Kaskade’s Block Party Reverberates Through Hollywood
June 27, 2011, Los Angeles
A near-riot broke out Wednesday night when a block
party/publicity stunt got too big to handle on Hollywood Boulevard during
rush-hour traffic. Partiers were tweeted to celebrate at the private screening
of a documentary on the Electric Daisy Carnival with electronic music super-wizard
Kaskade. They showed up in droves to dance to the music and crash the
invitation-only screening.
Organizers were entirely unprepared for what happened when
Kaskade tweeted:
Today@6pm
in Hollywood @Mann's
Chinese Theatre. ME+BIG SPEAKERS+MUSIC=BLOCK PARTY!!! RT!
The promoters seemed to think that the event would be a
peaceful gathering on the sidewalk or something! But alas! The party quickly
turned to a mob scene, blocking commuters from using the thoroughfare and
severely tying up traffic in the area. Police came out to restore order, only to
be met with an angry mob throwing bottles and debris until riot police were
summoned to control the growing melee. Revelers turned uber-angry when the event was canceled and orders were given to disperse.
The “block party” was a permitted promotional event
that was part of the screening of the documentary, Electronic Daisy Carnival Experience. Kaskade is one of the most popular electronic music artists around, with thousands of twitter followers. He arrived
with his mobile DJ station and dozens of costumed dancers to get the action
going. Like the Pied Piper, he tripped down the boulevard in mezzo forte, gathering followers by the dozens.
But his tweets went from defiant and happy - to cautious - to horrified:
kaskade Kaskade I am so close. Getting on the truck now. Mad traffic. On my way to the block party.
Funktion - One on a flatbed, that is what I am talking about.
As events unfolded, his tweets registered Kaskade's increasing alarm:
@kaskade literally shutting down hollywood #flashcrowd”
Everybody CHILL OUT!!! The cops are freaking out. BE SAFE AND LET'S HAVE SOME FUN!
EVERYONE CHILL NOW!!! The block party has officially been shut down! BUT THIS IS TOO CRAZY AND WE NEED TO BE SAFE!
The promo event began at the Jimmy Kimmel Theater and snaked down the street gathering followers. By the time they reached Grauman’s Chinese Theater, where the premier was held,
revelers blocked the street. Things quickly turned ugly.
Riot police flooded the streets, firing pellet guns and
swinging nightsticks. It was a scene right out of Los Angeles, ca. 1965! Kaskade
tweeted from his mobile DJ station:
EVERYONE
NEEDS TO GO HOME NOW! I DON'T WANT THIS TO REFLECT BADLY ON EDM OR WHAT WE ARE
ABOUT. BE RESPECTFUL AND CHILL OUT!!!
No one heeded the call. Dozens were hauled off and booked,
though it seems only two rioters were charged with vandalism for jumping on police cars.
Meantime, bystanders were sealed inside Madame Tussaud's, retail stores and restaurants until the streets were cleared.
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