Arts & Entertainment
John Lydon DJs at KCRW Masquerade [Video]
The post-punk pioneer played a mix of Public Image Limited and vintage dance tracks at the public radio station's annual Halloween event at the Park Plaza Hotel.
KCRW rolled out its first Halloween Masquerade Ball in 2009, just a few months before Ruth Seymour, long-time general manager, retired.
Showcasing station DJs and DJ culture, the sell-out event attracted a crowd that took their costuming quite seriously, establishing a tradition that endures.
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It was also an early harbinger of where the station would head under the coming new leadership.
Other successful Masquerade Balls mixing live bands, and guest and station DJs followed, also at the Park Plaza Hotel near downtown.
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KCRW's 4th annual Masquerade Ball on Saturday continued that trajectory--with nearly 3,000 people attending another sold out bash.
Co-produced by Mitchell Frank (The Echo, Echoplex) and KCRW's Liz MacDonald, it featured bands (Mexican Sound Institute, Hami El Khalib, M83) and guest DJs (Z-Trip), as well as KCRW selecters--among them, Echo Park residents Dan Wilcox and Marion Hodges.
Added at the last minute was guest DJ John Lydon (aka Johnny Rotten), whose revived Public Image Limited played a show Sunday at the Nokia Theater.
Lydon and manager Rambo played a mix of PiL and classic dance tracks before a small but enthusiastic and adoring crowd, finishing just after midnight.
We especially enjoyed hearing the 1977 Donna Summer classic "I Feel Love," with Lydon lip-synching and, sometimes, singing along.
(See clip above.)
He also finished the song with a heartfelt, "We will miss you Donna."
Lydon seemed a bit frustrated with all the photographing going on.
But he never stopped dancing and at one point asked everyone to stop gawking at "John Lydon international superstar" and join in.
Indeed, the official PiL website called it a "jolly good time," and also called out the costumes for "Splendid effort. Proper LA."
Here's the complete playlist of the set:
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1. One Drop / PiL
2. The Bomb (These Sounds Fall Into My Mind) / The Bucketheads
3. I Feel Love / Donna Summer
4. Open Up (Full Vocal Mix) / Leftfield Lydon
5. Groove Is In the Heart / Deee-Lite
6. Reggie Song / PiL
7. Pump Up the Volume (7" Version) MAARS
8. Lollipop Opera / PiL
9. Heads High / Mr. Vegas
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