Tag Archives: Club Underground

Here’s What I Played at Club Underground on Friday, June 14, 2024

Actors In Real Life single cover
Cover of Actors single for “In Real Life.”

I forgot to take pics last night at Underground. It happens. But, it was another fun night on Friday, the memories of which become hazy after playing music for four hours. I do, however, recall that I really like the way Actors latest single, “In Real Life,” sounds with Roxy Music’s song “More Than This.” It makes sense in my head because Actors always sounded less like a “darkwave”  or “postpunk” band to me and more like people who have listened to a lot of Roxy Music, Bowie, Japan and Duran Duran. But, that doesn’t mean that two songs will go well together and I never know for sure until I try it. 

(Just in case you’re wondering, all my sets are improvised, but, when you’ve been DJing since you were 18 and you’re now a far cry from that, you have a good feel for which songs go together and which ones don’t.)

Also new to my set is “Hechizos” by Glass Spells, which you might have heard me play on Dublab last week. If not, you can click on this link to the archive of the show. Glass Spells are from San Diego and are currently on tour, but, unfortunately, don’t have an L.A. date. However, they will be at the Observatory in Santa Ana on July 17. Check Glass Spells’ website for other upcoming tour dates. The other new addition to my set is Boy Harsher’s remix of Chelsea Wolfe’s song “House of Self-Undoing,” which I love. Anyhow, here’s the set list.  

Continue reading Here’s What I Played at Club Underground on Friday, June 14, 2024

Here’s What I Played at Underground’s 2000s Nite on May 31, 2024

Dance floor scene at Club Underground 2000s Nite at Grand Star Jazz Club in Los Angeles on May 31, 2024. (Photo: Liz Ohanesian)
The scene just before midnight on the dance floor at Club Underground. May 31, 2024. (Pic: Liz O.)

I’m not one for nostalgia, but ‘00s Nite at Club Underground on May 31 did make me feel a bit wistful for the final decade of life untethered to phones and social media and streaming platforms. I wouldn’t say the ‘00s were a particularly great decade (like I’ve written before, it wasn’t), but it was nice to not be connected to everyone, everywhere, all the time.

In keeping with this week’s theme at Underground, I busted out one of my favorite mashups, which I had downloaded and burned to a CD for gigs back in the ‘00s, and ended the night with the song that was my closer in the earliest years of that decade. Keep reading for the set list.

Continue reading Here’s What I Played at Underground’s 2000s Nite on May 31, 2024

I’m Back at Underground on May 31 for 2000s Nite

Club Underground 2000s Nite May 31, 2024

I’ll be heading back to the DJ booth at Underground on Friday, May 31 for 2000s Nite. Head down to Grand Star Jazz Club to hit the dance for all your favorite jams from the likes of White Stripes, Franz Ferdinand, Interpol, Ladytron, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Miss Kittin and the Hacker, Peaches and so many more.

Party starts at 9:30 p.m. and it’s 21+. Grand Star Jazz Club is at 943 N. Broadway inside Chinatown’s Central Plaza, next to the Bruce Lee Statue. Both street and lot parking are available in the neighborhood and the venue is across Broadway from Metro’s A Line stop in Chinatown. Tickets are available now on Eventbrite and Dice.

Liz O. is an L.A.-based writer and DJ. Read her recently published work and check out her upcoming gigs.

Related:

HERE’S WHAT I PLAYED AT UNDERGROUND ON APRIL 12, 2024

HERE’S WHAT I PLAYED AT UNDERGROUND ON MARCH 8, 2024

Here’s What I Played at Underground on April 12, 2024

Club Underground at Grand Star Jazz Club in Chinatown, Los Angeles on April 12, 2024. DJ Liz O.
I took a photo while I was DJing and then remembered why I don’t take photos when I DJ.

Thanks to Larry G. for having me back at Underground on Friday night and for everyone who showed up and hit the dance floor. Some notes on last night’s set: I played the newest additions to my virtual crates really early, so you probably didn’t hear them. Mostly, I wanted to see what “Cadenas de la Infancia” and “I Forget” sounded like in a club. I might stick with them. I might not, but both Mueran Humano’s album, Reemplazante, and Jaako Eino Kalevi’s album, Chaos Magic, have been playing on repeat at home and I absolutely recommend getting both.  

I’m so happy to see people digging Pet Shop Boys’ recent single “Loneliness.” It’s a jam. The lyrics are poignant in a way that only PSB songs are. Plus, we’re only two weeks away from the new album and I, for one, can’t wait to hear Nonetheless. And— omg!— Neil Tennant sang “Rebel Rebel” with Johnny Marr in London last night. (And they did “Getting Away With It” too!) Anyhow, here’s the set list.

