Happening in L.A.

Happening in L.A.: November 21 – November 27

Club Retro Boom one year anniversary flyer at Grand Star Jazz Club in Los Angeles with DJ Vanish, Liz O. and Filthy Rich

This Saturday, I’m heading down to Orange County to talk about live music at Irvine’s Great Park Gallery for “Concert Photography: Stories and Experiences,” a special event coinciding with the gallery’s current show, Thank You, Good Night: Concert Photography. This is a free, all ages get together that takes place from 1 p.m. until 3 p.m. Great Park Gallery is located at 270 Corsair, Irvine 92618 and you can find more information on the Great Park website. 

I’ll be back in L.A. on Saturday night to DJ alongside Vanish and Filthy Rich for Club Retro Boom’s first anniversary party, on the second floor of the Grand Star. We’ve got a good mix of Rock en Español and ‘80s to play for you from 9:30 p.m. until last call. (My set time is 10:30 p.m., btw.) Discount, advance tickets are available now on Eventbrite, so click this link to get yours. This is a 21+ party and you’ll find the Grand Star at 943 N. Broadway in Chinatown’s Central Plaza, next to the Bruce Lee statue. 

As for the rest of the week, the big ticket event that I will 100% recommend here is La Femme at the Palladium on Tuesday night. I normally try to keep this list of  recommendations to events that are $30 and under. La Femme is more, but the show will totally be worth it and I’m comfortable saying that because I saw La Femme at the Belasco a couple years ago and they blew my mind. (Click here to read the story I wrote about this show for Audiofemme.) Additionally, Sam Quealy, who I also interviewed for Audiofemme back in 2022, is opening again and she’s fantastic. If you’re going to the show, get there early enough to catch her set. I mean it. 

For free shows, Kingston Ska Orchestra and Los Rebeldes Romanticos are playing at Union Station’s tree lighting ceremony on Monday. This is an early evening event, but if your commute takes you through Union Station, I suggest making a detour and catching some of the show. On Tuesday, Oasus, the Oasis tribute band, is playing Zebulon. I DJed their show at Harvard & Stone last year and their set was so much fun. If Oasis is your jam, definitely check them out. 

There are a lot of great movie screenings happening this week, including The Devils at Videotheque and El Conde at Libros Schmibros on Friday night. Plus, Tokyo Godfathers, one of the best Christmas movies ever, is at Vidiots on Sunday. Also on Sunday is a holiday special at Philosophical Research Society with retro film clips and the Bob Baker marionettes. As for the night before Thanksgiving, I think the best party option is PIE! over at Akbar. The cover is low— free before 9 p.m. and $10 after that— the DJs are fantastic and there will be pies for sale. It’s also a canned food drive, so bring something with you if you’re going. 

More info on these and other events below. For more options, check out my nightlife picks for Discover Los Angeles. 

Continue reading Happening in L.A.: November 21 – November 27 →
The Playlist

Here’s What I Played for Splash! at The Mermaid on November 17, 2024

The Mermaid holiday decorations with Christmas tree and mermaid skeleton (Photo: Liz Ohanesian)
The holidays have arrived at The Mermaid (Photo: Liz O.)

The Legend of the Stardust Brothers is playing on one of the TV sets inside The Mermaid when I arrive. The movie is bonkers in the best way possible and, since it just started, I take that as a sign that tonight’s going to be a good night. And it is. I start playing a little before 8 p.m. and, not long into the set, someone starts dancing to Amy Winehouse, then continues through Freda Payne at Stevie Wonder. Someone else starts head-bopping to Talking Heads and the guy who was dancing to the soul jams sings along with Madonna. 

Splash!, on Sundays at The Mermaid, is not a genre-specific night, so really, anything goes at the DJ table. For two-and-a-half hours, I jump across decades, from the 1960s until today. I work in “My Generation,” from the latest La Femme album, which I’ve been listening to on repeat since I bought it earlier last week, and two songs from Fontaines D.C.’s album-of-the-fucking-year, Romance. 

The crowd ebbs and flows, as is usual at bars, but it’s always a vibe. A group sitting next to me ask about “Tears Run Rings.” It’s Marc Almond, I tell them, “y’know, from Soft Cell.” They don’t know. I realize that we’re at a point where young adult Angelenos don’t remember the good KROQ Flashback Weekends, when you could hear “Sex Dwarf,” and maybe even “It’s a Mugs Game,” several times before Sunday night came around. I think that my new calling might be preserving the legacy of Los Angeles as a city where Soft Cell is not a one-hit-wonder. 

