On the ninth dusk of October, the sun began to dip, revealing the first night of many that had Fall’s familiar chill. Outside the iron gates of Queens’ Knockdown Center, lined admirers adorned in horror t-shirts, spiked jewelry, and heavy anticipation. Fans, some rumored to have met tonight’s talent with photographic evidence, traded stories of their favorite films and lore from their creations to pass the time. The opening of the gates allowed for a congregation to form outside the box office, whose exterior corrugated walls bled rust in crimson streaks toward the pavement. Dwarfed by the looming 100-year-old factory now turned venue, the vibe resembled more of a haunted walkthrough than a concert. Marching in lines through hazy red corridors, past flickering multicolored neon signs, the hoard approached the stage. The raised platform sat ominously, patiently awaiting for Halloween incarnate to take his rightful place.
The beams of red light that stood tall like columns pressing into the crowd lit the interior of the brick factory in a uniform hue. Reverberating off the walls rang John Carpenter’s voice, enthusiastically reciting the “TV Broadcast” of his 1988 film “They Live,” "we are like a natural resource to them, deplete the planet and move on to another." Then, in his first live show since 2018, Carpenter appeared from the side stage, accompanied by his five-piece band. With a bouncing bass line, sliding guitar trails, and a steady drum beat, they’d debut their first live performance of “Wake Up” from the same film. A debut which was quickly followed by another for “Last Rites” off of 2024’s “Lost Themes IV: Noir” album, written and released with touring members Cody Carpenter and Daniel Davies.
Looking over the crowd, I’m not sure there was anyone in attendance more excited to be there than Carpenter, who had whipped out a dark pair of sunglasses to shield his eyes and throw daggers at the crowd while routinely finding his hands in classic devil horns thrown above the crowd with a sea of similar hand gestures waving back. Behind the men stood large visuals of the film scenes from which he pulled his music. Horrid creatures, disfigured bodies, violent battles, and dimly lit roads played over the glaring synths and impressive guitar solos. All of the music wrapped in a comfortable feeling of nostalgia for films that carry more memories than minutes. All the charm of his films is alive on stage through the talented musicians who earnestly understood the composer's vision. Carpenter would frequently point to his fellow musicians, casting sound from their instruments that he had destined to be played from them decades before. Davies on guitar routinely shone through a shower of spotlight with technical solos and long drawls emanating from the guitar that hung low at his arm's length.
The main title themes of “Assault on Precinct 13” (1976), “Escape from New York” (1981), “The Fog” (1980), “The Thing” (1982), and, of course, “Halloween” (1978) all had a performance with scenes from each backing the band while playing. It was truly surreal to get to see the artist behind them so excited to be sharing his music with the crowd, telling stories from his career and songwriting processes between performances. It felt special to witness. Before launching into the well-known Halloween track, he’d say, “Now to play the track I’m most known for, and no, it’s not Satan’s Cheerleaders, I wish I did that one. This one’s about three girls and a man named…Michael.”
Although now the ripe age of 77, John Carpenter stands proudly on stage, slamming power chords that fuel the music’s heart. Looking over to his right, he then gets to watch his son Cody Carpenter on Lead Synth participating in his father’s legacy by either playing the songs he wrote over a prolific career that shaped the landscape of horror media, or playing the music he created with his father, ever pushing the scene of ambient synthwave. The whole band is tight as a group, routinely impressing me with audio recreations of recognized themes that caught my ear while working through the thick crowd and stopping me in my tracks, hijacking my full attention.
After a brief retreat backstage and calls for more music by the crowd, Carpenter would return and tell the crowd that he has “a new album coming out called ‘Cathedral’...based on a dark and evil dream [he] had,” before debuting the unreleased song, “Lord of the Underground.” In addition to the previously mentioned debuts, he’d also premiere “Alive After Death” and “My Name is Death.” He’d close the night by pleading with the crowd to drive home safely for fear that “Christine is out there,” before playing “Christine Attacks,” aptly named for the killer car of his 1983 film by her name. At its conclusion, he’d give a big wave and smile to the crowd, gather his fellow bandmates for a bow, and gracefully descend the stairs of the stage back to his domain.
I’d be lying to you (like I did to the new friends I made waiting outside the venue) if I said I had seen the majority of Carpenter’s films. I’ve seen the hits, I’ve geeked out over his music and practical effects, the ripple his vision of horror has left, and just how fun his films are, but that doesn’t mean I was recognizing every song or knew every scene that played behind him. What I do know is that it’s the month of October, Halloween is my favorite holiday, and I’m watching the creator of the most recognizable slasher to ever kill play his music under moonlit windows and rotating rays of casted lights. Point being, it was a ton of fun, because whether you know where it's from or not, it's fantastic music that utterly embodies this sliver of the calendar year.
With more shows on the other side of the country in L.A. planned for the end of the month, including the night of Halloween, it’s a no-brainer to be in the crowd if you can. It was too much fun to miss out on, and the month will only be further enveloped by the vision of Halloween he helped create. John Carpenter’s legacy is one to be celebrated and enjoyed, so if you can’t catch the show, then maybe just have a screening in your room with the lights off. I will be turning on “Escape from New York” for obvious reasons. Happy Halloween.
