Hula/Halloween: Call it What You Want

Because of its diverse worldwide recognition, Halloween is possibly the most fantastic holiday. It began as an annual ritual with bonfires and people dressed in dark clothing and masks. Its purpose was to blend in with and/or scare off the evil spirits and demons they believed would roam among the living that night. This simple tradition evolved into at least thousands of different universal celebrations. In present day, Halloween knows no boundaries. The most common and commercialized traditions involve costumes, trick-or-treaters and candy, haunted houses, watching scary movies, pranks, etc. Being that this night is said to connect the living with the dead more than any other, it is not uncommon today for spiritual people to perform Seances, use Ouija Boards, or read Tarot Cards. This belief also increases late-night graveyard attendance. The list could go on forever. People of all ages put serious dedication into Halloween. College students are known for their more risque attire and house parties, and typically celebrate a weekend prior because the holiday is not always a convenient party night. In this generation's counterculture, attending concerts and raves ranks at the top of the list for a great Halloween experience.

The most important aspect of all today's traditions is that there are no limits. Occasional controversy is expected. In the music scene, a costume doesn't really need to be a costume. People can wrap
themselves in rope-lighting or simply paint a rainbow on their face and blend right in. Halloween concerts are now the ultimate psychedelic experience. Jam Bands like Phish and String Cheese Incident have played these spectacular shows for decades, but due to the new wave of EDM (Electronic Dance Music) and its fans, they've taken things up a notch. Rather than hoping for a more exciting crowd and performance, SCI created their own holiday-- 'Hulaween'. As if the String Cheese Incident's Halloween shows weren't already intense enough, Hulaween is now a 3 day celebration and music festival. This year's lineup includes artists such as STS9, Big Gigantic, Moon Taxi, Eliot Lipp, and many other groups to combine and balance EDM and Jam Band vibes. Concerts like Hulaween are a great way for people from all over to come together and simply let go. Halloween brings out the strangest sides of people, and music always brings people together. Why not combine the two?