That’s me, going through my records. Photo: Carlos R.

Last night, Hasbro and Junk Food Clothing put together the Toy Box Game Night at Meltdown Comics and I was fortunate enough to be the DJ.

I didn’t know what to expect for the gig. I’ve been to enough store events to know that they aren’t really dance parties, but I still wanted to play stuff that would make people move. Given that this was Hasbro– which means My Little Pony, GI Joe and Transformers– I thought an ’80s set would be the best bet. (I should say, mostly ’80s, the tracks that opened and closed the set actually came out in the late 1970s.)  I also decided to go with more of an ’80s alternative radio sound, mostly stuff I remember hearing on KROQ as a kid, because that seemed closest to what I hear on the Meltdown iPod whenever I stop by the store.  Then I threw in some Madonna and Technotronic just for fun.

It was a really cool gig. When I arrived, I was told that I could either wear a Transformers mask or a hat. As much as I would have loved DJing in the mask, I wouldn’t have been able to use my headphones, so I went with the cap. There were a lot of people running around with Nerf guns, which looked like a ton of fun. I’m happy I could provide the soundtrack for the Nerf Battle.  Special thanks to Meltdown, Junk Food and Hasbro for this opportunity.

Check out the set list.

Kraftwerk–The Model
Visage– Fade to Grey
Kate Bush — Running up That Hill
Heaven 17– Let Me Go
Gang of Four– I Love a Man in a Uniform
INXS– Need You Tonight
Tom Tom Club– Genius of Love
Siouxsie and the Banshees– Peekaboo
Elvis Costello — Pump it Up
The Jam– A Town Called Malice
Specials– Gangsters
English Beat– Mirror in the Bathroom
Madness- Our House
Dexy’s Midnight Runner– Come On Eileen
Colourfield– Can’t Get Enough of You Baby
The Smiths– What Difference Does It Make?
Joy Division– Love Will Tear Us Apart
Echo and the Bunnymen– Lips Like Sugar
The Primitives– Crash
The Housemartins– Happy Hour
Devo– Beautiful World
Big Country– In a Big Country
Talking Heads– Girlfriend is Better
Stephen “Tin Tin” Duffy– Kiss Me
Alexander Robotnick– Problemes d’amour
New Order– Bizarre Love Triangle
Pet Shop Boys– West End Girls
Book of Love– Boy
Madonna– Burning Up
Depeche Mode– Personal Jesus
Duran Duran– Planet Earth
The Cure– Lovesong
Marc Almond– Tears Run Rings
Japan– Quiet Life
Telex– Moskow Diskow
New Order– Blue Monday
Trans X– Living on Video
Yazoo– Don’t Go
Technotronic– Pump Up the Jam
Kon Kan– I Beg Your Pardon (I Never Promised You a Rose Garden)
Soft Cell– Tainted Love/Where Did Our Love Go (request)
Human League– Seconds
Fun Boy Three- Our Lips Are Sealed
ABC– Look of Love
General Public– Tenderness
Style Council– My Ever Changing Moods
XTC– Making Plans for Nigel
Cowboy Junkies– Sweet Jane
Meco– Star Wars