The reputation Carbondale has garnered on Halloween over the last couple decades has been somewhat of a rollercoaster when it comes parties and behavior.

It was not until last year’s Halloween weekend that businesses on the strip were allowed to open their doors, ending a 13-year hiatus.

Hangar 9, being one of the area’s more popular live-music venues, is promoting a positive and safe atmosphere this year for students to have a good time, listen to good music and leave any negative connotations about the holiday in the past.

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This year’s celebration will feature a Little Shop of Horrors Halloween Collaboration between SPREAD and Aaron Kamm, and the One Drops – two acts that have proven successful at the venue.

The night will consist of drinks, performances from the two bands as well as a traditional Hangar 9 costume contest.

“I feel like we are still trying to rebuild it,” Caylan Hill, booking manager at Hangar 9 said. “We’ve been given the opportunity by the city to resume business and we are going to 100 percent take advantage of that, not in a negative way … but 100 percent in a positive way, which is what we always try to do.”

The turnout for unofficial this year at Hangar was large and they are trying to match that excitement this weekend, he said.

“I think we provided a great time and great entertainment for unofficial, but we’re going to do that 100 percent as much for official Halloween,” he said.

Aaron Kamm and the One Drops, as well as SPREAD are two bands that have drawn a large crowd at Hangar in the past. SPREAD headlined the 2012 and 2013 unofficial Halloween events and brought a large crowd, and Aaron Kamm sold out the venue earlier this year.

“You’re going to get your money’s worth,” he said. “You’re going to see two great, phenomenal acts who basically got their start in Carbondale or rose up and two acts that we feel our crowd really loves.”

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The members of SPREAD, a Chicago-based psychedelic rock band, are Saluki alumni so they are familiar with the reputation of Halloween and also feel the show at Hangar will provide a positive atmosphere, bassist Colin Finn and guitarist Dave Petrizzo said.

“I would hope that there is a mutual excitement in the air, as excited as we are to celebrate on actual Halloween as opposed to doing some unofficial party, which is still fun,” Finn said. “It’s Halloween. It’s one of my favorite holidays.”

The two performing bands will be doing a stacked set, which means the bands will be playing two full alternating sets.

Aaron Kamm and the One Drops will be playing a full set first, with SPREAD second, followed by another set from each band, Finn said.

“I guess the idea behind that was that we like that band a lot and I think that it’s something different,” Petrizzo said. “We’ve never done that before.”

The band expects a positive response from the crowd regardless of how large it may be.

“I think it’s going to be a good party,” Finn said. “With the music and all the people that are involved and obviously Hangar being such a fun place … there’s nothing but the best for good vibes.”

The good times will be present in Carbondale for the weekend, as long as the atmosphere is right, Hill said.

“I think everyone should stay positive, support the community, support the university, support the town, have respect, take pride in where they are and all this bad negativity and connotation won’t hover around,” Hill said. “Treat [Carbondale] like it’s your own, because in reality it is.”

Chase Myers can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter @chasemyers_DE