Taking back the streets

By Steve Baltin

Dec. 30, 2004 12 AM PT

Special to The Times

After commandeering the Bonaventure Hotel last year, Giant Village, the biggest New Year’s Eve celebration in Los Angeles, is moving back outdoors to the streets of downtown.

A crowd that could reach 12,000 will ring in 2005 on Wilshire Boulevard (between Grand Avenue and Flower Street) and Hope Street (between 6th and 7th), with tunes provided by some of dance music’s top DJs, as well as live rock ‘n’ roll.

“The event flowed better on the street and we’re able to do our full production with the lasers, lights, Ferris wheel and sound systems,” promoter Dave Dean says of the move.

The 2004 edition of Giant Village -- which will go on rain or clear skies, promoters say -- marks its fifth home in five years, but Dean says that’s all part of the process.

“We’re pretty comfortable with this location,” Dean says. “This location is the result of a learning curve, with a successful event [two years ago] on Flower and then a successful event in a hotel.”

This year’s version also marks two firsts for Giant Village. There will be a centralized countdown to midnight, instead of each stage ringing in the New Year on its own, and a live band will perform alongside the DJs that have become the staple of Giant Village. Joining world-class turntablists Paul Oakenfold, the Crystal Method, Mark Farina and John Digweed are KROQ-FM favorites the Killers.

Dean believes the Killers are a perfect fit to bridge the worlds of DJs and live music. “Their lead singer is playing keyboards, not a guitar. It’s a very accessible band for people who have been into DJ culture for the last 10 years,” he says.

Killers frontman Brandon Flowers concurs. “We make rock music that people can dance to,” he says.

And the Las Vegas quartet has no hesitation about being the guinea pigs. “Somebody like New Order wouldn’t be afraid to do this gig. Hopefully this will be bringing us together with somebody new,” Flowers says, adding that he’s a big Oakenfold fan.

If all goes smoothly, Dean hopes to expand. “Next year we can dedicate a stage to bands and do two or three more DJ stages. The sky’s the limit of what we can do,” he says, rattling off the names of U2, Modest Mouse and the Red Hot Chili Peppers as some of the groups he’d like to have play in the future.

Despite those ambitions, Dean says of Giant Village, “It’ll always be anchored in the DJ and club culture.” That’s where the event’s reputation has been built and what attracted Digweed.

“I know the Giant parties have been huge,” Digweed says. “I spoke to [fellow DJ] Luke Fair. He said he had a really good time, and I spoke to Danny Howells, who also really enjoyed it.”

For someone such as Digweed, who has spun in Australia and the U.K. on New Year’s Eve and has his pick of gigs, word of mouth is important. “If they said they didn’t have a good time you think, ‘I’m not sure I want to be doing this.’ You want to make sure it’s a good gig; that everything runs smoothly, the production is good and it’s a good crowd,” he says. “New Year’s Eve is the most special night of the year.”

Giant Village

Where: Downtown Los Angeles. Enter at corner of Hope and 6th streets.

When: 8 p.m. Friday - 4 a.m. Saturday

Price: $75

Info: (323) 464-7373 or www.giantvillage.com