Dead Air

The Columbus Queerscendos are taking over Stonewall Columbus on Saturday, October 31, for a Halloween show they've titled Dead Air. It's a haunted house concert, and they're leaning into the spooky side of the holiday—though they're just as focused on the funny as the frightening. The whole thing is inspired by Welcome to Night Vale, the long-running community radio podcast about a desert town where nothing is quite what it seems, so if you're familiar with that world of surreal broadcasts and strange occurrences, you'll recognize the vibe here.

The show is built around queer youth, creepy stories, weird broadcasts, and what they call killer Halloween bangers. It's not a standard concert; the haunted house framing means the music is woven into a larger, storytelling format rather than just a setlist. The Queerscendos are the youth ensemble of the Columbus Gay Men's Chorus, so the performance comes from a group of young queer singers rather than a professional touring act. That's a good detail to keep in mind when you're thinking about the energy of the room.

One more thing that's worth noting: ASL interpretation is provided for the show, so it's accessible to the Deaf and hard-of-hearing community. Between the Night Vale influence and the haunted house setup, it's a bit of a departure from a typical choral performance, and it lands right on Halloween night, which fits the theme. The show starts at 5 PM at Stonewall Columbus, 1160 N. High St., and tickets are $15 for adults and free for anyone 18 and under.