The Phantom of the Paradise is playing when I finish up my set at around 10:30 p.m. David and Stefano take over on DJ duties. (Go listen to their project Tibia, especially if you’re into synthwave.) They’re playing jams and I hang out for close to an hour after I play to chat with them and wait for the rideshare prices to drop. Camp Flog Gnaw, which was happening at Dodger Stadium, must have just let out because Lyft is a good $3 more than it normally is at this time and Uber is more than double it’s usual price. When Lyft finally comes down to a rate that I’ll settle for paying, I head home. I mention the show and the surge prices to my driver, who starts telling me about how much less the drivers are making now than pre-pandemic. He said the drivers are basically “fighting for crumbs” right now, which I understand, and which you probably get too, because that’s life in the 2020s if you aren’t the sort of person who can pay to make elections go your way. It’s a conversation that I’ve had with a lot of drivers lately, but this one ends on a hopeful note, and I think that this same conversation keeps happening is hope. It means that people are seeing that tech wields far too much power over our existence right now and things have to change. 

But, anyhow, you probably just came here to see what I played last night, so here’s the set list. Maybe come out to a gig soon. Click on this link to see where I’m playing next. 

Continue reading Here’s What I Played for Splash! at The Mermaid on November 17, 2024 →
Music

Happening in L.A.: November 14 – November 20 (Updated)

Time Masters screen cap Rene Laloux
Time Masters, Rene Laloux’s collab with Moebius, screens at Brain Dead in Los Angeles on Sunday, November 17

My next DJ gig isn’t until November 23, when I’ll be playing with Vanish and Filthy Rich at Club Retro Boom’s first anniversary party, but I have a bunch of recommendations for you for events happening in L.A. between Thursday, November 14 and Wednesday, November 20. These include live music, DJ events and movie screenings and they’re all budget-friendly.

[Update: Turns out that I will be DJing this weekend. Catch me on Sunday, November 17, at The Mermaid in Little Tokyo (428 E. 2nd St., in the mini-mall on the corner of 2nd and Alameda) for Splash! This is a 21+ night and there’s no cover. I’ll be playing first, roughly from 8 p.m. until 10 p.m. or 10:30 p.m. It’s not genre specific. Check out this playlist to see what I dropped at Splash last month.)


On Thursday, seminal goth band The March Violets are playing at The Echo. Their latest album, Crocodile Promises, came out last summer and it’s a good one, so listen when you have the chance. If you’re into shoegaze and psychedelic sounds, I highly recommend Family of Light’s residency at Harvard & Stone on Friday night. I DJed the band’s show at the same venue earlier this year and they’re fantastic. Plus, Izzy Outerspace (who I also played with previously at Harvard & Stone) is on the bill as well. If classic Jamaican tunes are your jam, don’t miss Riddim ’n Brews 3rd Anniversary on Sunday at Creature Comforts.


For friends in the South Bay, Friday night at Gardena Cinema looks like it’s going to be a time. I had never heard of Psycho Ape! before, let alone its sequel, but the trailer looks amazing, especially if you’re into Troma-style films. On Saturday afternoon, Heavy Trip, a really fun Finnish black metal road trip comedy, is playing at Alamo Drafthouse. For those who love Fantastic Planet, head to Brain Dead on Sunday to see René Laloux’s collab with Moebius. Time Masters is visually very different from Fantastic Planet, but it’s beautiful and the story is fantastic. Also, it’s one of those movies that isn’t usually streaming, so catch it while you can. Monday night at Alamo Drafthouse is a screening of the new documentary on the late songwriter Allee Willis, who is best known for writing “September,” but also co-wrote with the Pet Shop Boys, “What Have I Done to Deserve This?” When I put together this post, tickets were nearly all gone, so it might be sold out when you read this. Check out the full list below. 

Continue reading Happening in L.A.: November 14 – November 20 (Updated) →
Adventures in L.A., Live Music

Cadal at Slipper Clutch, November 7, 2024

Cadal, post-punk band from Santiago, Chile, playing live at Slipper Clutch in Los Angeles on Thursday, November 7, 2024 (Photo: Liz Ohanesian)
Cadal live at Slipper Clutch on November 7, 2024 (Pic: Liz O.)

