Those on the hunt for a Halloween party need look no further than Rick’s Cafe, where rock and roll act Splendid Chaos will take the stage Friday night.
The upcoming show is far from the band’s first excursion into Starkville. Venue owner Rick Welch said he and the band have forged a friendship since it first played at Rick’s in the late ’90s.
“Splendid Chaos has been playing here a very long time,” Welch said. “They’re good friends of mine, real nice guys. They play here every six to eight weeks. They always bring in a real good crowd.”
The Splendid Chaos repertoire includes modern rock covers as well as original numbers.
“We play everything from Incubus to Chevelle,” lead singer Mike Hall said.
They have also toured with such acts as Staind and Three Days Grace.
Welch thought Splendid Chaos would be a perfect fit for the costume-clad college crowd.
“I just thought it would be a good mix to bring them in on Halloween,” he said. “You could classify them as a college rock band. They play a wide range of music. They change their set list all the time.”
Welch went on to say that Friday night’s Halloween merrymaking is a costume affair and there are several treats involved.
“I know everybody is going to enjoy dressing up and seeing the band,” he said. “The party is sponsored by 99.9 The Fox, and we’re giving away three different prizes: three hundred dollars in cash, a pair of tickets to see the Eagles in Memphis Nov. 16 and a pair of tickets to see Hinder at Rick’s on Nov. 24.”
Despite the festivities, the band intends for its show to remain pure rock and roll, though it will be giving away a few treats of its own.
“I know Rick’s got a big giveaway going on that night,” Hall said. “Other than that, it’s going to be the same show we usually put on, but I’ll have all kinds of stuff from our friends at Jager to give away to people.”
The band’s usual show is unadulterated, energetic rock and roll.
“Our shows are normally high-energy,” Hall said. “It’s a plain old rock and roll show. Nothing cheesy or gimmicky.”
According to Hall, however, it’s this simplicity that makes Splendid Chaos shows unique.
“[Shows like ours] are just something you don’t see every day anymore,” Hall said. “Everything today is either an ’80s band or hip-hop, so a high-energy rock and roll show is a change of pace.”
Though Splendid Chaos intends to remain true to form Friday night, there will be one aspect of its act that will be entirely new to Starkville.
“We have a new bass player, Jake Fountain,” Hall explained. “This will be his first show at Rick’s. He’s working out amazing. He’s a great songwriter.”
Hall hopes Fountain’s songwriting skills will be utilized when the band begins working on a new upcoming album in January.
Jeffrey Wright, a bartender at Rick’s said he enjoyed the band’s previous shows. “They always put on a good show and I’m excited about them coming back., Wright said.
In addition to Fountain and Hall, Splendid Chaos includes Terry Sharp on guitar and backing vocals and Mike Oakley on drums and percussion. The doors will open at 8 p.m., with opener Youth of Eden taking the stage at 9:30 p.m., followed by Splendid Chaos at 10:30 p.m.