Triumph of the Dead

Yesterday's March of the Dead was a complete success. In fact, I believe it was the beginning of something historic for London - the kind of parade that will grow each year until it becomes as celebrated and loved as the Notting Hill Festival. In 2006, about 100 people took part in the first March. Yesterday, the numbers were well over 300 - with police escorting us on bicycles up Kingsland Road as we stopped traffic with our music (the song Kingsland Road), banners, howls and screams.

I ended up not using my mask because it was too heavy and clunky; it got left behind in the warehouse where we met up at 6.30pm to get ready. I used one of Kevin's masks instead, plus leather gloves, a black suitjacket, and a black cape. woodsrule and her roomate J. joined us later, as Headless Men.

When we arrived, one of the organisers made a beeline for Kevin & I and asked if we wouldn't mind being at the front of the March, carrying black banners beside the King of Kingsland. It was a hard task - swinging a tall black banner while peaking through cardboard eyes and making sure to always be by the King's side - but well worth it just for the privilege of being at the front of 300+ people marching through Hackney & Dalston. I lost count of how many people took photos of me or with me. Perhaps they were actually trying to photograph the King - a giant marvel of costume design which awed adults and scared children wherever it went.

My words can't do justice to the parade and the party afterwards in Dalston (I can't wait to find photos online and show them to you). We amazed people in restaurants and buses as we went by, seduced partygoers into joining us, and generally brought the best Halloween party in London to the streets of the EastEnd.