The Best of the Bay's 'Costume Rock' Bands

The Residents

​Because San Franciscans love nothing if not the excuse to dress up, Halloween is the perfect time to delve into our long history of bands in creative uniform--otherwise known by the pros as 'costume rock.' I mean, really, a little gimmick can go a long way on stage.

In this week's issue, I listed my favorite picks for the Bay Area's most unusually-dressed acts. The piece is a rundown of local notables dressed as everything from ye olde saviors (Knights of the New Crusade) to purple monsters (Mochipet) and giant eyeballs (the Residents, of course). Included here are both the acts no longer with us (R.I.P. Pink and Brown) and those who still suit up to this day (The Grannies).

Check out our slideshow of local musicians for whom every day is Halloween, and add any acts I've missed (along with links to their Web sites) in the comments section below.