KCRW's Masquerade Ball at The Park Plaza Hotel
It's hardly surprising that KCRW knows how to throw a party. I mean they are the home of Morning Becomes Eclectic one of the best music shows on air. And I don't mean in Los Angeles. I mean in the country. The radio station had rented out the gorgeous Park Plaza Hotel in MacArthur Park and threw a masked ball Louis XIV would have been proud of. KCRW's famed DJs spun tunes in every room as costumed guests milled around in varying states of inebriation. In the parking lot, food trucks waited patiently for the midnight hour to strike, a time when the guests would give in to their secret desire for tacos and grilled cheese.
There was really something for everyone. For the rocker crowd, local favorites Sea Wolf and Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeroes graced the giant ballroom upstairs. Downstairs Sweden's Little Dragon and DJ Shadow pleased those who were into synth and electronic vibes. But the music was really secondary compared to the guests themselves. The night was really all about the costumes. For the most part people did not disappoint. There were some really amazing ones. (See above) But somehow, the cliches still showed up. There were token french maids, vampires, angels, and devils. Really? Really people? I can understand showing up to your friend's Halloween party as a devil, but to a masked ball? You can do better. This town was built on imagination. Remember that.