At Casa del Mar, midnight champagne toasts and spirited renditions of Auld Lang Syne are just the beginning when it comes to our annual New Year’s Eve bash.
But do not just take our word for it.
With the celebration fast approaching, we checked in with our featured band, Soul Station, for their thoughts on Casa’s hottest event of the year. They will be taking the stage in Terrazza Lounge from 9 pm to 1 am following a special three-course holiday dinner at Catch. (Make a reservation now for one of two seatings at 5:30 and 8 pm.)
Singers TJ Wilkins and Lola Delon had a lot to say about the upcoming event and their inspirations within dance music—along with a recommended New Year’s Eve playlist for those who cannot attend Casa’s last celebration of 2016.
See for yourself:
How would you describe your band’s style? What types of songs can guests expect at the event?
TJ: Soul Station describes itself as a “jukebox with a pulse.” We’re a dance band focused on getting people on the dancefloor and giving them the best party they’ve ever been to. That means we focus on the hits of people like Michael Jackson, Prince, Stevie Wonder, Hall & Oats, Earth Wind & Fire… the list goes on and on.
What are your musical inspirations? Any favorite artists you’ve based your style around?
Lola: We really take a lot of inspiration from people like Michael Jackson and Prince. That includes all of the amazing artists that also were inspired by them, everyone from Beyoncé to Bruno Mars. Our lead singer TJ Wilkins actually sings with the Jacksons and often fills in for Jermaine Jackson if Jermaine is ever unavailable. TJ always brings some of that Jackson magic to his performances.
Can you tell us about the band’s beginnings?
TJ: The band was actually put together by our friend Rob Perkins. Rob is a drummer who toured for years with Michael Bublé and many other artists. This band works exclusively for Rob’s company On The Beat Music Agency. We all particularly love playing with each other, and that’s because Rob purposefully created a group of like-minded people who not only love the music but love each other. That’s one of the things that make our events so special.
Do you have something special planned for the countdown at midnight?
Lola: It’s funny, 2016 has been such a wild ride of a year. In addition to Auld Lang Syne, we’ve been thinking of fun songs to do at midnight along the lines of We Are Family, or Come Together, or Hey Hey Hey Goodbye. It’ll be something fun for sure. It’s always nice to play a couple slow songs at that time to give everyone time to get those New Year’s kisses in!
What do you enjoy about performing at Casa del Mar?
Lola: Casa del Mar is really a jewel in Los Angeles. We love it for the same reasons everyone else does. The property itself is simply stunning. We all joke that it has to be in order to compete with the sunsets! Just being at Casa Del Mar puts people in a happy place, and we love getting to enhance that!
What are you excited for in the music world in 2017?
TJ: We love watching what’s happening with the LA Jazz Scene and its connection to major artists. In the past couple years, LA musicians have really taken center stage with artists like Kendrick Lamar, Thunderkat, Kamasi Washington, Terrace Martin, and many more. What’s super fun for us is these guys are all great friends of ours, and if you’re paying attention you can find some of them or their band members playing at Hotel Casa del Mar or Shutters on the Beach from time to time.
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Tickets to the New Year’s Eve party are available in advance, including a limited number of VIP packages for those who would like to reserve a cabana, couch, or table for two at the front of the dance floor.
And those who cannot make it to Casa can still enjoy Soul Station’s eclectic taste in music from home. Ring in the new year with the band’s custom 2017 playlist, available here.
