Here’s What I Played at House of Hearts Book Release Party

Cake celebrating the paperback release of Francesca Lia Block "House of Hearts" at Gold Diggers in Los Angeles on December 8, 2024. (Photo: Liz Ohanesian)
Book release party cake with cover of House of Hearts. (Pic: Liz O.)

When I was a teenager, I read Francesca Lia Block’s L.A. punk fairy tale Weetzie Bat for the first of many times. The book left a monumental impression on me— which is wild considering that it’s just a bit over 100 pages long— that it remains one of my favorites. In fact, every one of her books that I’ve read has left me in awe, including House of Hearts, which was just released on paperback last week. 

In an appropriately magical turn of events, I got to DJ the House of Hearts release party at Gold Digger’s last night. It was great fun, with live music from The Zero Collective and Movie Club, plus a VJ set from Crunch-ø-Matic. I played a 90 minute set at the end of the night with mainly indie and new wave jams. The set list is below. 

Le Tigre- Deceptacon

Wet Leg- Chaise Longue

Peaches – Boys Wanna Be Her

David Bowie – Rebel Rebel

Franz Ferdinand – Take Me Out

Talking Heads – Girlfriend Is Better

New Order – Bizarre Love Triangle

Yaz – Situation 

Robyn – Dancing on My Own

Hercules and Love Affair – Blind

Tame Impala – Is It True?

Book of Love – Boy

Pet Shop Boys- West End Girls

 Human League – Don’t You Want Me (Purple Disco Machine Remix)

Real Life – Send Me an Angel

Q Lazzarus – Goodbye Horses

Nena – 99 Luftballoons

Modern English – I Melt With You

Devo – Whip It

Madness – One Step Beyond

B-Movie – Nowhere Girl

Soft Cell – Sex Dwarf

Go-Gos – Head Over Heels

Next up is Underground on Friday the 13th, which will be darkwave night and my birthday. Click this link to get your tickets

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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