Continue reading Here’s What I Played at Underground on April 12, 2024

The Strokes Nite at Underground Is This Friday

The Strokes Nite at Club Underground with DJ Larry G. and DJ Liz O., Friday, April 12, 2024 at Grand Star Jazz Club in Los Angeles

This Friday, April 12, is The Strokes Nite at Club Underground and I’ll be DJing alongside Larry G. for it. Both floors of Grand Star Jazz Club will be open, so you’ll get a good dose of hits and deep cuts from The Strokes, as well as all your Underground favorites. The party starts at 9:30 p.m. and goes until 2 a.m.

Tickets are available now on both Dice and Eventbrite, so scoop up yours now.

The Grand Star is located at 943 N. Broadway in Chinatown’s Central Plaza. Both street and lot parking is available and the venue is a short walk from Metro’s A Line station in Chinatown. This is a 21+ event.

See you this Friday at Underground!

Liz O. is an L.A.-based writer and DJ. Read her recently published work and check out her upcoming gigs.

Related:

HERE’S WHAT I PLAYED AT UNDERGROUND ON MARCH 8, 2024

HERE’S WHAT I PLAYED AT CLUB UNDERGROUND ON JANUARY 12, 2024

L.A. Music Events: Thursday, March 28 – Wednesday, April 3

Flyer for Klub Nocturno at Catch One in Los Angeles on Saturday, March 30, 2024

I’m so excited to be back at Catch One with Klub Nocturno this Saturday, March 30, in the New Wave vs. Darkwave room. Playing Nocturno’s L.A. party in January was such a wild vibe, as was last month’s party at Crescent Ballroom in Phoenix, and I’m looking forward to seeing what Saturday night has in store. Tickets are already sold out online, but there will be a few at the door, so if you want one of those, please be sure to arrive early. Doors open at 9:30 p.m. for this 21+ event. Catch One is located at 4067 W. Pico Blvd, Los Angeles 90019. 

As for the rest of the weekend and into early next week, here are my recommendations. 

Continue reading L.A. Music Events: Thursday, March 28 – Wednesday, April 3

Here’s What I Played at Underground on March 8, 2024

Club Underground Grand Star Jazz Club March 8, 2024 (Photo: Liz Ohanesian)
When everyone is vibing to Animal Collective and they realize I’ve turned my camera on the crowd.

It was so good to be back at Underground last night. Both floors of the Grand Star were open on Friday night, with Larry playing Depeche Mode and New Order jams upstairs and Scarlett Casanova and I playing everything else downstairs. The crowd was a lot of fun. I was happy to see “Loneliness,” the latest Pet Shop Boys single, do well on the dancer floor. What did even better though was TR/ST’s cover of the PSB classic “Being Boring,” which is one of my current favorites. The most successful of the new tunes, though, was “Sangre de Oro,” from Twin Tribes’ latest album, Pendulum. The song also did extremely well at Nocturno’s party in Phoenix last month. Anyhow, thank you for dancing. Here’s the set list. 

Set 1:

ABC “Be Near Me” 

Kylie Minogue “Cupid Boy”

Saint Etienne “We’re in the City”

Royksopp “Ice Machine (Ewan Pearson Remix)”

Sally Shapiro “Rent”

Human League “Seconds”

Echo and the Bunnymen “In Bluer Skies”

Chromatics “Ceremony”

Chameleons “Reptile” 

The Cure “Primary”

Set 2: 

Ladytron “Playgirl”

Gorillaz “Dare (DFA Remix)”

Pet Shop Boys “West End Girls”

TR/ST, Jake Shears “Being Boring”

Boy Harsher, Ms. Boan “Machina”

Yaz “Situation”

Talking Heads “Girlfriend Is Better” (request)

Sophie Ellis Bextor “Murder on the Dancefloor” (request)

The Bucketheads “The Bomb! (These Sounds Fall Into My Mind) (Armand Van Helden Re-edit)”

The Rapture “House of Jealous Lovers”

Confidence Man “Angry Girl”

Le Tigre “Deceptacon”

Wet Leg “Chaise Longue”

Set 3: 

Donna Summer “Our Love”

New Order “Blue Monday”

Trans X “Living on Video”

Vitalic “La Rock 01”

Crystal Castles, Robert Smith “Not in Love”

Soft Cell “Tainted Love”

Bloc Party “Banquet”

