Los Angeles
-- For Sunday night's Grammy winners, nominees and just about anyone tangentially related to the music industry in Los Angeles, the actual ceremony was only a jumping off point.
From 9 p.m. until the early morning, musicians hit Hollywood, West Hollywood and beyond to toast a year -- 2010, that is -- in which the music industry seemed to have multiple reasons to celebrate.
And while the actual Grammy Awards were also upbeat thanks to several memorable performances, the real action last night took place not at Staples Center, but after the telecast in venues miles away from downtown L.A.
The major label post-parties held the most sway with artists and industry alike on Sunday night: EMI, Warner and Sony held their annual after-parties and the mood this year was decidedly festive in contrast to recent years past.
This year things felt different: Perhaps portending better things to come for an industry reeling from declining record sales (artists such as Lady Gaga, Jay-Z, Katy Perry, Eminem and Ke$ha helped give executives much to smile about in 2010 and into 2011, with digital sales inching ever upward).
At EMI's party, guests such as Perry partied in a chic warehouse-like setting in Hollywood. The event was a sensorial multiroom romp featuring several areas decked out with video games and gourmet food trucks parked in an airplane-hanger-esque area, giving the bash a casual cool that somehow felt rock 'n' roll, even though guests were dressed to impress. (Nicole Kidman made the scene with friends.)
A few miles west of EMI's post-Grammy celebration, Warner Music managed to lure some of music's biggest names to its Audi-sponsored party at the exclusive Soho House West Hollywood. Jay-Z and Beyonce dropped by and left on the early side, leaving Grammy performers such as Bruno Mars and Janelle Monae to enjoy the views from atop the posh rooftop members club, which overlooks the Sunset Strip.
"I'm here celebrating," said Monae, who wowed Grammy watchers with her stage diving performance at the Grammy show on Sunday. "I love my team," she continued at the bar (it was her first time at the venue). "We work very hard for this moment ... it's a very special night for us," the Atlantic/Warner recording artist said.
But it wasn't just Grammy-nominated singers making the scene at Soho House late Sunday. Everyone from actress/singer Juliette Lewis to Cobra Starship vocalist Victoria Asher was mixing it up with Mars and Grammy winners the Black Keys at Warner's post-Grammy soiree.
"It's a great vibe," said Asher. "It's all supercreative people and I've met a lot of producers whose work I admire. Everyone's really positive and ready to talk."
The networking spilled over across Sunset Boulevard into early Monday morning for many musicians, as they made their way to hot club Trousdale, for Kings of Leon's intimate private party. Inside, everyone from Adam Lambert to multiple Grammy winners Lady Antebellum danced to Johnny Cash and The Cure.
Other hot parties Sunday included Interscope's bash at L'Ermitage hotel and a late-night happening in the Hollywood Hills hosted by music industry executive Steve Rifkind, which was sponsored By Nivea For Men.
that's nice enough enjoyment just hope it doesnt turn out to some thingelse
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