Moby, Milagres, Mariachi El Bronx - KCRW Masquerade Ball - The Legendary Park Plaza - 10-29-11

Jeremiah Garcia

Moby

Moby, Milagres, Mariachi El Bronx
KCRW Masquerade Ball
The Legendary Park Plaza
October 29, 2011

Better than...NPR member drives

Hordes of revelers streamed into the Legendary Park Plaza Hotel last night for KCRW's annual masquerade ball. Gold and crimson lights bounced off the ornately painted ceilings, giving the place a warm glow while psychedelic skeletons danced on the walls of the ballrooms.

The rich red carpets were soon littered with discarded drinks and trampled fake cash. (Someone was making it rain million dollar bills.) Outside food trucks hummed as guests perched on hay bales and noshed on assorted fried delights, trying desperately not to smear their ghoulish make up.

Molly Bergen

Milagres

The sold out party was stuffed to the brim with those who were dressed to impress, varying from Puritan to exhibitionist and everything in between. The real focus of the evening was, however, the music.

Aside from KCRW's stellar radio DJs, they had put together a lineup with one part mysterious young upstarts (Milagres), one part hometown favorites (Mariachi El Bronx), and one part superstar DJ (Moby). The result was five ballrooms all pulsating to a different beat.

The first band to play was the young band from New York, Milagres, who took the stage disguised as old men. Hobbling on stage, the group shook their fists at the crowd grumpily and then launched into a conservative set. The piano heavy pop ballads filled the room as the crowd bopped politely to the beat. "It's so nice to play a show in your pajamas," lead singer Kyle Wilson announced. This was apt because the set was about as daring as cardigan, but it was also as comforting as one. Soft and sugary, the twee melodies wrapped themselves around the dancers and lulled them into a quiet head nods of approval.