Category Archives: The Playlist

The Playlist

Here’s What I Played at Splash! at The Mermaid on July 30, 2024

The Mermaid Little Tokyo Los Angeles (Photo: Liz Ohanesian)
Now entering the Mermaid

I had just returned home after a meeting and noticed a text asking if I could fill in for the opening DJ set at Splash!, which was set to start in a little over an hour. I said I could get there at 7:45, then ran out, got dinner, ate half a banh mi, wrapped up the other half for later that night, grabbed my laptop and the controller that I had yet to unpack from Nocturno on Saturday night, scheduled a ride and showed up at 7:43 p.m., which was more than enough time to set up and get started at 8 p.m. 

Since I still had my Nocturno folder loaded into Rekordbox, I played more of an alt. ‘80s set, with a few other random songs that I either happened to have on my laptop or was able to download quickly. It ended up being a great night. I met some super cool people, dropped some tunes I hadn’t played out in a while (“Get the Balance Right,” “Our Darkness,” “No More Words) and finished with Pia Zadora and Jermaine Jackson’s duet “When the Rain Begins to Fall,” from the sci-fi epic Voyage of the Rock Aliens, because why not? 

Here’s the set list. I’m still scheduling August gigs, so I don’t know when I’m playing next, so follow on Instagram and I’ll the next date when I have it. 

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Adventures in L.A., Got It On Vinyl

In Sheep’s Clothing x Japonesia Is the One Record Fair I Try Not to Miss

In Sheep's Clothing x Japonesia Summer Market, July 28, 2024 at Homage Brewing in Chinatown, Los Angeles. (Photo: Liz Ohanesian)
In Sheep’s Clothing x Japonesia Summer Market at Homage in Chinatown on July 28. (Pic: Liz O.)

I almost regretted leaving my igloo on the last Sunday in July. It was hot af and I was still a little tired from the previous night’s DJ gig at Nocturno, but the In Sheep’s Clothing x Japonesia Summer Market was happening and that’s the one record swap that I try not to miss. So, I twisted my hair up and butterfly-clipped it, like at least 75% of longhaired L.A. this summer, and headed out to the brewery for a dig. 

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The Playlist

Here’s What I Played at Klub Nocturno on July 27, 2024

View from the DJ booth in the new wave/darkwave room at Klub Nocturno. (Pic: Liz O.)
View from the DJ booth in the new wave/darkwave room at Klub Nocturno. (Pic: Liz O.)

There were a lot of requests for the new wave/darkwave room at Nocturno on Saturday night. Most of them came before the event and I started a separate playlist in Rekordbox just to keep track of them. The most requested song of the night was “Club de Vampiros” by French Police, which you heard a little after midnight at the start of my second set. 

My favorite request came in person at the club, maybe a little before 1 a.m. Someone asked for Miguel Bosé, which I was happy to oblige. For a minute, though, I feared that I wouldn’t be able to play it after all because the night was coming to a close and I kept thinking of big songs that hadn’t been played yet, like “Tainted Love.” Fortunately, though, “Amante Bandido” made an appearance right before the last song of the night. 

As always, Nocturno was a blast. Thanks for dancing and thanks for the requests. Keep reading for my set lists. 

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Film, The Playlist

I Swiped This Real Life Song From Voyage of the Rock Aliens

Voyage of the Rock Aliens 1984 movie title card

There’s a Real Life song that’s creeping into my DJ sets and it’s not “Send Me An Angel.” I’ve played “Openhearted,” from the band’s 1983 debut album, Heartland, in my sets at Splash! twice this month. Most likely, it will keep turning up in my new wave sets, at least at bar gigs or early in the night, because it’s a good alternative to the Australian band’s big hit, packed with drama and a sticky melody. Also, the song has been stuck in my head for most of this month, so I probably need to keep playing it until I dislodge the earworm. 

