim "Dandy" Mangrum. The band's enthusiastic fringe-and-leather sporting sidekick "Mercho Man" adds to the onstage entertainment at their live shows.
The group independently released several singles and full-length efforts before putting its third headbanging space-boogie opus Hollow Earth Tour out through Heavy Psych Sounds in 2016. The band released their ambitious follow-up Opera Villains for the Italian-based imprint -- appropriately enough -- on 4-20 to wide acclaim. Having made appearances at a number of festivals here and abroad including Burger Boogaloo, Roadburn, Desert Days and the label's first Bay Area edition of their Heavy Psych Sound Festival three years ago, Glitter Wizard continues to expand their fan base.
The band utilized the downtime forced by the COVID-19 pandemic, recording covers of a pair of heavy classics -- "Race with the Devil" by Gun and "Fairies Wear Boots" by Black Sabbath -- and working on new material. Heeding the call from fans to pump up the glitter quotient, the group's latest EP Kiss the Boot nods to the hook-laden, platform-shoe stomp of such '70s glam giants as Slade and Sweet. The recording released by Kitten Robot Records earlier this year features five new tracks along with a cover of David Bowie's anthem "Suffragette City."
Each year on the weekend closest to Halloween, Stonehenge and company partner with show promoter Bad Acid Presents and don a musical costume for their annual Hallorager festivities, dressing up and playing the music of a different classic prog or punk or psych band. Past tribute subjects have included early era Pink Floyd, the Seeds, the Damned, the New York Dolls, Alice Cooper and Blue Öyster Cult. For the 2023 edition, the collection of acts being celebrated took a decidedly eclectic slant with bands paying tribute to Cheap Trick, the Cramps and the Spits before Glitter Wizard covered British heavy rock giants Deep Purple to finish the evening.
For the eleventh edition of the Halloween celebration presented by Bad Acid at Eli's Saturday night, Glitter Wizard will close out the proceedings playing the classic songs of Bryan Ferry and Brian Eno's groundbreaking experimental glam group Roxy Music. The line-up also includes Doom Town (members of Atomic Tide, the Freak Accident and VVM) covering music by the Wipers, a combination of Lou Lou & the Guitarfish and Whateverglades as the White Stripes, and Bay Area metal favorites Molten playing material by Danish legends Mercyful Fate. Drag queen Melvira serves as the evening's MC while DJ Shrimp Ripper provides music between live acts
Hallorager XI with Glitter Wizard
Saturday, October 26, 8 p.m. $20 in costume, $23 without
Eli's Mile High Club