Three weeks is not a lot of time to put together any party, let alone a record launch for a multiplatinum-selling group and a packed crowd of their A-list friends. But that's what Target did Wednesday night at Griffin to kick-off the retailer's exclusive release of The Black Eyed Peas' new album, The E.N.D. The party drew 250 guests, including Rihanna, Kanye West, and Jay Z.
Target's events and publicity team tapped longtime parter Caravents to produce the party, and time wasn't the only restriction. The Black Eyed Peas' Will.i.am requested that the relatively new venue, formerly PM Lounge, host their party, so Caravents' Cara Kleinhaut and her team had to work the album's futuristic aesthetic into the pre-existing turn-of-the-century decor that more closely resembles a library than a spaceship.
Kleinhaut realized a complete transformation was not in the cards, so she instead focused on a few elements, harkening to the album cover. Curtains of silver spheres anchored the bar and DJ booth, and bouquets of fluorescent tubes and silver rods illuminated with glow sticks lent an electronic look.
The party's focal point, however, was the 8- by 8-foot frosted white and red plexiglass stage built out in the center of the room and its glowing DJ booth covered in stenciled artwork from the album and Target bull's-eyes. Guests, including friends of the group, artists, and record executives, crowded around the small stage all night for the series of DJ sets from Apl.de.ap, Poet Named Life, and Will.i.am. The Peas took to the small stage for an intimate performance of some of their new songs later in the evening.
After the performances—and once everyone had their fill of star-gazing and sipping on Target Tonics, the night's specially made mix of vodka and energy drink—the crowd thinned, grabbing free copies of the Target deluxe version of the Black Eyed Peas' new album on their way out the door.
