PepsiCo hosted a night full of gourmet tastings, innovative drinks, and exquisite music to celebrate the opening of their new NYC hotspot, Kola House. The event, which was invite only, treated guests to a surprise performance by none other than the prolific LCD Soundsystem.
Good food, good drinks, and good company are all essential components of a great night. If you throw in a surprise musical appearance by the legendary dance-punk band, LCD Soundsystem, it’s safe to say that you’ve experienced what could be considered ‘the perfect night’ by many. This came to fruition at NYC’s hottest new restaurant and exclusive club, Kola House, during its grand opening on Tuesday, September 20th.
Swiss Beatz hosted the Kola House opening.
Located in the heart of the ultra trendy Meatpacking District, the PepsiCo owned venue hosted a prestigious invite-only event to celebrate their inauguration into Manhattan’s finest joints. Guests included Swiss Beatz, Maxwell, AJ Calloway, and about 200 special New Yorkers were given the opportunity to partake in Kola House’s deégustation of their innovative menu. Resident flavor chemist, Alex Cott, curated the cocktail menu, which comprised of some of the best mixed drinks we’ve ever had in our lives. Guests were given access to unlimited rose-petal and kola extract infused tequila, cucumber infused vodka, and tequila shots that were to be chased with cinnamon orange hors d’oeuvres.
Photo credit: Steve Jennings
In addition to the exquisite selection of drinks, guests were also treated to a variety of carefully-selected food samples. Throughout the night, caterers continuously approached guests with delicious bite-sized appetizers to give them a taste of what will be part of the official menu. The treats offered included broccoli hush puppies, ricotta hush puppies, chicken and beef skwere, yellow carrot hummus on toast, and their signature Kola Label Burger. The savory selection of appetizers provided a nice palette contrast with the sweet nature of the cocktails.
The positive energy in the venue increased as more people began to arrive and prepare themselves for the highly anticipated surprise musical guest. People mingled and enjoyed the atmosphere while the room was filled with groovy throwback hits by the in-house DJ. By 11pm the place was packed with wide-eyed guests waiting to see who was about to grace the audience with their presence.
Nancy Whang, LCD Soundsystem
Suddenly the space was filled with a familiar guitar riff and sparkling snares. The crowd stared in disbelief as James Murphy himself walked on stage and began belting out the words to “Daft Punk Is Playing in My House”. The legendary LCD Soundsystem – who are notorious for turning down opportunities to play at small venues – delivered an exclusive performance to Kola House attendees, and they certainly did not disappoint. Their hour long set included a fan favorites, such as the classics “I Can Change”, “Tribulations”, and “Dance Yourself Clean”. James Murphy stopped the music a couple of times to jokingly comment on the audience’s affinity for recording every second of the performance on their mobile phones, instead of just enjoying the moment. But can you really blame them? This was a once in a lifetime opportunity for everyone involved!
James Murphy, LCD Soundsystem