But, I have to make a confession about “Openhearted.” I totally, 100% swiped this Real Life song from Voyage of the Rock Aliens. In fact, I wouldn’t even know the song were it not for that bonkers movie and I probably should be embarrassed for saying that. But, also, I’m from L.A., where “Send Me an Angel” has been such a dominant banger for so long that any other Real Life song has long since faded from memory. That is, unless you are so baffled by Pia Zadora’s turn as a high schooler torn between her controlling rockabilly boyfriend and a new wave alien that you watch Voyage of the Rock Aliens every time it pops up in your Tubi recommendations. 

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The Playlist

Here’s What I Played for Splash! at The Mermaid on July, 23, 2024

Christmas in July at The Mermaid on July 23, 2024 (Photo: Liz Ohanesian)
Christmas in July continues at The Mermaid. (Pic: Liz O.)

It was totally last minute, but I filled in for Splash! at The Mermaid on Tuesday night, playing ’80s music from 8 p.m. until last call. I was in a Roxy Music, Japan and Duran Duran mood, which manifested in the set. Plus, I’ve had the Real Life song “Openhearted” stuck in my head on-and-off for a few weeks, so that made an appearance in the set too. Check out the set list below.

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The Playlist

Here’s What I Played for Splash! at The Mermaid on July 9, 2024

Christmas in July at The Mermaid in Little Tokyo with Christmas tree tiki mug, sand snow man tiki mug and gingerbread man tiki mug (Photo: Liz Ohanesian)
The Mermaid’s Christmas in July tiki mugs, including a Christmas tree, a sand/snow man and a gingerbread man. (Pic: Liz O.)

Splash! is Dolce Vita’s new Tuesday night ‘80s party at The Mermaid. You’ll still hear Italo disco in the mix, but you’ll also hear new wave, synthpop and more subgenres of the decade’s dance music . I played for the first time since the rebrand for the first half of the night tonight and it was lot of fun to get to drop some of my Italo favorites (Ken Laszlo, Pino D’Angio) with a few of the ‘80s night standards (OMD, The Cure, etc.), some tunes that I don’t get to play out so much (Olivia Newton-John “Twist of Fate”) and a few tracks from the era that are actually new to me (Angelyne “Sex Goddess,” thanks to the Dark Entries reissue). Oh, and I was able to work in the best song from Voyage of the Rock Aliens (Real Life “Openhearted”), a movie I’ve been trying to write about for a while, but I still can’t make sense of it, which might be the point. My only regret is not adding Pia Zadora to my ‘80s virtual crate. Next time. 

Also, it’s Christmas in July at The Mermaid. The tiki mugs in the top photo are part of the promotion. You can buy one solo or with one of the drinks on the Cocktails for a Cause menu, all of which have Christmas horror names, like Santa’s Slay. The mugs were so cute— my favorite is the sand/snow man in the center of the photo— so I had to take a photo. 

Anyhow, keep reading for the set list. Seen you next on Friday, July 12, for Yeah Yeah Yeahs x Siouxsie Nite at Club Underground.

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The Playlist

Here’s What I Played at Disco Matinee on July 7, 2024

Pink pen with disco ball on top. (Photo: Liz Ohanesian
The disco ball spins!

Disco Matinee hit its first anniversary. We celebrated at the Grand Star, who has kindly hosted us on the first Sundays of the month since July of 2023. The coolest people on the planet were there. One of them is a friend of mine who I’ve known since the days of dialup internet. She brought me the sweet disco ball pen seen in the above photo. You might notice the blur in the photo. That’s because the disco ball spins too! You might also notice that I haven’t done my nails in quite a while. That’s because I don’t care about your Instagram beauty standards dictating that hands should only be seen when they are freshly manicured. 

Anyhow, here’s what I played. Thanks to everyone who came out and danced with us. 

