Halloween came a little early to Stockton when Oakland's The Hobo Gobbelins performed Sept. 13 at The Blackwater Cafe. The band came decked out in costume and bringing and brought a circus-like atmosphere to the venerable Stockton coffeehouse.

Featuring eight or nine musicians from the Bay Area, with names ranging from Gnome Eater to H.P. Gobblecroft, dressed in top hats, striped stockings, face paint and bandanas playing accordions, banjos, fiddles and washboards, The Hobo Gobbelins’ members fit their moniker pretty well. Or maybe it’s the moniker that fits the band.

“We dip into a lot of different mythologies,” said guitarist Zombie Dan. “We can do a pirate oriented set, or a more traditional one. We've got a really sort of eclectic sound.”

Aaron Kyelberg and The Outlaw Dance Society opened the show. Check out photos at right by Hanna Thrasher / 209Vibe.

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