Tag Archives: LOS ANGELES DJ

The Playlist

Here’s What I Played at Club Synth on Friday, February 23, 2024

Rio Room at Stowaway in downtown Los Angeles on February 23, 2024 for Club Synth with DJ Drayk DJ Liz O. DJ Jen Rock Image: Rio Room neon sign and mermaid statue in background.
The Rio Room at the Stowaway on Friday, February 23, 2024 before the party started. (Pic: Liz O.)

Fun Times were had at Club Synth on Friday night. I was delighted to have the chance to drop vinyl on the turntables alongside Drayk and Jen Rock. Plus, some old friends stopped by the Rio Room at the Stowaway to join in the fun. 

Tonight, I’ll be in Phoenix to play with Klub Nocturno on Saturday night at Crescent Ballroom. That said, this is a quick update and there is more info on some of the specific records played in this set coming next week. And, for those reading in L.A. (most of you), my next gig is another all-vinyl set on Sunday, March 3 for Disco Matinee: Freestyle Hi-NRG Edition at the Grand Star in Chinatown. RSVP on Instagram, Facebook or Partiful for $5 entry before 4 p.m. 

Continue reading Here’s What I Played at Club Synth on Friday, February 23, 2024 →
Happening in L.A., Upcoming Gigs

L.A. Music Events: Thursday February 22 – Wednesday February 28

Club Synth at Stowaway DTLA with DJs Drayk, Jen Rock and Liz O. playing synthpop on vinyl.

This Friday, February 23, I’ll be at the Stowaway in downtown Los Angeles, playing alongside DJs Drayk and Jen Rock for Club Synth. This is an all-vinyl night dedicated to synth tunes, so expect a lot of fun finds from my our record collections in the mix. The party starts at 9 p.m. and goes until last call. 

We’ll be playing in the Rio Room at The Stowaway, which is located at 416 S. Spring Street, DTLA 90013. This is a 21+ venue and there’s no cover. See you on Friday night!

On Saturday, I’m heading out to Phoenix with Klub Nocturno to play at Crescent Ballroom. I’m so excited to be playing new wave and darkwave for this two room event, which, I should probably mention, will be my first gig outside of Southern California. Head over to TicketWeb for more information on the party if you’re in the area. Klub Nocturno also has a party going on Saturday night at The Observatory in Santa Ana, information for which I’ve included with other local events below. 

Here’s what’s happening in and around Los Angeles this weekend and early next week. 

Continue reading L.A. Music Events: Thursday February 22 – Wednesday February 28 →
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!

Got It On Vinyl

“Me and My Music”: The Candi Staton Song That Reminds Me Why I DJ

Cover of Chance, 1979 album by Candi Staton featuring "Me and My Music" (Photo: Liz Ohanesian)
The cover of Chance

I think I’ve encountered nearly every album Candi Staton released on vinyl while sifting through L.A. record store bins these past few years. Sometimes, I’ll find multiple copies of the same album in one dig. There’s one, though, that has eluded me. It’s called Chance and it was high up on my wish list since the pandemic. I wanted this album for one reason, a song called “Me and My Music,” which became a welcome earworm back when Los Angeles’ nightclubs were closed. 

Candi Staton is best known in the U.S. for the 1976 disco jam “Young Hearts  Run Free.” People in the U.K., and househeads here, are probably also quite familiar with “You Got the Love,” an early ‘90s dance hit that was famously covered by Florence and the Machine in the late ‘00s. But, Staton has been singing since the 1950s and is still active (she played Glastonbury last year), so there’s a significant amount of her music out in the world. Some releases are harder to track down than others, which is the case with Chance. Not only did it take me far-too-long to find the actual vinyl, but, from what I’ve seen, it’s not available to download and streaming options are limited to Deezer and a few YouTube clips.

