Freakin’ Halloweekend organizer Adam Schabow on Max Ink Radio

Maxinecon Civic Media, we are local music,

but sometimes we play the big bands too.

That was electric light orchestra, ELO,

and fire on high from the Face the Music album.

We'll tell you why we're playing ELO in just a moment.

First, let me tell you if you missed any part of the show,

if you're tuning in late or you just want to hear it again,

you can head to the podcast page.

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and of course at civicmedia.us.

Go to the maxincradio page and download all the podcasts you want.

You know, maxinc is sponsoring a big Halloween event

that's at the high noon saloon.

It's happening Saturday.

October 26 is called the Freakin' Hollow Weekend.

And one of the organizers is on the phone with you right now.

It's Adam Shabo.

Adam, welcome to maxincradio.

Thank you, Jimmy K. How are you doing?

I'm doing great.

Did I get your name right, Shabo?

Yeah, you got it.

I'm notorious for screwing up people's names,

but I'm happy I got your name right.

Usually people don't get the name right, so that's great.

Hey, Adam, thanks so much for coming on.

Freakin' Halloween, it is a Madison staple for the last 18 years

that you've been doing this show.

Let's start with the history of the show.

Go back 18 years and where did you get the crazy idea

to throw a huge music show on Halloween?

Yeah, it was one of those things where we had...

There was a website called Dame 101

that I wrote for and was part of one of the editors.

And we decided to start this tribute band weekend

that we came up with the name Freakin' Hollow Weekend.

It used to be two nights, Friday night and Saturday night.

And it's always been at the high noon saloon.

And it was a way to promote local bands

and local artists as well as our own website,

which was like a local news and art website.

And then that went away.

And I just couldn't let the Freakin' Hollow Weekend go.

I just kept on doing it.

And that's when I brought my partner,

Crime Chad O'Shack, in to help me out with it.

You know, Chad's been involved in so many projects

over the years in the Madison music scene.

He's a great musician, drummer, particular,

but lately he's been getting into the saxophone,

which is really exciting.

Yeah.

So how did you and Chad get together?

I know he came in a couple of years after

you lost another business partner in this,

but how did you and Chad get together?

Yeah.

So I always, you know, I'm a musician as well.

And I've always known Chad.

He played at the Freakin' Hollow Weekend

before he was, you know, an organizer for it.

But we actually met, not met,

but we got really close when we were filming the movie

that I wrote and directed called The New World Horror.

And he was our camera operator.

And so I was telling him about this dilemma.

Like, should I, I don't know if I have time to do this

if it's for me.

And he offered his services and since then it's been great.

That's fast, fantastic.

Freakin' Hollow Weekend,

happening at the high-new Saloon Saturday, October 26.

We'll tell you how to get tickets here in a moment.

Over the years, Adam has there been a particular act

of performance that's very memorable to you?

There have been so many, I can tell you.

It's like picking your children, I know.

This is a tough question.

It is a tough question.

And then when I always come back,

because I've gotten this question asked,

the one I come back to is it sounds like there's a motive

to it and it isn't.

It is when Chad O'Shack sang for the first time.

He did the Black Rose and I knew Chad as a drummer

and Dana Palabon, who's running for Dana County Executive

right now, got in vote.

And a bunch of them just blew me away.

And I never heard Chad sing and he never...

That was his first time singing publicly ever.

And it was just the whole performance blew me away.

And that was again before he was organizing the event.

But I remember specifically like, wow, he's got that in him,

you know?

So it was great.

Chad never sees us to amaze people, for sure.

Adam Shabo on the air with us right now,

Freakin' Hollow Weekend at the high-new Saturday, October 26.

You know, for years, Maximal Mink Rocker

always did a sputacular.

So most of the time, opposite of you guys here in Madison.

And one of the two events or two acts that really stood out

to be over those years was Why Lab doing Motley Crew.

And Lord's of the Trident doing, I believe it was

Iron Maiden one year.

And I thought those were really cool.

I, oh man, I love both of those bands a lot.

And this year, which is nice, we're

getting into a little bit more metal with Metallica being

on the bill.

And a lot of times, we're a little more popnier in this year.

We're like, let's lean into some interesting acts.

And it sounds like they're doing

out early Metallica, Cliff Burton stuff.

And I'm very, as a Metallica fan, early Metallica fan,

I should say, I'm really excited about that one.

And that's the headliner.

Let's dive into the line up here a little bit.

Of course, Metallica, be performed by Iron Metal Jackson.

I'm not familiar with Iron Metal Jackson.

I am not either.

Someone, I think Shad found.

They're regularly kind of a metal tribute band,

or just a metal tribute band.

They do a lot of different metal songs.

And this time, this is the first time

they're like choosing an actual band and performing

as that band.

And I should mention all these bands

and throughout the years, the bands work really hard

for one night.

They have a lot of work to do.

Oh my gosh, there's so much work involved.

And I've been, as a musician, I've

been playing in each one of them as well.

And so it is just, it is, it is a lot of work.

And so come out, support the local bands

and the effort they put in.

Some of the other artists that are playing that night,

we have a Durand Durand tribute performed

by the members of the Shabels,

gentle, brought to Soros and Kitty Butler.

I'm excited to hear the Durand Durand tribute,

because I'm a classic Durand Durand fan.

I like a few of their songs, I should just say,

but what a great band to pay tribute to.

