Photos: Masquerade 2014

Minutes before the doors opened for KCRW hosted its 6th annual Masquerade Costume Ball and Dance Party, a thunderous drum line, horn section, accordion player and assorted other musicians led by Noah Lit swept members of the Lucent Dossier Experience, who were gathered at the bottom of the impressive grand staircase awaiting attendees, into an soaring, roaring song that was the only proper kick off to an evening such as this.

The gypsy jazz ensemble, Noah and the Megafauna, traveled the haunted halls of the Legendary Park Plaza Hotel from the famed staircase to the back lot food truck hang out all night long, while the fantastically costumed vaudeville troupe Lucent Dossier dazzled party-goers from the moment they entered the event.

A group of KCRW DJs had just gathered for a group photo before splitting off to get behind the decks and enjoy the festivities as fans.

I headed straight for reggae goddess Hollie Cook, who did not disappoint.

Watching a prisoner, a rabbit, a Girl Scout and the Pope get down to some dub-style tunes never ceases to amaze me.

The amazingly costumed attendees seemed to fill up the venue within minutes. Unlike other years, I rarely saw any costumes repeated.

Everything was original, creative and sexy/scary/fun.

While Tom Vek held court in the upstairs Grand Ballroom, treating us to a rockin’ set with just the right amount of punk attitude and dance beats to please a party, LA’s own Fool’s Gold brought influences from around the world into the Bronze Room.

Later in the evening, Tokimonsta was all smiles as she led an epic dance party while across the hall, Chris Malinchak, Bonobo and Les Sins played to an always-packed Terrace room.

As with every year, it all went by too fast and I missed too much but was fully entertained from the minute I arrive to the minute I left!

Tokimonsta by Lindsey Best