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Arts & Entertainment

KCRW's Masquerade: The Happenings & Bands

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Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros


Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros close out KCRW's Masquerade (see yesterday's coverage)

Last Saturday, KCRW presented its First Annual Masquerade: A Halloween Costume Ball & Dance Party at the Park Plaza Hotel in Downtown LA. With music by DJ Shadow and Sweden's Little Dragon as well as local indie favorites Sea Wolf and Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros, plus food from Grilled Cheese, Border Grill, Kogi, Coolhaus and Sprinkles, it was an extravagant night of veritable sights, sounds, and smells.

"It was hard to stay in one place for more than a minute with so much going on in five rooms," raved KCRW. "The venue is not only beautiful and impressive architecturally, but it has a lot of history - as both the backdrop for many films and a dance club destination in the 80's. The dancing ghosts were summoned to life last night, as if by Ray Parker Jr. himself, whether it was the captivating and haunting electronica of Gothenburg's Little Dragon, the mixmaster DJ Shadow, or the DJs holding down the Grand Ballroom -- with Jason Bentley, Raul Campos, and Anthony Valadez on the turntables. Anne [Litt] and Liza [Richardson] kept the Terrace Room moving between sets from the very best of LA's indie rock scene: first, a stunning jam from LA's own Sea Wolf, in matching skeleton costumes. It was my first time hearing some of their new songs live and they absolutely killed it. Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros have been drawing sold out crowds in their recent local shows and Halloween was no different. The room was PACKED with revelers joyfully blissed out on their feel-good vibes and folk-rock tunes. The hippie ensemble scored big with this crowd."

Based on the heavy turnout, do not be surprised if KCRW's Masquerade becomes an annual Halloween tradition.

Little Dragon returns to LA on December 4th @ The El Rey Theatre, Sea Wolf performs tonight at Hollywood & Highland with Band of Skulls, Anya Marina, and Death Cab for Cutie for the Twilight: New Moon Tour, and Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros conclude their current tour on December 14th at the Mayan Theatre.

Special thanks to Little Dragon, Sea Wolf, Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros, KCRW, and the Park Plaza Hotel.

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