Wycked Party

Halloween is an innocent holiday. It’s all tiny children dressed up in cute outfits
heading out to collect money for UNICEF and bob for apples, for Pete’s
sake. But the Houston Witches Ball — a music- and flame-filled costume party
for grown-ups — is a little more intense than your usual trick-or-treat experience.”You
take a cacophony and you orchestrate it into something beautiful,” says Rhavyn
of Rhayvn’s Keep Productions, which is putting on the two-evening event. “This
is for somebody who enjoys the idea of a rock opera, who wants to witness the
very essence of a musical miracle on stage.”

This year’s theme is Dante’s Informal Ball and features all-original music by Liviya Compean, Canvas, Wyrdgrl and Dreamtrybe. “Dreamtrybe has a song called ‘She Wolf,'” says Rhavyn. “Some of their fans are inclined to howl and dance in circles when they play it.”

But it’s not just about music. Professional fire performers Spytfire and the three-woman troupe Embracing Embers are also on the bill.

Attendees are invited to dress in a costume that embodies one of the seven
deadly sins or seven cardinal virtues, and at the event, they can visit a “museum
of sins and virtues.” If all of this troubles the Halloween traditionalist in
you, never fear — an apple bob is also scheduled. 8 p.m. to 2 a.m. Friday,
October 24, and Saturday, October 25. 610 Arena, 5515 1/2 South Loop East. For
information, visit www.rkpro.com. $13; 21
and up. — Jennifer Mathieu

STIRRED AND SHAKEN
TOMMY’S CLUB’S
THE HAWK

Somebody told me about a Thursday-night, post-midnight “Back That Ass Up” contest at Tommy’s Club (17567 Imperial Valley Drive, 281-872-5772). First prize is 75 bucks, and from what I was told, people will do just about anything for that kind of scratch. The place is located in a nondescript strip mall outside Greenspoint. A white boy like me doesn’t always get out of certain neighborhoods, but hey, I can boogie with the best of them. When I got there, I started slugging back a drink called the Hawk, a most peculiar combination of Hennessy cognac and an aqua-colored liquor called Hipnotiq. When the two are mixed together, the result is a murky green brew that tastes as bad as it looks. After my third, I moved a little closer to the dance floor, where I had a better view of people busting moves normally reserved for the bedroom. The DJ seemed to be pumped up on something other than Starbucks, and as he moved around the room, he more or less assaulted clubgoers with his brash sense of humor and a rally cry to “get off those damn bar stools and show us what you got!” Well, I definitely didn’t have what he was looking for, so I just smiled a sheepish grin and went to get another drink.

1-1/2 ounces Hennessy cognac
1-1/2 ounces Hipnotiq

Measure out equal parts of cognac and Hipnotiq into cocktail shaker filled
with ice. Shake, strain and pour. Repeat until you can back that ass up with
the best of ’em. — J.W. Crooker

Crying on the Inside
SUN 10/26

High drama will descend upon the 1415 Bar and Grill this weekend at a Halloween
bash and benefit thrown by Mildred’s Umbrella Theater Troupe and dos chicas
theater commune. The cover not only buys you the chance to mingle with some
of Houston’s most talented thespians, it also includes tarot readings, chair
massage, fashion, music and, naturally, theatrics. Performances will include
a ten-minute version of The Glass Menagerie, a piece by the Marquis de
Sade and an all-too-rare performance by Mortando, the world’s most bitter clown.
Anyone who shows up without a costume (there will be a contest) will be taunted
by Mortando. Just pray his tongue hasn’t been sharpened by drinking. 7 p.m.
Sunday, October 26. 1415 California. For information, call 832-418-0973. $10.
— Scott Nowell

Punch-Drunk Love
THU 10/23

Wanna get piss-drunk for a good cause? This Thursday, several downtown bars are taking part in the Martini March, a one-night bar crawl where barflies, night owls and lushes can travel to one watering hole after another, getting bombed for charity. Marathon social drinkers can register and drop off food donations (for the Houston Food Bank) over at the Mercury Room, and then guzzle house martinis at such spots as Boaka Bar, Solero and Sambuca Jazz Cafe. Here’s a chance to get wasted, belligerent and charitable — all at the same time. 6:30 p.m. Thursday, October 23. Mercury Room, 1010 Prairie. For information, visit www.themartinimarch.com. $25; $20 with food donation. — Craig D. Lindsey