There are two people in front of me in line at Slipper Clutch, but, from my vantage point at the top of the stairs, I can see inside the venue’s top level bar. The crowd is solid, especially for a Thursday night downtown. Out on the streets, there’s no foot traffic. I can only imagine that downtown Los Angeles’ residents are safely tucked into their luxury apartments, broadcasting night time rituals or sleep hacks or whatever inanity is trending on TikTok this week. Inside Slipper Clutch, though, there’s a lot of life. The bar is bustling, people are walking towards the dance floor. I can hear a band play live, but at this point, I’m not sure which band that is. 

I’m at Slipper Clutch to catch Cadal, a band from Santiago, Chile. For the past couple weeks, I’ve been listening to their album, Fiesta Nueva, which came out last year and is full of raw, dark punk energy. On this tour, Cadal is only playing two dates in the U.S., one of which is this show on a Thursday night in early November. It’s the sort of show you wouldn’t want to miss if you’re into borderline-goth, danceable indie bands. Plus, it’s just not that often that you can catch a stacked lineup with a headliner who has never played L.A. before for just $10 at the door. That’s the kind of show I’m compelled to support. 

Continue reading Cadal at Slipper Clutch, November 7, 2024 →
Happening in L.A.

Happening in L.A.: November 7 through November 13, 2024

This is going to be a very short list because the highs (Halloween, Dodgers winning the World Series) and lows (the election) of the past few weeks have been a lot and I’m still trying to wrap my head around that. 

Regardless, there is one live show that I 100% highly recommend and that’s Cadal at Slipper Clutch tonight. Cadal is a post-punk group from Chile (check out their music on Bandcamp) and they’re only playing two shows in the U.S. Info for tonight is on the list below. 

For the city pop and future funk heads, Shibuya Starlight is back on Friday night at High Tide in Little Tokyo. And if French pop is your thing, check out Décadanse on Saturday night at the Grand Star. 


As far as movie screenings go, I’m really intrigued by The Cathedral of New Emotions, which is playing at Philosophical Research Society on Saturday night. And I’ll always recommend seeing Grave of the Fireflies, but, bring tissues. Lots of tissues. I’m not kidding. There are still tickets available for the 8:40 p.m. show at Alamo Drafthouse on Monday night. 

Keep reading for more of what’s happening in L.A. this weekend and early next week. Also head over to Discover Los Angeles for more nightlife listings. 

Continue reading Happening in L.A.: November 7 through November 13, 2024 →
Adventures in L.A.

When the Sound of L.A. Is Dodgers Baseball

Dodgers fans gathered in Gloria Molina Grand Park across from City Hall in downtown Los Angeles for the 2024 World Series Victory Parade (Photo: Liz Ohanesian)
The scene at Gloria Molina Grand Park for the Dodgers World Series victory parade on Friday, November 1, 2024 (Pic: Liz O.)

After Mayor Bass speaks and the Dodgers continue down the parade route, blue and white confetti rains across the mass of fans gathered in front of two giant TV screens at Gloria Molina Grand Park. The voice of the late, great Vin Scully rises over the cheers from the fans, sounding as if it was a broadcast from the beyond, before the DJ drops in “It Was a Good Day.” The crowd sings along with the Ice Cube jam, filling in when the DJ scratches out the less family-friendly lyrics, although I doubt anyone here would complain about the content of the song. Thirty some-odd years later, everyone in L.A. knows that Kim can do it all night.

An estimated 250,000 people  turned up in downtown Los Angeles for the Dodgers World Series victory parade on Friday morning. My husband and I were amongst them. The park was already pretty packed when we arrived at about 10 a.m. We were able to get close enough to see the buses moving beyond the trees at the edge of the park, but the people on those buses were hardly visible. Those jumbo screens came in handy. Still, I’m listening more than I’m watching. 

For the past week, I’ve been following the siren call of the World Series, a sound so captivating that sucks you deeper and deeper into the game until, suddenly, all of your timelines, both online and IRL, are Dodger blue. 

Continue reading When the Sound of L.A. Is Dodgers Baseball →
The Playlist

Here’s What I Played at Splash! at the Mermaid on 10/27/24

Halloween display with a mermaid skeleton at The Mermaid in Little Tokyo Los Angeles on October 27, 2024 (Photo: Liz Ohanesian)
The Mermaid’s Halloween display (Pic: Liz O.)

Sunday night, I played an open format set for Splash! at The Mermaid from 8 p.m. until last call. It started out as a quiet night, which was to be expected given the excitement of the past two nights in L.A. I didn’t mind the night’s slow start either, because it gave me time to DJ and catch up with friends who I hadn’t seen in ages and stopped by early in the evening. 

