Halloween night became a celebration of the darker side of alternative music as Alt Rewind Radio with Derek Nester made its debut Saturday, October 31, on Classic Rock Z-96.3 The Lake.
The inaugural broadcast delivered three hours of post-punk, gothic rock, new wave, and underground alternative classics, creating an atmosphere reminiscent of late-night college radio in 1987. From haunting melodies and atmospheric soundscapes to driving rhythms and dark lyrical themes, the Halloween special embraced the music that helped define alternative culture.
The show opened with The Cure’s “Charlotte Sometimes,” setting the tone for a journey through the shadows. Siouxsie and the Banshees, Echo and the Bunnymen, Bauhaus, and Depeche Mode followed, establishing the sound of a Halloween night spent exploring the alternative underground.
The first hour continued with The Cult’s “Rain,” Cocteau Twins’ “Blood Bitch,” and Joy Division’s “Dead Souls.” Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds brought a cinematic edge with “Red Right Hand,” while Concrete Blonde’s “Bloodletting (The Vampire Song)” delivered one of the evening’s defining Halloween moments. Clan of Xymox’s “Imagination” closed out the hour.
Hour two descended further into gothic territory, opening with Bauhaus’ legendary “Bela Lugosi’s Dead.” Killing Joke, The Sisters of Mercy, The Damned, and Fields of the Nephilim kept the atmosphere dark and immersive. Siouxsie and the Banshees’ “Candyman” added another sinister touch before Ministry’s “Everyday Is Like Halloween” provided a fitting seasonal anthem.
Joy Division’s “Atmosphere” offered a moment of haunting reflection, while Specimen’s “Kiss Kiss Bang Bang” and The Psychedelic Furs’ “The Ghost in You” brought the hour to its conclusion.
The final hour carried the broadcast deeper into the night with The Sisters of Mercy’s “Marian,” followed by The Cure’s “A Forest” and Tones on Tail’s “Movement of Fear.” The March Violets’ “Snake Dance” and The Cramps’ “I Was a Teenage Werewolf” kept the Halloween spirit alive, while Depeche Mode’s “Enjoy the Silence” provided a familiar alternative classic.
The Sisters of Mercy returned with “The Corrosion,” followed by Love and Rockets’ “Haunted When the Minutes Drag.” The Specials’ “Ghost Town” and The Mission’s “Sacrilege” brought the scheduled three-hour broadcast to a close.
But the night wasn’t quite over.
After midnight, Morrissey’s “November Spawned a Monster” provided one final musical offering, extending the Halloween celebration into the first moments of November.
Alt Rewind Radio explores the alternative underground each month on Classic Rock Z-96.3 The Lake. On the first Friday of the month, the studio doors close, a basket of old records comes out, and the atmosphere transforms into a college radio station from 1987.
Hosted by Derek Nester, Alt Rewind celebrates the music, attitude, and spirit of alternative radio. The inaugural Halloween special was a fitting introduction to a show dedicated to the sounds that live outside the mainstream.
Hour 1
- The Cure – Charlotte Sometimes
- Siouxsie and The Banshees – Spellbound
- Echo and The Bunnymen – The Killing Moon
- Bauhaus – Dark Entries
- Depeche Mode – Black Celebration
- The Cult – Rain
- Cocteau Twins – Blood Bitch
- Joy Division – Dead Souls
- Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds – Red Right Hand
- Concrete Blonde – Bloodletting (The Vampire Song)
- Clan of Xymox – Imagination
Hour 2
- Bauhaus – Bele Lugosi’s Dead
- Killing Joke – Love Like Blood
- The Sisters of Mercy – Lucretia My Reflection
- The Damned – Sanctum Sanctorum
- Fields of the Nephilim – Moonchild
- Siouxsie and The Banshees – Candyman
- Ministry – Everyday Is Like Halloween
- Joy Division – Atmosphere
- Specimen – Kiss Kiss Bang Bang
- The Psychedelic Furs – The Ghost In You
Hour 3
- The Sisters of Mercy – Marian
- The Cure – A Forest
- Tones On Tail – Movement of Fear
- The March Violets – Snake Dance
- The Cramps – I Was A Teenage Werewolf
- Depeche Mode – Enjoy The Silence
- The Sisters of Mercy – The Corrosion
- Love and Rockets – Haunted When The Minutes Drag
- The Specials – Ghost Town
- The Mission – Sacrilege
- (After Midnight)
- Morrissey – November Spawned A Monster