As the last trains departed from Kazansky railway station, stragglers and latecomers to their carriages were puzzled by the sight of long lines of revelers dressed in 19th-century Victorian outfits forming outside the station's doors.
They had descended upon this unlikely location for a Halloween party with a mid-19th century theme organized by Miller Tonight, which brought in Canadian singer and indie it-girl Grimes for her first Russian performance, alongside French house duo Cassius and British DJ Subb-an.
The train station, built by Alexei Shchusev, in 1864 was given a lavish facelift, with its arches painted and decorated with gold and stucco and its interior given opulent furnishings for a party that recalled the dances of the English gentry.
Guests, which included a host of Russian celebrities and media figures, arrived dressed for the part, with frock coats, top hats, hoop skirts and other elements of Victorian fashion the order of the day.
Undoubtedly the highlight of the evening, Grimes arrived onstage at 2 A.M in a shiny sequined dress and played a 45-minute performance amid a backdrop of video projections, glitter and soap bubbles, though the acoustics in this venue left much to be desired for such a concert.
Still, it was good to watch, especially with the extensively detailed stage and decorations of the venue, that brought out the often-overlooked architectural and ornamental detail of the neo-Russian train station.
Unfortunately for Miller, it now has high standards to live up to, as the party was by all accounts, a success, with many calling it one of the parties of the season.
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