At around midnight, though, a swell of people came into The Mermaid. Once I spotted the wave, I rode it and dropped the L.A. party bangers, like “Nowhere Girl,” “Living on Video” and “Send Me an Angel,” plus, of course “Blue Monday” and “Two of Hearts.” When I realized that we were close to last call, I slowed it down with the Art Laboldies. To give credit where it’s due, playing “Darling Baby” by The Elgins came via a dude who was blasting the song from his bike while cycling through Chinatown recently. 

Continue reading Here’s What I Played at Splash! at the Mermaid on 10/27/24 →
The Playlist

Here’s What I Played On the Saturday Before Halloween

Inside Albert Reyes Haunted House 2024 (Photo: Liz Ohanesian)
Inside Albert Reyes’ Haunted House (Pic: Liz O.)

I ended up double-booked on the Saturday before Halloween. While that has happened before, it’s never happened while there was a World Series game going on at Dodger Stadium. Thinking about traffic and logistics and rideshare prices stressed me out, but, for reasons I don’t know, there was an Uber Black special early in the evening, which made the first two trips a little more budget-friendly. 

Anyhow, I started the night with an hour-long set of spooky tunes at artist Albert Reyes’ haunted house party. Albert, who I’ve known since 2009, when I was a new staffer at L.A. Weekly and interviewed him, spends all year building a maze-like haunted house filled with narrow hallways, dark corners and art installations. I went through the haunt before the party started and was both awed and spooked, which might be the point. 

I started DJing at around 8 p.m. and heard fireworks early in the set, which I guess is when the Dodgers won game two of the series.  Here’s what I played. 

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The Playlist

Here’s What I Played at Club Underground’s Halloween Party on 10/25/24

Club Underground Halloween Party at Grand Star Jazz Club in Los Angeles on October 25, 2024 (Photo: Liz Ohanesian)
The crowd at Club Underground’s Halloween party on 10/25/24 dancing to Robyn “Dancing on My Own”

It’s hard to describe the energy at Club Underground’s Halloween party last night. It wasn’t just the holiday vibes in the air. Right before the party started, Freddie Freeman hit a grand slam in the 10th inning of the first game of the World Series, a dramatic victory for the Dodgers. And Underground happens to be at the Grand Star in Chinatown, just downhill from Dodger Stadium. So, in addition to the very local regular crowd, where you can safely assume there are plenty of Dodger fans, there were people who came by after the game. Someone in line showed me video he took of the reaction to Freeman’s grand slam in the crowd. There were people screaming and hugging each other, with sprays of beer that looked like rain falling over the scene. It looked wild. 

All that excitement helped set the mood for the night. I’ll write more after this I wrap up this weekend’s DJ gigs (I’m at Slipper Clutch for Dolce Vita tonight and The Mermaid for Splash Sundays tomorrow), but I will say that the costumes were great, the crowd was amazing and the vibe persisted until closing time. The set list is below. Don’t forget to get tickets for next Friday at Club Underground. It’s the release party for The Cure’s new album, Songs of a Lost World, and there are some really awesome giveaways. Click here to pick up your tix now. 

Continue reading Here’s What I Played at Club Underground’s Halloween Party on 10/25/24 →
Music

Here’s What I Played for Olya Sonica’s Album Release Party at Hotel Ziggy

Olya Sonica live at Hotel Ziggy in West Hollywood on Thursday, October 24, 2024. (Photo: Liz Ohanesian)
Olya Sonica live at Hotel Ziggy, 10/24/24. (Pic: Liz O.)

Earlier this week, Olya Sonica released her debut full-length, Alchemy. It’s a terrific album— I’m listening to it as I write this— and you can pick it up for yourself on Bandcamp or stream it on Spotify now. Last night was the album release show at Hotel Ziggy, with live sets from Olya Sonica, as well as The Dirty Shirts and Veronica Bianqui. I DJed before and after the bands played. 

The directive for the gig was rock ’n’ roll and Britpop, so I thought about when I was in college, in the late ‘90s, and getting started as a DJ. At that point in time, if you went to the equivalent of today’s indie nights, you would likely hear Britpop (“Rocks” by Primal Scream and Sleeper’s cover of “Atomic” had banger status) with a lot of ‘60s— “Lucifer Sam” and “Steppin’ Stone” were throwback faves then—  and some ‘70s glam, particularly Bowie, T. Rex, Roxy Music and The Runaways. That became the basis of the set, even if some of the songs didn’t exist until the ‘00s. Check out the set list below. 

Continue reading Here’s What I Played for Olya Sonica’s Album Release Party at Hotel Ziggy →