I’m constantly filing and cataloging my record collection. Every time, I think that I will devise the perfect system and reveal a latent talent for organization, like in Party Girl. But, once I get about halfway through the task, I realize that the system doesn’t work as well as it should and start all over again. The only upside to this Sysiphean task— which, I suppose, is also very Party Girl— is that I inevitably reconnect with a handful of old records.
If you’re planning to dance your way through Fourth of July weekend, I have some options for you.
I’m back at Underground on Friday, June 30 and it’s my favorite theme, 2000s Nite! Dance with us to the indie jams of the 21st century, from White Stripes to Wet Leg. Tickets are available now online for $8 (they’re $15 at the door), so snap up yours ASAP on Eventbrite.
This week, Fifi Laroux (KSPC, Décadanse Soirée) and I are joining forces in the DJ booth. Find us at Bar Henry on Saturday, June 24, for Fire Night Dance. We’ve got our favorite disco jams and more on deck for you starting at 10 p.m. There’s no cover and it’s 21+.
Bar Henry is located at 1228 Sunset Blvd. in Echo Park. Can’t wait to see you on the dance floor.
Check out Los Angeles-based DJ Liz O. at one of her upcoming gigs.
Before The White Lotus, Glass Onion and The Menu eviscerated the ultra-wealthy, there was Greed. Released right around the start of the pandemic, Greed is the story of a billionaire’s 60th birthday party-gone-awry directed by Michael Winterbottom and starring Steve Coogan as the toothy asshole behind a high street empire. It’s tagged as a satire and, in some ways, it is, but the movie is so grounded in the realities of the 21st century global economy that I don’t think that’s quite the right classification. It’s a little too prescient to be a satire and perhaps that, plus its unfortunate early 2020 release date, is why its Rotten Tomatoes score belie how good this movie is.
Seeing Der Fan in a theater beats watching it at home.
There’s a moment in Der Fan, when it’s obvious that something is extremely not right about Simone. A cute, teenage boy who clearly has a thing for the protagonist of this 1982 German film hands her a cassette tape. She rejects the tape so casually that I practically gasped while sitting in the front row of a screening at Alamo Drafthouse.
My latest Beatique mix is now live. To listen to the hour-long episode, either tune in on Mixcloud or via the embed here. Here’s the full track list for you.
Disco Matinee is a new day party that my pal, Jus’ B, and I are bringing to Grand Star Jazz Club on July 2 from 3 – 7 p.m. We hope you’ll join us for an afternoon of good vibes filled with disco and related jams.
Throughout June, One Colorado in Pasadena is hosting a series of free, Saturday evening concerts with Prism DJs in the opening slots. This Saturday, June 17, I’ll be warming up the crowd for Arcy Drive from 7 to 8 p.m. with a special indie dance mix. This is an all-ages event and should be a lot of fun. Hope to see you there.
One Colorado is located at 41 Hugus Alley, Pasadena 91103
William Finley as Winslow Leach and T.O.N.T.O. in Phantom of the Paradise
On its surface, Phantom of the Paradise, the 1974 sold-my-soul-for-rock-n-roll musical, may not seem like it’s a Brian De Palma film. It’s, essentially, a retelling of The Phantom of the Opera with a meta-dose of Faustian legend, along with touches of The Picture of Dorian Gray and The Count of Monte Cristo. It’s campy, drawing plenty of comparisons to Rocky Horror, the film adaptation of which came out the following year. But, if you stick around to the movie’s final concert scene— and you should— you might have the same reaction that I did, which is, “OMG, Carrie!”
I have just one gig this week, but it’s going to be a good one. Catch me on Friday, June 9 alongside Summer Rose and Crystal Heart at BLVD MRKT in Montebello for She Spins.
We’ll be playing vinyl from 7 – 10 p.m. while you dine and imbibe at the Montebello food hall. There’s no age limit, so bring the family and come hungry. The food (and drinks) are great here.
You’ll find BLVD MRKT at 520 Whittier Blvd. in Montebello.
