A Bollywood night will benefit a school

Lelavision and the Spice Route are teaming up from 5 to 9 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 27, to raise funds for Camino Seguro, a Gautemala City school located in a huge municipal dump. Throughout the day, 50 percent of the price of every meal will go to the school, and Lelavision will provide a roster of Bollywood-themed entertainment at the restaurant.

Star Anna comes to Vashon

Star Anna & the Laughing Dogs, a band from Ellensburg, is coming to Vashon for a free show at 9 p.m. Friday, Oct. 29, at Red Bicycle Bistro. Lead singer Star Anna will be joined by guitarist Justin Davis, drummer Travis Yost and bassist Keith Ash. The group has been together since 2006 and has released two albums and toured throughout the region. The show is for all ages until 11 p.m. and ages 21 and older after that.

Island songwriter and singer Allison Shirk will open the show, and she said she is excited about welcoming the group to Vashon.

“I heard her play live for the first time early in the summer,” said Shirk. “ I was blown away by her energy and her lyrics.”

Songwriters grace Café Luna’s stage

Brian Ellefson and Chris Marshall will provide a double bill of free music at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 29, at Café Luna. Ellefson, who hails from Hawaii, has a laid back sound reminiscent of Jack Johnson. He spent six years as a studio musician before releasing his own album, “Panoramic View.” To sample his music, visit www.brianellefson.com.

Marshall, a Portland singer and songwriter who plays country music, is getting ready to release his debut album “August Light,” featuring a band full of some of Portland’s top musicians. To find out more about his music, visit www.chrismarshallmusic.com.

Radio theater production has a scary theme

Vashon Park District and Voice of Vashon will present “An Evening of Hallowe’en Horror” at 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday, Oct. 29 and 30, at Ober Park. A group of seasoned Island thespians will perform the radio theater show, which includes plays from the 1930s and 1940s as well as brand new work. And according to Island director and performer Elizabeth Ripley, the evening will include comedy as well as spine-tingling scenes and themes.

“It’s not for the faint of heart,” she said, adding jokingly that the PG-13 rated evening would contain “radio horror, radio violence but no radio nudity.”

Plays will include “The Dark,” a horror classic from the 1930s, “The Undead,” written in 1940, and “Three Skeleton Key,” written in the 1950s. “Beyond Death’s Door,” in contrast, is a new play, written by Island author Oren Ashkenazi. The program will also include the provocatively titled play “Slurp: The Amoeba,” which was written by old-time radio writer Wyllis Cooper. The evening will also include re-creations of antique radio ads for such products as Lipton Tea and Colgate tooth polish. There is a suggested donation of $8. The live performances will be recorded for broadcast on VoV web radio and VoV TV Channel 21.

A masked ball returns to the Bike

Red Bicycle Bistro is pulling out all the stops to present its annual Halloween Masquerade Ball, set for 9 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 30. Following a longtime Island tradition, the evening will feature music by the iconic Island band Subconscious Population, led by Ron Hook, as well as a set of songs by Posse Impossible, a Vashon music collective that mixes up a blend of funk, rock and hip hop. The band includes Gabriel Blake, a drummer known for his contributions to Troll’s Cottage, Brian Forsythe on bass and Ian Bradley on guitar.

Costumes are encouraged for this grown-up night of fun, which will start well after trick-or-treating in downtown Vashon comes to a close. According to concert organizer Pete Welch, this annual show usually sells out, so concert-goers are encouraged to purchase $10 tickets in advance by calling 463-5959 or dropping by the Red Bike. The show is for ages 21 and older only, and identification will be required at the door.

Church of Great Rain offers ‘spooktacular’ fun

The Church of Great Rain, Vashon’s very own music and comedy variety show, will offer up what it is calling a “Halloween Spooktacular” at 6 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 31, at Open Space for Arts & Community. The show will offer its usual blend of music from the Church House Band and original sketches from the Holy Roller Radio Players, and Subconscious Population, a well-known Island band, will also be on hand as the show’s special guests. Tickets ($8 adults/$5 kids) are on sale at Vashon Bookshop, Books by the Way and www.brownpapertickets.com. Doors will open at 5 p.m. For more information, go to www.greatrain.com or visit Church of Great Rain on Facebook.

A jazz show is coming up

Seattle jazz guitarist Lonnie Mardis and his talented quintet will play jazz from the group’s 2007 album “About the Day” at 8 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 6, at Blue Heron Art Center. The concert is the latest installment in Vashon Allied Arts’ popular Panache Jazz Series. Tickets, $15 and $18, include complimentary champagne and desserts and are on sale at Blue Heron, Heron’s Nest, Books by the Way and www. brownpapertickets.com.