Set One:

Michael Zager Band – Let’s All Chant

Anita Ward – Ring My Bell (Pontchartrain edit)

Evelyn “Champagne” King – Shame (Mr. Turner edit)

Cerrone – Supernature (Ethan Wood edit)

Kano – It’s a War (Purple Disco Machine, Lorenz Rhode edit)

Ken Laszlo – Hey Hey Guy

Telex – Moskow Diskow

Lime – Babe, We’re Gonna Love Tonight

Trans X – Living on Video

Bronski Beat – Smalltown Boy

Marc Almond – Tears Run Rings

Divine – You Think You’re a Man

Alaska y Dinarama – A quien le importa

Stop – Wake Up

Righeira – Vamos a la Playa

New Order – Blue Monday

Prince – Erotic City

Set two:

Desireless – Voyage Voyage

Erasure – Oh L’amour

My Mine – Hypnotic Tango

Freeez – I.O.U. 

Mr. Flagio – Take a Chance

Yaz – Situation

Skatt Brothers – Walk the Night

Pino D’Angio (RIP)– Ma Quale Idea

Sheila E. – A Love Bizarre

George Clinton — Atomic Dog

Zapp – More Bounce to the Ounce

Tom Tom Club – Genius of Love

Herb Alpert – Rise (Daz Rise Up edit)

Bee-Gees- Love You Inside Out (Antton edit)

Blondie – The Tide Is High

Jeanette – Por Que Te Vas (David Kust remix)

Donna Summer – Last Dance

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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The Playlist

Here’s What I Played at Bigfoot Lodge on July 6, 2024

Bigfoot Lodge in Los Feliz (Photo: Liz Ohanesian)
Inside Bigfoot Lodge

I brought two heaving bags of vinyl to play alongside DJ Felix for my pal Malvada’s night at Bigfoot Lodge. Of course, I worried that I didn’t bring enough music and, of course, I brought more than I needed. One of the records that made it onto the turntable, though, was Taleen Kali’s most recent album, Flower of Life. I played “Only Lovers Left Alive,” which is a terrific song that shares a title with one of the best ever vampire flicks. 

Anyhow, I posted the record in my Instagram story, tagged Taleen and then, very shortly after that, there she was at Bigfoot Lodge. Turns out she was already on her way there when I posted. It was a fun coincidence, but also a good segue into this reminder that you should get Flower of Life. It’s a fantastic album and— I swear this isn’t sponsored content— if you head over to Bandcamp, you can get it on vinyl or cassette or CD or digital. 

Keep reading for last night’s set list. 

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The Playlist

Here’s What I Played at Decadanse x Underground on July 5, 2024

Photo of full dance floor at Club Underground at Grand Star Jazz Club in Chinatown, Los Angeles on July 5, 2024
The scene at Grand Star Jazz Club for Decadanse x Underground on July 5, 2024

Decadanse x Underground was such a great time and I’m happy to have been a part of it. DJs Pierrot and Fifi LaRoux played French pop on vinyl downstairs. Larry G. and I brought the indie vibes upstairs. We switched off on the controllers about every half hour or so. 

“Amour Ex Machina,” from L’Impratrice’s new album, Pulsar, did pretty well for my first time playing it out. “Digitalism in Cairo,” the Digitalism track that samples “Fire in Cairo” by the Cure, made a reappearance after many years. People probably don’t recall it was a big track back in the ‘00s. 

Anyhow, I’ll be back at Underground next Friday, July 12, for Siouxsie x Yeah Yeah Yeahs Nite. Tickets are already available on Restless Nites, Dice and Eventbrite. 

Check out my set list from Decadanse x Underground at Grand Star Jazz Club on July 5, 2024.

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New Music

Daphne Guinness’ New Album, Sleep, Is Disco Perfection

Cover of Sleep by Daphne Guinness
Album cover for Sleep, by Daphne Guinness

It was before noon on the first day of July when I listened to Sleep, the new album from Daphne Guinness, for the third time that day. I’m not one to play albums on repeat, but this one resonated with me in a particular way. By the third listen, I had already started to memorize a few of the songs, but had yet to decide which ones will end up in my DJ sets.  This album is disco perfection and there are songs suited for nearly every kind of set I might play.

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