So Halloween was last weekend, in case you live under a rock. I’ve been getting into the spirit for the past couple of years. My costume was thrown together a couple of days before the festivities began. If you saw me last year, I was a Ghetto Afro Ninja with bucked teeth and a long ass sword. I knew I wanted to be some kinda warrior character again so after some research I found this cool outfit at Halloween Express. Add in the hooded skull mask, an orc sword, creepy gorilla gloves, and a Chinese straw hat. And I become the Undead Samurai.
I kinda enjoyed acting out my character by walking slowly, carrying my sword on my shoulder and staring at people as they looked at me and get away with it. I did scare a few people as I walked around the corner and got to take a buncha pictures. Of course, the funny part about walking around with a mask on is that people don’t recognize you. So I would come and say hi to people I know in the creepiest way and they would just stand there with a funny look on their face like “who the fuck is this guy? If he doesn’t go away, I’ll have make him move”. It was like playing Punk’d and I enjoyed every minute of it.
I didn’t wanna deal the 6th Street crowd, which impossible to go through that night and head to The ND for the Funk Freak Halloween Ball. Everybody was dressed up and I mean EVERYBODY! Akina Adderley & The Vintage Playboys, Afrofreque (the MC was dressed like Afrika Bambaataa), Chorizo Funk, and DJ Resinthol rocked the party with some of the best funk around. And yes, about half the crowd got into doing the oh-so-popular Electric Slide! Classic! Then it was off to Plush for Hood HollarWeen with DJ Crown and Rapid Ric. Big up to the zombie prom queens, the Blues Brothers, Mad Hatters, Batman & Robin, creepy ass Bobby Strawberry, and all the freaks out there.
Sunday was the Zombie Prom at Highball hosted by Action Pack. And again, people really got into the holiday. Some maybe too much. Most people looked like they just came out of the Thriller video. One dude was so dedicated to playing the part that he was actually making faces, stumbling and dancing like a zombie with his crooked cane. But there were the real freaks and creeps like the dudes dressed like mad scientists pushing a big ass cart through the crowd with some kinda doomsday machine on a giant flashing brain. Maybe that was a little extreme but certainly memorable. The music was mostly 80’s pop and I think it’s funny to watch zombies, werewolves, sexy
Then I headed over to Red Fez to check DJ Kurupt’s hip hop style Halloween. I just went in because there was a costume contest. Big up to the Nicki Minajs, Mr. T, Sesame Street Thugs and the few other people who actually dressed up. The contest was quick because there was not much of crowd participation. I guess black people are not that excitable and don’t scream woohoo like others do when they see something cool. I am guilty of that myself sometimes but damn, it won’t kill you to turn off the tough look and show some enthusiasm every once in a while, especially on Halloween. I got 3rd place after Nicki Minaj and Alice but oh well. On to the next one.
Right on the corner of 5th and Congress, a group of Jabbawockees were dancing to a boom-box. Of course, a circle formed as grown people in costume gathered and went in and danced their asses off. I just had to get in there with my mask and my sword and do a little something. How many times do I get to dance in a costume and people can’t tell it’s me? And you ain’t seen shit until you see an undead samurai and a zombie doctor battle each other. I think that was a great way to end the holiday.
Overall, it was a great Halloween. I’ll just leave you with some of the stuff I’ve learned (and already knew) this year:
- Sexy [fill in the blank] for girls is overrated but still fun to look at.
- I saw more Mad Hatters than anything this year. I dunno why, maybe because of the movie.
- Lamest costume goes out to the dude walking around in plain clothes and only had a red clown nose on.
- People who actually act out their character/costume are more fun.
- Just wearing a wife-beater without any kinda make-up or accessory does not count as a costume. You just wanted to show off your muscles in public.
- Black people (especially black guys) don’t dress up but the few that did had good costumes.
- All the fake scars/cuts prosthetics at costume stores are made for white skin only.
- It gets really hot under a shrouded skull mask. You can’t see on the sides. And drinking from a straw can get tricky.
- There is a sea of people on 6th street so if you are in a hurry, don’t even try to walk through that crowd.
- People dancing in costume is still the best part of Halloween.
How was your Halloween? What were you dressed as?
I love Halloween and I love that Austin gets so into it. I have lived in many other major cities and it was rare to find a good costume party. If you have never been to “Lucy in Disguise” on S. Congress, you have got to go! It is like a candy shop for the imagination and guaranteed you will walk out with a killer costume.
I am not the type of girl that uses Halloween as an excuse to dress like a “slore” but I do admit that I love dressing in some fantasy get-up that I would never wear in the daylight. I attended the Zombie prom at the Highball too and after wearing my costume that night, I have decided it is much more fun to mess up my hair and try and make myself look dead than trying to look cute. I think I will stick with that idea next year and maybe even try a mask like Bak for a night of complete anonymity!