What’s an “adult” party like? To be honest, I’m not sure what that even means. Does “adult” imply there’s a “children’s” party? Do parties also enter a confusing but enlightening “puberty” stage? To be fair, I’ve only ever attended children’s parties, and I’ve only ever been to gatherings for kainan. I’ve never had the opportunity to actually “party” in college – because I keep on wanting to talk to people, which I think wasn’t the point. The first “adult” party I attended, I actually attended last November 2017. We ate seven (7) kilograms of nuggets and two (2) kilograms of mashed potatoes. I’m not sure Kontrabida Ball 2018 will have either of those, but the premise does turn heads, right?

Kontrabida Ball 2018: Kontra-what?

I’ve only ever heard of Kontrabida Ball during my attendance of my second ever “adult” party. You know it’s my second because I use words like “attendance.” This second party was interesting, sorta like a convention. An entire house had entire sections dedicated to… stuff. The entire dining area was for, well, food and casual conversations. A study room metamorphosed into a gaming zone, where people make unnecessary jokes in a Nintendo Switch game. The living area got to become a tabletop area, where I got proof that The Mind is shaping to be the best board/card game of the year. Plus it can ruin friendships. And the outside was reserved for intense scholarly discussions.

It was devoid of people getting mad drunk and being too noisy. No one was being rude or impolite or unpleasant to anyone else. Everything was surprising for me, and that level of excitement and motivation pushed me to try out Kontrabida Ball. Just for a change.

Kontrabida Ball: Round 1 Was Already Fun, What About Round 2?

We’ve actually been “informally” invited to the Kontrabida Ball in the aforementioned party. Folks, you have no idea what sort of fun just getting together could have. “Getting to know” new friends doesn’t necessarily mean having to do it with hardcore walwal, and this is how #ItanongMoKayJudith described the first round of Kontrabida Ball last year.

“It’s wholesome walwalan,” Judith said, matter-of-factly. “It’s a tugs-tugs party made for introverts and geeks.”

She explained that as a concept, Kontrabida Ball will be one of those places where the majority of the crowd are the kind of people you wouldn’t otherwise see in bars or clubs. What’s interesting, she added, would probably be the fact that most – if not all – “party-goers” geek out. And this year, the ball continues its tradition of villain-themed awesomeness. Not only that, people can apparently showcase their love for cosplaying heroes and [preferrably] villains – or just go chill out in smart casual attires (with or without a geeky twist!).

What Makes #konball2018 Different?

They’re actual geeks! The hosts are geeks, the contestants are cosplayers, the attendees are from different circles. Back in the party, Judith added the #konball can be a safe space to casually drink and enjoy the company of fellow geeks. Quite ironic for the theme of this year’s Kontrabidall Ball 2, but very apt to “defy” common misconceptions about geeks and parties.

“And one of the best things (for me) was that even when people were getting drunk, the worst damage was a couple of broken plates from a cocktail table that tipped over,” Judith said.

This can be a new change of pace. We’ve all had that story in an inuman that… didn’t quite end well. Minus brawls and actual unlawful things, we’ve had encounters with unsavory experiences before. A lot of noise, a lot of distractions, a lot of clutter – parties in places known for parties aren’t exactly what a lot of geeks like.

Looking at Kontrabida Ball and how it’s built, this seems to be the perfect getaway for geeks who just want to have a bit of fun in an environment where they can feel safe and secure.

“Which, let’s be real, is a lot milder than what usually goes on in parties like these,” Judith added. Although admittedly, a lot of us – if not all – would prefer such a comfortable space. Not a lot of having to deflect rude people,or not a lot of having to scream to hear each other.

Kontrabida Ball 2018: Happily Never After

From what we can gather, Kontrabida Ball 2018 doesn’t like to beat around the bush. Happily Never After really is a ball, which means a lot of the event hinges on people interacting with each other. There are event features such as:

• A cocktail dinner buffet. I’m not going to lie, they got me at the buffet. I reckon this is more a personal thing, though. I’ve always been into unlimited [insert food] lately, so this kinda automatically makes #konball2018 a must-try for me. Not only that, there is
• An open bar of unlimited shots. I have no idea what this means, and what an open bar is. This is a party, though, so it’s safe to assume there will be drinks. This also means no minors at the event! Attendees should probably bring their IDs just to be safe. It’s not just going to be walwal, though, as there are
• Games and live performances. What’s a party without activities? I’m not exactly sure how drinking parties will have games, but I’m assuming they will be fun. There are also guests, too!
• Special guest appearances. DJ Migs Santillan will be providing the music for the event. There will also be appearances by JOYEN and Burlesque PH. There are actually more guests that may be announced as you read this. This means if you want to be introduced to Manila’s burlesque culture, you’ve got to go to #konball2018.

The Verdict: See You When We See You, Protagonist

A lot of us in the staff aren’t overtly party people, myself specifically. Though to be fair, the prospect of coming in costume as your favorite villain and doing non-villainous things can be a bit intriguing. Box Five Productions, the organizers of the event, tout #konball2018 as “…a safe, intimate space that encourages people who don’t usually let loose to do so in the wildest, wickedest way possible.” And to be honest, a lot of us need that kind of relief given today’s woes.

If the above has been enough to pique your interest, attending Kontrabida Ball 2018: Happily Never After may be the break you need this October. #konball2018 will be held this October 13, 8PM onwards, at the One Cafe and Events Place in Pasig City. You can also visit the official event page for more details. Here’s a clip of last year’s festivities from Moonstruck Creatives!

(Many thanks to Moonstruck Creatives for allowing us usage of one of their pictures from last year’s Kontrabida Ball coverage)