Molchat Doma “sudno (Boris Ryzhy)”

Twin Tribes “Sangre de Oro”

Los Prisioneros “Tren al Sur (Basic Remix)”

Nine Inch Nails “Closer”

Tom Tom Club “Genius of Love”

Daft Punk “Da Funk”

Chumbawamba “Tubthumping”

Set 4: 

Pet Shop Boys “Loneliness”

Hercules & Love Affair “Blind”

Animal Collective “My Girls”

Tame Impala “Is It True”

Mr. Flagio “Take a Chance”

My Mine “Hypnotic Tango”

Righeira “Vamos a la Playa” 

Desireless “Voyage Voyage”

Q Lazarus “Goodbye Horses”

Depeche Mode “Nodisco”

New Order “Sub-Culture”

If you’re around Cypress Park today, catch me playing records at Footsie’s for Razorcake’s party, which is from 5-10 p.m. and keep checking back here or follow me on Instagram because I have a bunch of stuff to announce in the next day or so. 

Liz O. is an L.A.-based writer and DJ. Read her recently published work and check out her upcoming gigs.

Related: 

FUTURE ISLANDS, TR/ST AND MORE JANUARY 2024 MUSIC

HERE ARE MY TOP 10 ALBUMS OF 2023

Club Underground’s Next Depeche Mode x New Order Night is March 8

Club Underground Depeche Mode x New Order Night at Grand Star Jazz Club on Friday, March 8, 2024 with DJ Larry G., DJ Scarlett Casanova, DJ Liz O.

Club Underground‘s next Depeche Mode x New Order night is Friday, March 8. Larry G., Scarlett Casanova and I, Liz O., will be your DJs and both floors of Grand Star Jazz Club will be open.

Tickets for Depeche Mode x New Order Night at Club Underground are available on both Eventbrite and Dice. Pick up yours as soon as possible and join us at Grand Star Jazz Club in Chinatown on March 8. Party starts at 9:30 p.m. and is 21+.

Continue reading Club Underground’s Next Depeche Mode x New Order Night is March 8

Here’s What I Played at Club Underground on January 12, 2024

Photo of large Alladin Sane David Bowie banner outside of Grand Star Jazz Club in Los Angeles for Club Underground Bowie Nite on January 12, 2024 (Photo: Liz Ohanesian)
The Bowie banner outside of the Grand Star on Friday night. (Pic: Liz O.)

My first club gig of 2024 was Underground’s Bowie Nite on January 12. Both floors of the Grand Star Jazz Club were open, so Larry G. played all the David Bowie jams downstairs. That’s also where people were able to get their Bowie makeovers from Miho. Meanwhile, I was upstairs playing all the other Underground jams, or as many as can be squeezed into a four hour set. Thanks to Larry for having me play and for everyone who spent some time on the upstairs dance floor!

Continue reading Here’s What I Played at Club Underground on January 12, 2024

L.A. Music Events: January 11 – January 17, 2024

Flyer for Bowie Nite at Club Underground Grand Star Jazz Club Los Angeles on January 12, 2024 with DJ Larry G. DJ Liz O. and make-up artist Miho

You have two chances to catch me in the DJ booth this week. First up is Club Underground’s Bowie Nite this Friday, January 12, at Grand Star Jazz Club in Chinatown. Underground is taking over both floors of the Grand Star this week, with Larry G. playing open to close on the main floor and me, Liz O., doing the same on the second floor. Discounted tickets are available now via either Dice and Eventbrite

The Grand Star is located at 943 N. Broadway, Los Angeles 90012. It’s inside Chinatown’s Central Plaza, right next to the Bruce Lee statue. Both street and lot parking is available in the neighborhood. The venue is also right across Broadway from Metro’s A Line station in Chinatown. Party starts at 9:30 p.m. and it is a 21+ event. 

On Tuesday, January 16, you’ll find me at The Mermaid loaded up with Italo disco jams for L.A. Industrial’s weekly party, Dolce Vita. There’s no cover and it’s 21+, so stop by with your pals for some tasty cocktails and a soundtrack filled with tunes by the likes of Fancy, Fun Fun, Ken Laszlo, Sabrina and more. 

The Mermaid is located at 428 E. 2nd Street in Little Tokyo. There’s typically loads of free parking available after 9 p.m., which is the same time that Dolce Vita starts. The bar is also a (very) short walk from Metro’s A/E line stop in Little Tokyo. 

As for the rest of the week, here are my picks. 

Continue reading L.A. Music Events: January 11 – January 17, 2024