The Tone Loc Party: A Virtual Lockout

The Scene: A record release party for Tone Loc’s new LP, “Cool Hand Loc,” at the El Rey Theater on Wilshire Boulevard Friday. The rapper’s new recording is a follow-up to his phenomenal “Loc-ed After Dark.”

The Scene Outside: Dozens of LAPD officers in riot gear cleared out a throng of more than 1,000 Tone Loc fans who pushed and shoved against the theater’s doors to scope out some stars. Publicist Ellen Zoe Golden says that among those hassled in an attempt to clear the crowd away from the doors at the Fire Department’s request were several journalists and a writer for Home Box Office.

The Buzz Back Inside: The crowded music market, with several big artists, including Michael Jackson, Hammer, Ice Cube and Linda Ronstadt having released or expected to release records this fall. “It really is tough out there,” Loc said.

Who Was There: Though the guest list read like a teen-age girl’s fantasy party, promised stars, including Magic Johnson, Axl Rose, Christian Slater, Billy Idol, Robert Townsend, Debbie Gibson and several others, who reportedly RSVP’d, didn’t show.

The Publicist Explains: “If you were a celebrity who came there to party and have a good time, you would drive by and see that crowd and keep going.” (Among those who did park their cars and make their way through the throng were MTV’s Pauly Shore, rapper Yo-Yo and several paparazzi. )

Dress Mode: Mostly uptown street, with leather baseball caps and leather jackets priced in the four-digit range the look of the night. Caps and jackets with the names of rap record labels, such as Loc’s Delicious Vinyl, Def Jam and Jive, were popular. There were few women, it seemed, without a pair of black boots.

Chow: Soul food from Aunt Kizzy’s Catering. The buffet included black-eyed peas, collard greens, corn bread and peach cobbler.

Summing It All Up: “Either the promoter gave out too many tickets or there are just too many people in front of the door,” said an L. A. firefighter.