Halloween: the one day of the year you can drink beer and watch a rock show in a witch’s hat without getting funny looks.
To me, any holiday that combines alcohol, music and costumes is worth celebrating. But how exactly did Oct. 31 morph from a Celtic tradition into an excuse for North American debauchery?
All Hallow’s Eve originated in fifth-century Ireland, where Oct. 31 was the Celtic New Year and the end of summer.
The Irish believed on this day the spirits of everyone who died in the last year would come back to earth in search of their bodies. To ward them off, the people dressed up in costumes.
Now, 16 centuries later, we beckon the spirits with live music and drink.
Most music clubs in Ottawa try to attract an audience by slapping the title “Halloween Party” on their calendar and choosing a band that wears an excessive amount of black makeup to perform.
For example, Zaphod Beeblebrox, a York Street music club, is throwing a Glam Rock Halloween dress-up party featuring Robin Black, a musician who is mostly known for his flamboyant makeup.
Babylon Nightclub in Centretown is exploiting the celebration to its fullest by dedicating three events to the occasion. Their regular Sunday Mod Night will become a Mod Club Halloween party. Early on Monday there will be an all ages show, featuring bands like Million Dollar Marxists and Robot Kill City. Later that night there will be a show for those 19 years of age and older, sponsored by local skate shop Top of the World.
Barrymore’s Music Hall, another Centretown venue, is holding what is arguably the only truly original event.
The Witches’ Gathering – a group of Ottawa Wiccans and Pagans – annually take over Barrymore’s for Halloween, making this the only event that actually draws back to the celebration’s roots. For them, the gathering is a way to celebrate the change of season.
This year, on Oct. 29, they are holding a faerie revel, in which participants are encouraged to join in a sacred circle.
The Wiccan ritual will be followed by a costume contest and a performance by the band Mileage 19.
Barrymore’s Halloween event might be a ploy to make more money, but they should still be applauded for coming up with a more creative way to make a profit.
It doesn’t take much effort to declare that a concert will be paired with a dress-up night. It does take some imagination to conjure up the Wiccan community to practice their rituals in the middle of an Ottawa music club.
Other clubs should use Halloween as an opportunity to infuse Ottawa’s entertainment scene with fresh ideas and not just away to sell more drinks.