KCRW Masquerade Ball Featuring Z-Trip and Others - 10/27/12

Katie Bain

Z-Trip

KCRW Masquerade Ball
The Legendary Park Plaza
10/27/12

Better Than: Left, Right & Center

For a party thrown by a public radio station, things got impressively rowdy at KCRW's fourth annual Masquerade Ball on Saturday night. Thrown at art-deco castle The Legendary Park Plaza, the Ball was a multi-sensory treat for the 3,000 dressed-up guests. The party was spread throughout venue's cavernous, opulent ballrooms and courtyards, which hosted performances by Mexican Institute of Sound, Hanni El Khatib, Dustbowl Revival and DJ sets by John Lydon, M83, Z-Trip and the KCRW crew.

It more or less went like this:

10:10PM: Power up for the night with fish tacos and a Coke in the outdoor courtyard where I spot several Wonder Women, Jem of Jem and the Holograms and a strikingly beautiful Jessica Rabbit, among others. "Are those people in Mormon missionary costumes or are there actual Mormons here?" asks a lady dressed as the Queen of Hearts.

10:34PM: Mitt Romney's Binders Full of Women Costume #1.

10:54PM: Mexican Institute of Sound launch into an energetic and exceedingly loud set of electro/R&B and Mexican folk fusion. "I think that man dressed as a cracker is not dancing!" yells singer Camilo Lara with a finger pointed towards the audience. Lara is wearing a t-shirt urging people to "give cumbia a chance" which they seem to be doing. The group sounds great.

See also: Exclusive: Mexican Institute Of Sound's "Es-Toy" Video Premiere

Katie Bain

11:15PM: Up the opulent staircase and inside the Plaza's main ballroom, Morning Become Eclectic host Jason Bentley plays loud, pounding house music for a packed crowd. He is dressed in a Roman guard outfit that consists of little more than a cape, some metallic looking underwear, wrist cuffs and a helmet. "That costume is a GIFT!" shrieks an enthusiastic woman dressed as Strawberry Shortcake.

11:18PM: Mitt Romney's Binders Full of Women Costume #2.

11:25PM: M83 plays a set on the venue's floor-level. But the hallway to get out of the ballroom, down the stairs and to this location has become so clogged that it's basically a pointless effort to try and move. A fireman guards the door, allowing the crowd to slowly trickle out while a growing horde of people waiting to see Z-Trip gather outside. "Screw this," says a man dressed as Roger Rabbit,"The party is up here anyways."

See also: M83's Anthony Gonzalez Makes Soundtracks, Without the Movie

11:40PM: Momentarily accosted by Mario and Luigi on the dance floor.

12:00AM: I ditch the peacock wings I've been wearing, as bumping every person I walk past with them has become profoundly annoying.