It’s a little nerve-wracking going out in costume for a show when it’s not quite yet Halloween. What if no one else dresses up and it’s a scene out of Legally Blonde? Luckily the bands at Brick and Mortar (Zulus, Uzi Rash, Apache, Nobunny, Ty Segall) were slated to perform costumed covers, so I figured it would be safe. (Plus, I spent enough money making the damn thing to ensure I’d be living with my dad for an additional month–so I was gonna milk it.) Still, when I got inside the venue, I scouted to find some other outfits among black clothes and leather. A guy was wearing a 1994 USA Olympic Dream Team windbreaker (“Carl Mullen” he told me, pointing to one of the figures with a basketball). Another guy was dressed as Business Man Who Has Too Much To Drink, Tries To Mosh Too Early, And Is Never Seen Again, but this was easily topped by the best costume of the night: Totally Trashed Crazy Girl.
Totally Trashed Crazy Girl is an excellent example of how to pull off a costume. Because it’s not just about the outfit. Hers was simply a black dress, although she gained (some would say stole) some accessories throughout the night. By itself, not enough to make people understand the costume, but she also committed to the concept. (Because really, who wants to stand around all night explaining how you’re a Totally Trashed Crazy Girl when they ask “What are you supposed to be?”).
As soon as the Zulus came onstage performing as the Stooges, it was clear that TTCG would have to step up her game. Because let’s face it, it’s hard to show up Iggy Pop and Zulus’ Iggy was on it. Launching into “Search and Destroy,” he almost immediately flew into the crowd, where he would spend half his time, when not contorting his body into extreme poses onstage. Simply trying to wave the lead singer down mid-song would not prove to be a strong enough tactic for TTCG.
And step it up she did. While Uzi Rash covered the Undertones, TTCG took to pulling on the lead singer’s pant legs. Initially, slightly bothered, saying “Would you stop that?”, Uzi Rash’s version of Feargal Sharkey eventually just blew her off with bursts of microphone feedback before walking over her with his bare feet.
During its set, Apache’s singer asked if there were any drinks for his Dead Boys. Someone in the audience passed up a partially full flask of Jack Daniel’s Honey Whiskey, which was passed around by the band before being set down by the kit. This is where TTCG proceed to creep onstage and grab it for herself. “No!” the original owner of this questionable liquor said, “That’s not for you!” and took it away.
Now fully in the spirit of the role, TTCG was comfortable being on stage, seeking out any drinks or Reese’s Cups that happened to be evading her. Ty Segall as the Gories took it upon himself to eject her mid-song, screaming “Get this girl off the stage, motherfuckers!”
The bands had a lot to contend with that night in addition to TTCG, in particular stolen setlists taken by overzealous fans. Nobunny, doing his best David Johansen (all the New York Dolls were looking pretty good), had to request that they give it back, “or at least just shout out the next song.” Fittingly, it was “Bad Girl,” during which TTCG made her final appearance. (Clearly it had to be a costume – how else could she have survived the night? Five bands!) “You’re a bad girl,” admonished Nobunny. “Only because you keep punching me in my dick and I don’t like it.” Just to show that there were no hard feelings, he later awarded TTCG a red feather boa.