It’s Baaaaack! KCRW’s Masquerade Ball Returns With a Lineup to Die For

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Can you believe that it’s been 3 years since the last KCRW Masquerade Ball? Neither can we! We’re thrilled to be back at the MacArthur (formerly the Park Plaza), and we’re ready to make up for lost time. Come party with us on Saturday, October 28th from 9PM to 2AM. Tickets are available here. This party is 21+ and always sells out fast so be sure to secure your spot now!

The performance artist troupe Lucent Dossier will once again roam the halls to heighten the sense of wonder and whimsy. The 8 piece, L.A. based Axon Orchestra will do the same. Featuring Balkan, and East African influences, their style is described as “cinematic and wildly dance inducing.” Get those dancing shoes ready! Speaking of which, the belly dancing flappers Les Petites Bonbons will be shaking things up all night in “The Lounge.”

Lucha VaVoom (The original image is no longer available, please contact KCRW if you need access to the original image.)

Lucha VaVoom – the high energy hybrid of Lucha Libre, comedy, and sheer spectacle – will make their Masquerade Ball debut this year. With their fabulous costumes, and flair for the dramatic, this is a match made in Heaven! They’ll have a room all to themselves, and multiple shows throughout the night. It is absolutely not to be missed.

Of course we’ll also have plenty of food trucks, and so much incredible music to keep you grooving into the wee hours. We’re thrilled to announce the full lineup, and share a few of our favorite tracks from the artists that will be performing.

MASQUERADE 2017
FEATURING

17 KCRW DJs on the Decks
THE BLACK MADONNA
MATTHEW DEAR
TENSNAKE
MOON BOOTS
YOLANDA BE COOL
GEMINI RISING
LUCHA VA VOOM
LUCENT DOSSIER
AXON ORCHESTRA
LES PETITES BONBONS

If you’ve not yet caught a DJ set from The Black Madonna, I can’t properly prepare you for how much of a treat you are in for. As a DJ myself, she is my hero, she’s everything I would like to be, she makes me feel like I could fly higher than… well, you know where I’m going with this. I’m sharing the house stomper that she released earlier this year, “He is the Voice I Hear,” because it is absolutely something that you need to hear ASAP, but if you want to get a little taste of her DJ prowess – check out her recent guest set for Metropolis.

Matthew Dear crafts moody, thoughtful, and complex electropop. He is also a wildly adventurous and eclectic DJ. His latest track, “Modafinil Blues,” is a gloomy slice of synth heavy perfection. Start watching Goth Dance YouTube tutorials now so you’ll be armed with the best/most creative ways to get down during his Halloween set.

Modafinil Blues – Matthew Dear from Elijah Guess on Vimeo.

German born DJ/producer Tensnake has an impeccable knack for both creating and selecting tunes. He’s responsible for quite a few of my personal favorite remixes, and original tracks. He’s splitting his time these days between Berlin, and Los Angeles so let’s give him a proper hometown welcome at Masquerade!

Moon Boots is an American dance music producer known for his high energy remixes and originals. “When I hit the booth,” he says, “I’ve got one mission: to give you the best night of your life.” This remix he did for one of my current favorite local artists, Elohim, is a stone cold jam.

Australian duo Yolanda Be Cool first achieved success with the 2010 single “We No Speak Americano,” but they first appeared on my radar thanks to their fantastic, houseified edit of Rodriguez’s “Sugar Man” – made with their frequent collaborator (and fellow countryman) DCUP.

Gemini Rising is an exciting new collaboration based here in L.A. from Fiora Cutler, Tensnake, and Grammy award winning producer/songwriter Lester Mendez. Cutler’s vocals have been featured on several of Tensnake’s tracks throughout the years so there’s an inherent sense of ease to their debut EP that makes it all the more enjoyable. I can’t wait to see what they bring to the table as a live band.