FANS of the scary stuff are excited about a rocking Halloween music event in Fremantle tonight (Saturday October 31).

Spookfest 26 will take over both floors of the Buffalo Club with nine bands performing on the Graveyard Stage and Seventh Heaven upstairs.

The event was the brainchild of Unicorn, a local band who specialise in “baroque pop with fangs”.

Lead singer Jenna Hardie says they held their debut Spookfest in Northbridge in 2025, but this year’s event is far more ambitious with bands haunting the entire Buffalo Club.

“We’re inviting everyone to don their scariest costumes and enjoy a smorgasbord of brilliant local music,” she says.

“From blues to metal, rock to pop punk, there’ll be a little something for everyone.

“Spookfest is about bringing people together and celebrating the incredible music scene we’re lucky to have here in Freo. 

“Halloween is one of those special nights on the calendar where everyone gets to be as creative and curious as they would like, and it has really grown into something people love.”

• (above) The Floors and Guild (below) are headlining Spookfest 26.

The double headliners are The Floors, who play bluesy rock ’n’ roll, and metal outfit Guild.

They’ll be joined on the bill by Unicorn, Ursula, Phantom Island, Man of a Thousand Faces, Hip Priest, Lifecry and Old Time Sing Song Man.

“When curating the line-up we certainly had the Halloween theme in mind, with a lean towards the dark side, or an interpretation of it,” Hardie says. 

“Sometimes a circus or saccharine vibe can be just as spooky.”

Aside from the music, there’ll be a prize for the best fancy dress, trick-or-treating with lollies, spooky merch and some ghouls and devilish creatures on the Buffalo balcony.

Hardie says her favourite horror movies are The Blair Witch Project, The Lost Boys and The Exorcist.

“One Unicorn band member tells the story of getting home from the re-release of The Exorcist at the cinema, only for the radio to come on all by itself at midnight… to a wolf howling,” she says.

“For something a bit more fun, you can’t go past The Lost Boys—vampires, an amazing soundtrack and very good hair.”

Spookfest is the latest event to be held at the reinvigorated Buffalo Club on High Street.

Around 2021, a group of enthusiastic young folk took over the traditional social club which had seen better days and was struggling to attract new members.

Since then it has hosted a variety of popular events with everything from art exhibitions and fundraisers to book launches and talks.

These days the cobwebs are fake, instead of real ones hanging off the pool table.

The Chook couldn’t resist asking Hardie if Thriller—which is becoming the Halloween equivalent of the Macarena—was banned at Spookfest.

“Thriller is not banned! If the urge strikes, get up and do the dance,” she says.

“Zombie shuffle, full choreography or something entirely your own—creative interpretation is always celebrated.”

Spookfest 26 is at the Fremantle Buffalo Club, 54 High Street, tonight (Saturday October 31). Tix at Humanitix (search “Spookfest 26”), with discounts for Buff Club members. Limited tickets on the door.  

by STEPHEN POLLOCK