Halloween may have just ended, but there is no perfect time than now to start planning for next year.

So what are you going to do next year? What are you going to wear next year?

Well, if passing out candy to the neighborhood kids or spending the night watching scary movies doesn't sound too attractive two years in a row, then I have a suggestion for you.

If you have an idea for a really intricate costume but think that parents in your neighborhood won't appreciate it, then I have a suggestion for you.

San Francisco's Spider Ball.

Visualize this:

You find out about the Spider Ball and decide to make an appearance. Since their website claims that is it both an "Underground Freakshow" and an "elegant event" you decide to spend a little more time on your costume. You make sure that there is plenty of mesh, feathers, leather, and lace. You’re ready. You look fantastic. Now let's go party.

When you arrive at the Bentley Reserve (the Old Federal Reserve Bank Building), it immediately hits you that it was a good thing you tried so hard on your costume. This isn't just any Halloween party, this is truly an event where you can let your sexy inner freak come out and play. While you see the occasional costume that is bad enough you can hardly suppress a giggle, you see people that obviously took the "Costume Mandatory" rule very seriously. Mixed in with the cowboys, sexy policemen/women, and someone that just threw on something sluttish from the back of their closet, you also see the Victorian Lord and Lady (the Lady obviously in a cropped skirt), couples that clearly enjoy Anne Rice together, and a sexy dark fairy that you just want to put in your pocket to take home with you.

Very quickly you notice that when the website said there would be "El Circo Atmospheric Creatures" they weren't talking about disgusting zombies walking around trying to eat your brains. Ghoul girls with dark eyes and covered in gossamer, flutter throughout the crowd quietly and deliberately making you wonder if perhaps they really are apparitions from another realm. Three fantastic creatures move about the room on stilts to the music as they try to hypnotize and seduce you into their dark world. The gender is indiscernible and you hardly even notice or care. One particular such creature— wearing lace over its face, a large plume of a feather in its hair, and a ripped black lace "shirt" over naked skin— seemed entranced by the music and in its own world of dark seduction… until you realize, he's putting on a show specifically for you.

That's when it hits you. The music is good. I mean the music is really good. Spellbinding house and dance music with a bass so loud you can feel it reverberating through your spine. You can call this music anything you like, but your body will spontaneously begin to move and groove to it. Even laden with two camera bags and a 20D in my hand, I could not keep still… the vibe to dance was infectious.

It was a good party.


The logical details you may want to know when planning your attendance next year:

Get your tickets in advance as they sell pretty quickly. There were certainly people trying to buy and sell tickets outside the door, but why take the risk? You want to be at the party, buying tickets in advance will only put you out $20.

Although the party starts at 9 o'clock at night and we're not in Los Angeles, the closer you arrive to the Witching Hour, the hotter the party is. Being part of the press, we didn't have the luxury of showing up fashionably late. But that was alright because by 9:30, the place was already filling up and the crowd was fairly big.

Even if you get lost in San Francisco looking for the place (which, come on… be honest, who doesn't get lost in San Fran?) you will immediately know when you are close. You'll see ghouls and clowns and gals in too few clothes for a San Francisco night in the block surrounding the building. Well, unless you are in the wrong part of town, but that goes without saying. Careful which garage you park in, one of them closes at 1AM and that will definitely cut your party too short.

Bringing cash with you is a must. There are plenty of drinks going around (we noticed three separate bar areas) but there was no bartender accepting credit. Drinks are priced appropriately for an event like this. Beer is $6-7 and cocktails are $7-15. There was no danger of getting Popov in your drink if you weren't paying attention; the standard vodka being poured was Skyy. The bartenders are nice as hell; just for giving one of them a $2 tip, I got a free cranberry shot…. well, maybe it was the corset cleavage.

It's pretty clear that although you wouldn't get thrown out for not wearing a costume (or a bad one for that matter), you will certainly get welcome attention if you try a little harder. We (^arachnid15 and =Katerina423) came decked out with me in a long mesh skirt pinned up at the hips, ripped tights, and a black corset with Steven as my underworld lord and master in dark makeup and a stylish pin-striped suit. We fit right in.

Can't claim this party is the best Halloween event to attend in the Bay Area, but that's only because we have not been to all of them. What I can say with absolute confidence is that it is an experience worth having and we highly recommend it.

Written by, =Katerina423

Event Pictures