Continue reading “Me and My Music”: The Candi Staton Song That Reminds Me Why I DJ →
Happening in L.A., Upcoming Gigs

Disco Matinee Is Back On February 4, RSVP for Discount Entry

Disco Matinee flyer for February 4, 2024 from 3 - 7 p.m. at Grand Star Jazz Club 943 N. Broadway, Chinatown, Los Angeles 90012 with DJ Liz O, DJ Jus' B, DJ Jen Rock

Disco Matinee returns to the first Sunday of the month at Grand Star Jazz Club on Sunday, February 4. Join resident DJs. Liz O. and Jus’ B, alongside special guest DJ Jen Rock from 3-7 p.m. We’ll be celebrating Jen’s birthday with an afternoon mix of disco, funk, freestyle, plus a dash of Italo and nu-disco. If your jam is a mix of Donna Summer, Taana Gardner, Lime, Daft Punk and Purple Disco Machine, head on down to Disco Matinee.

Drop us a line to RSVP for $5 entry before 4 p.m. Entry without an RSVP, or after 4 p.m., is $8. 

The Grand Star is located at 943 N. Broadway, inside Chinatown’s Central Plaza, right next to the Bruce Lee statue. There is both street and lot parking in the neighborhood. The venue is also located across Broadway from Metro’s A line stop in Chinatown.

The Playlist

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 →
Happening in L.A., Upcoming Gigs

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 →
Adventures in L.A., Record Collecting

Digging for Miguel Bosé

Miguele Bosé Bandido (1984) on vinyl found at Sonido del Valle in Boyle Heights, Los Angeles. (Photo: Liz Ohanesian)
My copy of Bandido by Miguel Bosé the day I found it inside Sonido del Valle in Boyle Heights (Pic: Liz O.)

I paused with the door of the convenience store fridge open when I heard the song. It sounded like Ultravox during the Midge Ure years, but it was in Spanish. Who was this? Shazam likely would have turned up the answer, but I asked the cashier instead. Miguel Bosé, she answered immediately. 

Maybe I should have known that? I think the cashier was surprised that I didn’t recognize the singer. We talked about music often when I popped into the store. She played a lot of ‘80s Spanish pop jams. Once I remarked, “ooh, I love this song!” while Flans’ version of “No Controles” played and that got us started. But, I also didn’t grow up with the music. I had some knowledge of the alternative bands that were in the 1990s ether, stuff like Cafe Tacuba and Kinky, but I didn’t start listening to Spanish ‘80s until the ‘00s and what I knew came via my friends who are DJs. 

Continue reading Digging for Miguel Bosé →
Adventures in L.A., Got It On Vinyl

New Year, New Vinyl

Records from Musical Youth, Detroit Grand Pubahs, Body of Light inside Going Underground Records in Little Tokyo, Los Angeles from "New Year, New Vinyl" by Liz Ohanesian
Records from Musical Youth, Detroit Grand Pubahs and Body of Light inside Going Underground Records (Pic: Liz O.)

My first quandary of 2024 occurred late in the afternoon on January 1 inside Going Underground Records as I quickly flipped through a crate of indie releases alphabetized by the letter F. There, I found Kate Fagan I Don’t Want to Be Too Cool and Future Islands As Long As You Are on vinyl, both of which I could use in my collection. But, when it comes to new vinyl, I need to exhibit some restraint. Which should I choose? 

In the end, I chose neither. 

Continue reading New Year, New Vinyl →
The Playlist

Here’s What I Played at Club Underground’s New Year’s Eve Ball

Club Underground New Year's Eve Ball December 31, 2023 (Photo: Liz Ohanesian)
I probably should take pics, but I don’t, so here’s a screenshot from some video I got during “Tren al Sur.”

It was such a 2023 ending to the year. I was upstairs DJing at Underground’s New Year’s Eve Ball and preparing for the countdown. My stupid iPhone does everything but count down the seconds to midnight. So, I find a website with the time in L.A. down to the seconds. We’ve got 15 minutes to go. I slow things down with “Por Que Te Vas” so people can get their drinks. Keep it mellow with “Tide is High” and “Rock Steady.” We’re about three minutes away from midnight when I work in “E.V.A.,” then one minute, then 30 seconds. Then the website crashes, because, of course that’s what will happen at the end of the year where everything stops working. We got through the countdown regardless, but I’m adding  “watch with a second hand” to the list of antiquated things I need to get this year because nothing new works. 

Continue reading Here’s What I Played at Club Underground’s New Year’s Eve Ball →