I like large parties. Theyre so intimate. At small parties there isnt any privacy. The Great Gatsby
Its the kind of party everyone is talking about, but only 1,000 people will get to attend.
And the big question on everyones minds (before they shell out the $89-plus per ticket) is what will the Halloween Social be like?
Well, we can tell you, to start, that to rent out an entire hotel, do the production and hire the talent, its conservatively costing the organizers close to $80,000.
So says Max Cunningham, promotional heavy lifter and Joes Apartment investor, who, at the tender age of 25, has put 800-person parties to bed.
My partners and I are all at that age where we dont want to go to a bar or a nightclub anymore. This is a very good transition, because everyone still wants to go out, but they want something different.
So, fresh off an inspirational six-month trip to Paris, financially reinforced with a small army of anonymous backers (who prefer to keep their names out of print due to the public nature of their day jobs) and aligned with the retro-spectacular Burrard Hotel, Cunningham has conceived the X Social Series: four parties, each with its own brand of sensational, kicking off with the four-level, 72-room bash at the Burrard Oct. 26.
Halloween is second only to New Years as the biggest night for clubs and promoters, which could explain the elaborate, precedent-setting lengths Cunningham and Co. are going to.
Its about saying, This is who we are, this is what were doing, and really doing what we say were going to do. Which is fun parties at unique locations.
Every room will have a theme, 12 of which will be designed by Bau-Xi Gallery curator Pennylane Shen. Eight rooms will be designed by local artists with Natasha Lands of Cherchez la Femme hosting a competition where guests vote to determine the winner.
It will also be the only night you can chill with the ghost of chemo-patient-come-meth-cooker Walter White in a Breaking Bad room.
Coming in from out of town? The top two floors are reserved for all-access pass holders $550 covers your nights stay complete with a two-person VIP experience curated by James Grass of the Vancouver Club.
You come through the back door of the hotel and go down into this haunted burlesque..., Cunningham halts abruptly. Its so hard for me, because Im so excited, but I dont want to give it away!
And the entire party looks down onto an open air stage and dance floor, where Walshy (Major Lazer), Paul Devro (Mad Decent) and more will perform.
Different venues are always trying to tell you what you cant do, but [The Burrard] is always trying to find a way that we can do something thats really going to make this party that much better.
And, having learned from the last Burrard party Jamcouvers Hotel Takeover, from which the Halloween Social was inspired Cunningham has hired 20 licensed all-night security guards. In addition, two police officers and an off-duty firefighter will attend.
If it hasnt already, the party is expected to sell out this week, so if youre one of the lucky millenary, keep your eye out for young Max Cunningham, who, at press time, was fittingly planning to appear in Gatsby-esque attire.
