Tag Archives: darkwave

New Music, The Playlist

Pet Shop Boys, Optometry, Ride and More New Music

Cover for Interplay 2024 album by Ride
Cover for Ride’s new album, Interplay, which I was listening to for the first time while finishing this post.

It sounds like we’re on the verge of another Pet Shop Boys moment. Or, at least, that’s how I hope 2024 will sound and, judging from the response on the dance floor, the L.A. crowds seem to agree. But, then again, L.A.’s affinity for the British duo has endured since the 1980s. 

In January, I fell for the cover of “Being Boring” by TR/ST, with guest vocals from Jake Shears of Scissor Sisters. Shortly after that dropped, Pet Shop Boys themselves released “Loneliness,” the first single from their forthcoming album, Nonetheless. It’s a gorgeous dance song that reflects the strange isolation of 2020s life. (The Guardian has a good interview with the band, if you’re interested in reading more about Pet Shop Boys’ new music.) Around the same time, I stumbled across a cover of “Rent” that Sally Shapiro released last fall. I wondered how I missed this release last year, then snapped it up on Bandcamp. 

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Upcoming Gigs

Night Shift Returns to Bar Franca on April 4

Night Shift at Bar Franca with DJ Liz O. playing post-punk, synthpop, darkwave, shoegaze on Thursday, April 4, 2024

Thanks to everyone who made it out to Bar Franca on March 7 for the first installment of Night Shift. We’ll be doing it again on Thursday, April 4, so join me from 9 p.m. until last call for a night of post-punk, synthpop, darkwave and shoegaze.

If you want to see what I played for the first Night Shift, check out my playlist. And if you want to RSVP for the next event, head over to Restless Nites.

Bar Franca is located at 438 S. Main Street in Downtown Los Angeles. Look for the neon cherries above the door. There’s no cover and it’s 21+.

See you on April 4 for Night Shift.

The Playlist

Here’s What I Played for Night Shift at Bar Franca on March 7, 2024

Bar Franca DTLA Exterior March 7, 2024 (Photo: Liz Ohanesian)

Thank you to everyone who came out to Bar Franca for Night Shift last night. It was so much fun to play post-punk, synthpop, darkwave and shoegaze for you all night. Plus, as always, it was great to catch up with some pals and meeting some lovely new people. Anyhow, I’ve posted the set list below. See you tonight at Underground’s Depeche Mode x New Order party. 

Continue reading Here’s What I Played for Night Shift at Bar Franca on March 7, 2024 →
The Playlist

Here’s What I Played: Klub Nocturno’s Rockero Night (New Wave v. Darkwave Room) at Crescent Ballroom in Phoenix on February 24, 2024

Crescent Ballroom in Phoenix, Arizona on February 24, 2024 Klub Nocturno Rockero Night (Photo: Liz Ohanesian)
The backside of Crescent Ballroom in Phoenix, taken while we were loading out at the end of the night. (Pic: Liz O.)

I’ve been DJing for a very long time, but had never played a gig outside of Southern California until last weekend. I headed out to Phoenix with Klub Nocturno last weekend to play their Rockero Night at Crescent Ballroom. It was so much fun and I’m really grateful to have the opportunity to play for such a wonderful crowd and meet some of the people who came out to the party on Saturday night. Thanks so much to Klub Nocturno and to everyone in Phoenix for making the experience so awesome. 

There is definitely a challenge that come with playing in a different city, but it’s a fun one. I’ve been going to L.A. clubs since I was 18 and DJing at them almost as long, so I have a really good understanding of what works and what doesn’t when it comes to my hometown. But, playing a city that I’ve only visited once previously, and where I’ve never been to a dance club, means that I’m trying to figure all that out as I’m playing. So, I was paying attention to all these small cues in the crowd, like what band t-shirts people were wearing (Depeche Mode, The Faint), while I was scrolling through my collection. Anyhow, here’s what I played. 

Continue reading Here’s What I Played: Klub Nocturno’s Rockero Night (New Wave v. Darkwave Room) at Crescent Ballroom in Phoenix on February 24, 2024 →
Upcoming Gigs

Night Shift Begins Thursday, March 7 at Bar Franca

Night Shift at Bar Franca DTLA with DJ Liz O. playing post-punk, synthpop, darkwave, shoegaze

On Thursday, March 7, join me, Liz O. for the start of the Night Shift at Bar Franca. From 9 p.m. until last call, you’ll vibe and imbibe to a soundtrack filled with post-punk, synthpop, darkwave and shoegaze. We’ll blast back to the past and ride forward towards the future with a mix featuring everyone from Siouxsie and the Banshees to the Pet Shop Boys to Slowdive to Fever Ray to Twin Tribes. 

Bar Franca is located 438 S. Main Street in downtown Los Angeles. There’s no cover and this is a 21+. See you at Night Shift on March 7!

The Playlist

Here’s What I Played at Klub Nocturno on January 20, 2024

View of the dance floor from DJ booth at Catch One in Los Angeles for Klub Nocturno January 2024 (Liz Ohanesian)
One of these days, I’ll remember to take a real photo instead of screencapping my video clips

I don’t know what to say about last night except, thank you, Klub Nocturno! I played in the New Wave vs. Darkwave room from open to close, where the night went by so quickly, at some point, I realized that it was past 1 a.m. and I had yet to play “Blue Monday.” 

I noticed people had started dancing during “Something to Remember Me By,” which was great on account of that being my favorite song from The Horrors.” When I dropped “10:15 on a Saturday Night,” which ended at the time stated in the song title, I looked up and the room was pretty full. It was a really fun crowd and I’m very grateful to have had the chance to play for them. 

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DJ Gigs, The Playlist

Here’s What I Played at The Mermaid for Dolce Vita’s Italo vs. Goth Night

A mermaid skeleton at The Mermaid in Little Tokyo (Photo: Liz Ohanesian)
I forgot to take pics while I was DJing, so here’s a mermaid skeleton at The Mermaid that I saw right before the night started. (Pic: Liz O.)

For years, I used to post most of my set lists. Then I stopped because I figured if people were that curious about what I’m playing, they would actually go to the party and Shazam (or, like, come up and ask me about) whatever song they don’t know. Now I’m rethinking that because Shazam doesn’t catch everything. Plus, I like having an archive and want people to actually know what songs are played. So, this is the set from Dolce Vita at The Mermaid on September 12, 2023. 

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Happening in L.A., Upcoming Gigs

Liz O. in the DJ Booth: May 28 – June 3

No Controles The Offbeat Highland Park on June 1, 2023 with DJ Scarlett Casanova, DJ Liz O. and DJ Vanish

What a week this has been! Got to finish it at Underground, playing upstairs all night for the party’s Cure Night. The crowd was amazing and I have so much to say about that night, but I also have a deadline to meet for a story, so I won’t be able to write about that just yet.

Continue reading Liz O. in the DJ Booth: May 28 – June 3 →