HALLOWIENER

My country is never big on Halloween. That’s why I always envy our western counterparts for making a holiday out of a silly costume hullabaloo. A tribute to the dead in the form of scary masks, carved pumpkins and sweet delicacies --what can be more fun than that?

Filipinos are known in the world as sentimental and fun loving, so dismissing this annual event as a waste of time is almost ironic. I admire parties trying to reshape this mentality by holding an annual Halloween event. like the Popshoppe Pre-Halloween party happening this Saturday, October 20. Expect great music and costumes in one night!

It was always an exciting challenge to surprise guests with whatever costume I can come up with and my band Your Imaginary Friends never takes the activity lightly. I realized I have been dressing myself up in all forms and shapes ever since my first October here in Manila.

Last year, Your Imaginary Friends came to the gig as a black metal band (check out the YIF's blog about that interesting night here!). Face make-up, chains and ripped Pulp Summer slam shirt.  And it was the first time I had my hair ironed, giving it the Wowie De Guzman stamp of approval.

nip slip.

For October 2010, I borrowed Eric's construction worker cap and put on a pink jumper that my bro Khalid found in the UKay (I honestly don't know what came to his mind when he bought this). With a moustache worthy of 70’s porno and a double brush of eyeliner, I was set to be part of the Village People : the arab incarnation. Nothing is scarier than that.

This was informal. Did not plan dressing up for the 2009 gig but I was inclined to at least present myself nicely. An office mate had this big circular earring and a souvenir lady Indian turban. That was enough to make me look like drunken Jack Sparrow for a night.

My favorite will always be my pseudo-Britney attire. October 2008. There was a costume party contest in E-Lamp, an English academy for Koreans. I swept the award for best costume (the prize was a measly 300 bucks). I was new in that office then and my office mates were compelled to finish the night with a bang. The company did not sponsored any party so we desperately looked for one. 

That brought us to Embassy (which was packed with night creatures in skimpy scary get-ups) then to this real "halloween" club in Malate. I was questioning the reason for my suffering that night upon witnessing tongue-to-tongue action in flesh in the dance floor between two weiners. It was already dawn when we ended our little celebration with Mcdo breakfast meals in drag, looking drugged somewhere in Ortigas.

Who will I be this year? You have to drop by Route196 this weekend for a peek on the apparition (that's the clue!). HAPPY HALLOWEEN EVERYONE!!!