Halloween Big Band Boogie

The Northern Collective Big Band are playing at Crookes Social Club on Saturday 31 October, a free afternoon of jazz and Halloween classics. It's a full 20-piece band on stage, with live singers joining in, so there's a fair bit of sound coming from one end of the room.

The set takes you from Cruella de Vil to Thriller, and the organisers describe it as a pre-trick-or-treat boogie for the whole family. With a big band like this, the arrangements carry a lot of the weight, and having singers on top means you'll recognise the songs as they go. It's a daytime gig, so it works as a standalone afternoon out or as a warm-up before the evening's plans kick in.

Crookes Social Club is on Mulehouse Road, and the bar will be open for drinks and snacks throughout the afternoon. It's a free entry, so you can just turn up and listen without worrying about tickets or booking in advance. The music runs from 14:00 to 16:00, which puts it right in the middle of the day — early enough to get home and get sorted for whatever else you've got on for Halloween night.