Author: Liz O.

  • Disco Heat Returns to Songbird on February 2. Free entry!

    Disco Heat February 2 2023 at Songbird in Chinatown, Los Angeles DJs Liz O. and Jus' B
    Flyer for Disco Heat on February 2 at Songbird with DJs Liz O. and Jus’ B

    Disco Heat is back at Songbird on Thursday, February 2, 2023 with Jus’ B and I playing classic and nu-disco jams from 9 p.m. until last call.

    There’s no cover for Disco Heat, but we do recommend that you RSVP on Eventbrite. (And, if you want to know why RSVPs are important, read my last post.)

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  • How to Support Your Local Music Scene

    Taleen Kali live at Rubycon Records Hollywood Los Angeles California August 26 2022 Photo by DJ Liz O.
    Taleen Kali live at Rubycon Records on August 26, 2022, as seen from the DJ booth. (Photo: Liz O.)

    Now, more than ever, it’s important to support your local music scene. Here in Los Angeles, venues were shuttered for over a year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Musicians and DJs went largely without gigs for that same amount of time. Even though nightlife in my hometown returned in June of 2021, it’s naive to think that things are back to normal. 

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  • Want a Sneak Peek Inside My Disco Heat Crate? Here It Is.

    Disco Heat Vinyl for January 12 at Lost But Found DTLA. Records from Jocelyn Brown, Cissy Houston, Suzi Lane and Ziad Rahbani
    I pulled vinyl from Jocelyn Brown, Cissy Houston, Suzi Lane, Ziad Rahbani and more for January 12 at Lost But Found.

    On January 12, I’m playing vinyl for Disco Heat at Lost But Found here in downtown Los Angeles. Our guest DJ for the night is my pal Clifton, who is one of L.A.’s best and busiest DJs and always plays amazing sets. This night will be a real treat. 

    Since I don’t play vinyl that often these days, preparing for this gig is a fun opportunity to go through my collection. I pulled some of my favorite disco tracks and found a few tunes I haven’t played out before. Here’s a sneak peek into my crate. 

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  • I’m Playing Italo Disco at Dolce Vita on January 24 and It’s Free

    Italo Disco on Tuesdays at The Mermaid in Little Tokyo Los Angeles Dolce Vita January 2023
    Dolce Vita is Tuesdays at The Mermaid in Little Tokyo

    If you love Italo disco, Dolce Vita at The Mermaid in Little Tokyo should be your regular Tuesday night haunt. The weekly party is presented by L.A. Industrial and features a rotating roster of DJs dropping Italo disco jams from 9 p.m. until  last call. Catch me there on January 24. 

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  • The Lash Will Be Missed, But It’s Legacy Lives On

    DJ Rose Knows and DJ Liz O. on Giorgio Moroder Night at The Lash
    Rose Knows and I paying tribute to Giorgio Moroder at The Lash

    There are a lot of venues in Los Angeles, but one like The Lash, where I DJed a lot over the years, is rare. That’s why I’m saddened to learn that the downtown venue has closed.

    I’m grateful to Ross, KB and everyone with the venue for providing a home for a cross-section of niche scenes in the city for so long. The club was most closely associated with the darkwave/goth world, but, really, you could hear anything from techno to city pop there. The club boasted a truly eclectic line-up of parties, which is part of what made it unique.

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  • Disco Heat Returns to Lost But Found on January 12

    Disco Heat DTLA January 12 DJ Liz O. DJ Clifton Lost But Found Bar
    Disco Heat returns to Lost But Found on January 12

    I’m happy to announce that Disco Heat will be back at Lost But Found on January 12 *and* that DJ Clifton will be our special guest. Clifton is one of L.A.’s best (and busiest) DJs and his taste is impeccable. Plus, we haven’t played together since Sunday Sessions at Grand Park back in August of 2021! All that said, you really don’t want to miss out on this special night.

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  • New Year’s Eve Was Amazing. Listen to Part of My Set from Club Underground’s Sold Out Party

    New Year's Eve Ball Flyer Club Underground Sold Out 2022
    Club Underground’s New Year’s Eve Ball Sold Out Before the Doors Opened

    What a New Year’s Eve! It was amazing to play with Larry G. and Malvada for the sold out crowd at Club Underground’s New Year’s Eve Ball at Grand Star Jazz Club. Thank you to everyone who joined us on Saturday night to ring in 2023. 

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  • The Beatique Mix Is Out Now

    Back cover of Fun Boy Three debut album, inspiration for Beatique mix
    Back cover of Fun Boy Three’s debut album. You’ll hear “It Ain’t What You Do…” on this month’s Beatique mix

    If you have some time, check out the first installment of my Beatique Mix series. These monthly shows will be about an hour long and divided into two sets. The first set is more like a regular radio segment and the second is a club mix. It’s not tied to any genre or era of music. It’s just good music that has been in my personal rotation lately. Hope you enjoy it. 

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  • How to Politely Request a Song from a DJ

    Play ABBA Meme that reads "Play something I can dance to"

    If you know DJs, then you’ve probably heard or read their complaints about requests. At the very least, you’ve seen a meme or two floating around on Instagram. It’s not necessarily a faux pas to request a song at a club, but there’s a way to do it politely. Unfortunately, plenty of people don’t know how to do that, so I’ll break down how to request a song step-by-step. 

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  • I Love Playing These Five Depeche Mode Songs

    Depeche Mode 12" vinyl single for "Everything Counts" Depeche Mode vinyl 12" single for "Love in Itself" with "Fools (Bigger) on B side
    Depeche Mode 12″ singles for “Everything Counts” and “Love in Itself” from my vinyl collection.

    There’s one band I’ve played more than any other in my DJ sets. That’s Depeche Mode. The British synthpop pioneers have been a part of my gigs, often regardless of the vibe of the party, since I started DJing. I doubt this will ever change. 

    I’ve been a Depeche Mode fan since I was a kid, but there are a lot of bands that I’ve loved for most of my life and don’t play nearly as often. It does help that L.A. has a lot of Depeche Mode fans. Outside of the clubs, the band frequently appears on request lists for weddings and birthday parties. But, that’s also not really the reason for so much Depeche Mode play. 

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