How about the radio head tribute performed

by the Earthlings?

Super excited about that.

Yes, that's going to be great as well.

And can I just say, being in the Durand Durand band

and being in the practices, it's sounding.

Usually I'm sweating at this time, like, oh, we're not

going to get, but it's sounding actually really good.

And you're in the Shabels, right, Adam?

The Shabels and Kitty Butler.

Oh, yeah.

It's coming from there, okay.

Yeah, and then gentle, brought to Soros.

We have a member of gentle, brought to Soros in it.

But so then, yeah, radio head at nine o'clock,

yeah, performed by the Earthlings.

Now, the Earthlings have been a staple

with us the last, maybe 10 years.

They always bring it, they're always great.

They're always 110%.

And I can't actually think about doing this

without the Earthlings ever.

I'm so happy that I know you're going to be interviewing Noah.

And that's because there's such a huge part

of the last 10 years of Freedom Hell weekend.

And Noah will be on the air with us next hour.

We got ELO.

We just played to be ELO.

That's going to be performed,

and tribute by Sean Michael Dargan, who

is just a wonderful musician here in Madison.

Yeah, he really is.

And he's got a whole set up with a cello player

and like a kind of a small orchestra, if you will.

And I'm talking about closet, I guess, in that closet.

But like I love ELO.

I'm a huge ELO fan.

And I've been waiting for someone to do ELO.

I knew my band put it.

I was waiting for someone to do it.

And I was excited when I heard about him.

I'm wanting to do it.

I can only imagine Sean's the perfect guy to pay tribute to ELO.

He's such a great musician.

And you know, typically when he goes shows like this,

he never know what you're going to get for an open and act.

But you all are bringing out the police.

Performed by members of M. Shay's and ask for Jane

and the barnacles.

Yes.

So one of the members, Jennifer Hadström,

asked for Jane.

She's also in Winoy Bands, Kitty Butler.

And she was talking how much she loves the police

and wanted to do a police tribute band sometimes.

And I'm like, you should do it for a freaking Halloween weekend.

And so yeah, she put a really good band together.

And I'm excited to hear it because I'm, again,

I mean, all of these bands I love.

Yes.

So it's as an opening act, too.

We have a really strong lineup.

It is a strong lineup.

Really excited.

Music starts at 7 o'clock.

The police ELO radio head, Durand Iran,

and Metallica at 11.30.

There's also a costume contest we should chat on here, too.

This is kind of the staple of the staple, Adam.

Talk about the contest.

It's brilliant.

Talk about the contest.

And what people have to do to make sure they win this thing

and what are some of the prizes?

Well, first of all, creative and unique costumes

is always better than store bought costumes, right?

If you just have money and buy a really cool costume,

usually the judges, again, I'm not one of the judges.

We have secret judges judging everybody there.

And so yeah, and then we have third place, second place,

first place, and the grand prize is $200 cash prize.

But here, if I could just switch right into our other,

not our major sponsor like you, that we're so

happy we're partnering with the Sierra Maxx and Gradio.

So when I heard you guys wanted to thinking about sponsoring

us, I was immediately thinking it was sponsoring us for AA

or something.

And then nothing of us freaking out weekend.

All right, diction to drugs and alcohol.

That was all like, oh, freaking out weekend.

OK, great.

But yeah, so for the other prizes,

we have Mad City music and B side to the best record stores

in Madison.

We have Wart who always gives us some great swag.

We have Starkweather tattoo collective.

And I would suggest getting a Maxx ink tattoo if you win that.

That would be great.

Big Top is giving us Madison Mallard tickets

and Madison Forward FC tickets, the soccer team.

And the physical media is not dead.

So if there's forced our video as well as a gift card,

after when you have a hangover the next day,

you can get a massage East.

And then we have Madison drum makers

that's offering a big drum kit for the night,

as well as super duper's printing all our posters and stuff.

So they are also a huge part of that.

I just want to make a hand hotel.

OK, pet sitting gift certificate.

And if you don't have a pet, you can see the great gift.

Is a great gift to give away.

That's right.

Adam Shawbaugh.

Thank you so much for taking the time.

Freakin' Hollow Weekend.

Is that the high noon saloon?

Is what?

Just two weeks away.

October 26th, it's a busy day in Madison,

but set your calendar for that.

You want to get there early.

You definitely want to get your tickets early.

Advanced tickets for sale right now for $15.

You can get them at the Sylvie box office

or just go to high-noon.com to grab your tickets.

Yeah, we sold out last year, so it's

important to get that ahead of time.

Absolutely.

Yeah, we had to turn people away, unfortunately.

So yeah, definitely come out.

Even if you get lucky, you can get an extra ticket day of show.

You're going to save yourself five bucks

by getting the advanced tickets.

And good news is an 18-and-up show.

So if you're between the age of 18 to 21

in that purgatory age range, you can still go

and have a good time.

And maybe you win a couple hundred bucks

in a costume contest.

Yeah, that's very true.

I like being called purgatory.

I've never heard that.

Oh, it was horrible.

Hey, Adam, thank you so much for joining us tonight.

And happy Halloween to you, brother.

Oh, happy Halloween to you.

Let's appreciate it.

I appreciate you.

Let's do some Shawn Micodarkin right now,

the Undertaker's daughter.

It's Maxine on Civic Media.

We are local music.