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Editorial

Welcome to idobi’s Carnival of the Damned 2019…

As the sun set over the Hollywood hills something wicked was waking up and getting ready to rule the night. The idobi Studio had been draped in black & white, ready to entertain, the stage was set, carnival games and treats awaited: idobi’s Carnival of the Damned had arrived.

Captain Cuts enjoying some Cotton Candy Girls’ spooky cotton candy (photo credit: Courtney Coles)
Lisa Johnson beating the hell out of Whac-a-Mole (photo credit: Courtney Coles)
Who’s ready to win? (photo credit: Courtney Coles)

Captain Cuts kicked off idobi’s first annual haunting with an epic mix that got people buzzed and dancing. The DJs barely stood still all night, keeping the energy high as they put together a seamless vibe. They spun tracks beneath a giant carnival tent complete with vintage-style posters, I’d designed to tease of the performances to come. Carnival games flashed and played to draw you in and neon lighting threw pink and green hues to make the night all the more spooky. And that was just in the first room.

Steward Blaine Adams serving up the finest WhistlePig Rye Whiskey cocktails to idobi’s own Maddi…and Maddi (AKA Brett Davern)
(photo credit: Courtney Coles)
The Carnival of the Damned x WhistlePig cocktail selection went down smooth as hell (photo credit: Courtney Coles)

Walking through the space you’d soon find the bar run by Blaine Adams from WhistlePig, who kept the drinks flowing with his signature event cocktails. Mixed using WP Piggyback or WP 10 Year and fresh pressed juices, you could toast to the Damned with a choice of Sweet, Spice & Something Nice, The Apple Bob, or Spooky Juice (or for something a little lighter with the Casper the Friendly Drink mocktail).

Miss Hannah’s Popcorn served up some Sea Salted Brûlée goodness (photo credit: Courtney Coles)
Caroline Carter, Danny Kurily, and Ryan Seaman enjoying some of the bite-sized carnival food from Carmelized Productions
(photo credit: Courtney Coles)

You could also find Miss Hannah’s Popcorn stationed nearby—their Sea Salted Brûlée was scary addictive. As soon as you had one mouthful you couldn’t stop filling up your popcorn box. Cotton Candy Girls’ Katrina served up cotton candy, spider-web style in white with black glitter or in a ghoulish blue raspberry. Her dead carnie costume was as delightful as the sweet treats she was serving up. And weaving throughout the party were bite-sized carnival food, from funnel cakes to fried Oreos to Beyond sausage bites and mini corn dogs which were to die for—made by Carmelized Productions. Curating the food, drinks, and treats with idobi’s Sherin Nicole and Audrey Lew was one of the highlights of putting this event together (we’re all about the food, y’all!) and seeing everyone go crazy for it all made it
even better.

Kevin and Chris from Photobooth X forseeing their untimely deaths thanks to our killer caricature artist Sue Bielenberg
(photo credit: Courtney Coles)
The Fish Family trying out their best scared faces over at Photobooth X (photo credit: Courtney Coles)

The good food & good times flowed all the way upstairs: Our Candyland level saw people scrabbling to dig out giant jawbreakers from candy jars and the sour gummy worms we laid out disappeared long before the party finished (Tyler Posey, we’re looking at you). Held within the Candyland room was Sue Bielenberg, our killer caricature artist. We didn’t tell anyone that they wouldn’t just be getting their likeness when they sat down with Sue—they’d be getting a prediction of how they’d die in the most gloriously bloody ways. How evil is that? But for those who preferred to have the night immortalized in a different way, Photobooth X were there to help you strike your deadliest pose. Chris and Kevin ran the joint, giving everyone the chance to take pics just hanging out or cause a scene with their snaps. Cody Carson & Shay stole the show with their costumes—their photos turned out creepy as hell and we’re (un)living for it.

Cody Carson & Shay showing off their dead-scary fates (photo credit: Courtney Coles)
idobi’s own Katherine Calligori getting her caricature death drawn up by Sue Bielenberg (photo credit: Courtney Coles)
idobi President Tom Cheney AKA Obi Tom Kenobi protecting the galaxy so we could all relax at the party (via Photobooth X)

All the way at the top of the party, Cool Nerd Weed hosts Sasha and TS were ready to take you to the next level. In the High High Hopes for Unliving smoke lounge they had all the Old Pal tokes & treats you needed to keep the buzz going. There were so many different things to captivate your attention throughout the space that we each had to take a moment to believe we fit it all in.

Five North taking the stage for an acoustic emo sing-along (photo credit: Courtney Coles)
Five North entertained the crowd with acoustic renditions of original songs and sing-along classics (photo credit: Courtney Coles)

And then Five North took the stage to play an acoustic emo sing-along. Gone Fishkin host Fish really outdid himself bringing the performances and DJs in, securing the first ever live show from Five North. Yup. Not only were we treated to their own songs “This Mess” and “Same Old Story” but we also got to sing along to anthems like “Mr Brightside”, “Dammit” (on ukulele!), even the Addams Family theme tune—not to mention requests from the crowd. The band dressed to kill, complete with skull makeup and Día de Muertos mariachi outfits—this band go all out, y’all. Everyone was having such a blast that Five North performed every song they knew until it was time for them to rejoin the party and take some pics of their own.

Five North’s makeup was killer (via Photobooth X)
The bromance is real (via Photobooth X)
Five North are here to break the internet (photo credit: Courtney Coles)

As the night began to wind down, the gift bags appeared to keep the party spirit going. Each one was stocked with a hefty bottle of WhistlePig 10 Year Rye Whiskey, some delicious Miss Hannah’s popcorn, and the Crystal Lake Pomade and Fletcher Skin Balm from the wonderful Shear Revival. And to top it all off, the gift bags came with our signature idobi Carnival of the Damned 2019 glass, made from up-cycled wine bottles with a deathly imprint. Sherin and Audrey (along with yours truly) upped the game with this year’s selection—and in putting the entire Carnival together with an assist from Fish—and we have not stopped getting love for it since. 

Our gift bag was stacked this year (photo credit: Sherin Nicole)

Catch Nick Major’s incredible video recap above, scroll through Courtney Coles’ amazing photos, then start summoning all your demons to ask why the hell you weren’t at idobi’s Carnival of the Damned

Cheers to the broken, the beaten, and the Damned! See you next time, witches…

idobi’s Nick Major and Allison Celeste about to perform the world’s most pop punk enema (photo credit: Courtney Coles)
Shear Revival’s Crystal Lake Pomade and Fletcher Skin Balm to keep you styled all night long (photo credit: Courtney Coles)
All smiles from Andrew Cramb, idobi Program and Music Director/COO Eddie Barella, Maggie Cunin, and Adam Elmakias (via Photobooth X)
Fish and The Ready Set (feat. the best photobomb from our fearless leader Tom Cheney and Matty) (photo credit: Courtney Coles)
What’s your best emoji impression? (photo credit: Courtney Coles)
idobi’s CCO/CMO/Evil Snow Queen Sherin waving to her royal subjects (via Photobooth X)
Some of the treats from the gift bag (photo credit: Courtney Coles)
idobi Hosts posing (mostly as Maddi) (photo credit: Courtney Coles)
Nathalie Rubin and Martie Hannah asking for directions to find Princess Peach (photo credit: Courtney Coles)
Thinking hard ’bout them treats: idobi’s Audrey Lew, Ronnie Ish, Lindsay Demeola, Maxx Danziger, Matt Beckley (via Photobooth X)
Fish just won’t let go of Ryan Seaman…someone send help? (photo credit: Courtney Coles)

 

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