It’s 9 a.m. and I just poured my second cup of coffee after waking up an hour ago, so last night is a still kind of a blur. I played in the New Wave vs. Darkwave room at Nocturno, which was lit almost from the start. Like, I remember seeing people dancing in the line for the bathroom by the third or fourth song of the set.
I finally had the chance to play “Digital Slaves,” from Gesaffelstein’s latest album, Gamma. I’ve been listening to the album for a few months now and keep going back to that song because the lyrics are very 2024, but the sound is very 2004, and that juxtaposition makes a lot of sense in my brain. But, I haven’t had a gig where I thought it would work until last night, right after I heard the screams for She Wants Revenge “Tear You Apart” and noticed that the room was packed. Tl;dr is that “Digital Slaves” did really well and it’s a total keeper in the sets now, which is nice because I haven’t really played his music out since The Lash closed.
Anyhow, overall, the vibe was more darkwave than new wave, which is always fun. Thanks to Nocturno for having me play and for everyone who hit the dance floor last night. Check out the set list below.
Boy Harsher – Give Me a Reason
Male Tears – Model Citizen
Ultra Sunn – Broken Monsters
Sextile – Contortion
Linea Aspera – Attica
French Police – Sueño Húmedo
The Cure – Let’s Go to Bed
Depeche Mode – Get the Balance Right
Panther Modern -Creep
Sisters of Mercy – Lucretia
Boy Harsher – Come Closer
TR/ST – Dressed for Space
ACTORS – Face Meets Glass
The Cure – In Between Days
Lebanon Hanover – Sadness Is Rebellion
Twin Tribes – Monolith
She Past Away – Kasvelli Kullama
Siouxsie and the Banshees – Christine
Bloc Party – Banquet
Joy Division – Transmission
The Cure – The Walk
New Order – The Perfect Kiss
Nitzer Ebb – Join in the Chant
Marie Davidson – Work It
Pastel Ghost – Dark Beach
Perturbator – Disco Inferno
Crystal Castles w/Robert Smith – Not in Love
She Wants Revenge – Tear You Apart
Gesaffelstein – Digital Slaves
Blood Club – Quiero Bailar
Molchat Doma – Sudno (Boris Ryzhy)
She Past Away – Asimilasyon
Twin Tribes – Sangre de Oro
French Police – Her
The Cure – Play For Today
Mareux – Lovers from the Past
Real Life – Send Me an Angel
Depeche Mode – Personal Jesus
Eurythmics – Sweet Dreams
Sextile – Disco
Ultra Sun – Keep Your Eyes Peeled
Boy Harsher – Machina
Yaz – Situation
Mr. Flagio – Take a Chance
Pet Shop Boys- West End Girls
Q Lazzarus – Goodbye Horses
French Police – Club de Vampiros
The Cure – Lovesong
Bronski Beat – Smalltown Boy
Trans X – Living on Video
The Flirts – Danger
Lime – Babe, We’re Gonna Love Tonight
New Order – Blue Monday
ADULT. – Hand to Phone
Vitalic – La Rock 01
Boy Harsher – Pain
Lebanon Hanover – Gallowdance
Joy Division – Love Will Tear Us Apart
The Cure – Just Like Heaven
B-Movie- Nowhere Girl
Soft Cell – Sex Dwarf
OMD – Electricity
The Cure – Boys Don’t Cry
The Smiths – Ask
Depeche Mode – Strangelove
Crystal Castles – Vanished
Pastel Ghost – Iris
Glass Spells – Hechizos
New Order – Bizarre Love Triangle
My Mine – Hypnotic Tango
Nuovo Testamento – Heartbeat
The Horrors – Something to Remember Me By
Psychedelic Furs – Love My Way
The Cure – Charlotte Sometimes
The Smiths – There Is a Light
Erasure – Oh, L’amour
Crystal Castles – Crimewave
Vicious Pink – Cccan’t You See
Clio – Faces
Human League – Don’t You Want Me
Ministry – Every Day Is Halloween
The Cure – Close to Me
Liz O. is an L.A.-based writer and DJ. Read her recently published work and check out her upcoming gigs.
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Here’s What I Played at Klub Nocturno Presents Darkwave Night @ Alex’s Bar on October 17, 2024