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You might have missed your chance to party at Studio 54, but for one night only, you can see what it would have been like in Hell. Drunken Devil Productions launched in Los Angeles last Halloween with a boozy, New Orleans-themed haunted house maze and cocktail bar in the Fashion District. Now, founder Matt Dorado says the group is moving towards immersive, horror-themed parties. Fresh off a burlesque and magic show at Redline in downtown Los Angeles, Drunken Devil is set to host L'enfer: An Infernal Discotheque on June 25 at Superchief Gallery in downtown Los Angeles. The theme? Studio 54, if it were a club found in the underworld.
Dorado says he regards their Halloween show as a learning curve which led to an interest in nightlife and parties versus the more Halloween-centric haunted house. L'enfer will be "extremely theatrical" with burlesque, magic, aerial acrobatics, horror installations and roving monsters.
"I used to do haunted houses in Santa Barbara," Dorado tells LAist. "I love Halloween and I started this company with the intention of making haunted houses. But the more I go on and get more involved in the nightlife scene here, I know we're always going to do Halloween, but we're also definitely trying to corner the horror nightlife niche market. This is our first big-scale party."
Eventually, Dorado says he'd like to do a Halloween festival with some elements of a traditional haunt, but also fun stuff like a beer garden, vendors and food.
As for the Drunken Devil, he's an actual character that attends the company's shows.
"He started as the figurehead of the brand, and he's really become more of an emcee for all of our events," Dorado says. If you haven't met him, this devil's got Southern charm and wit, with the right amount of sleaze.
The first hour of L'Enfer will feature a cocktail hour where guests can sip a speciality brew while visiting one of the tarot readers or fortune tellers present. An hour of performance will follow, featuring burlesque artist Madeline Sinclaire, magician Jimmy H., and aerialist Scarlette Fox. Then, DJ Aiden Ramos, who Dorado recruited after encountering him at the Disco Dining Club, will provide an all-vinyl selection of '70s cuts for those who want to dance.
Drinks will include a curated selection of craft cocktails, plus beer. Tickets include access to the open bar all night. Guests are encouraged to "dress to impress," but it's not a costume party, so don't feel like you have to pull our your bell bottoms or platforms for this one.
L'Enfer is on Saturday, June 25 at 8 p.m. at Superchief Gallery, located at 740 Ceres Avenue in downtown Los Angeles. Tickets are $40 online/$45 at the door. A portion of the proceeds will benefit DTLA Art Walk. 21+m
