Category Archives: The Playlist

Film, The Playlist

I Swiped This Real Life Song From Voyage of the Rock Aliens

Voyage of the Rock Aliens 1984 movie title card

There’s a Real Life song that’s creeping into my DJ sets and it’s not “Send Me An Angel.” I’ve played “Openhearted,” from the band’s 1983 debut album, Heartland, in my sets at Splash! twice this month. Most likely, it will keep turning up in my new wave sets, at least at bar gigs or early in the night, because it’s a good alternative to the Australian band’s big hit, packed with drama and a sticky melody. Also, the song has been stuck in my head for most of this month, so I probably need to keep playing it until I dislodge the earworm. 

But, I have to make a confession about “Openhearted.” I totally, 100% swiped this Real Life song from Voyage of the Rock Aliens. In fact, I wouldn’t even know the song were it not for that bonkers movie and I probably should be embarrassed for saying that. But, also, I’m from L.A., where “Send Me an Angel” has been such a dominant banger for so long that any other Real Life song has long since faded from memory. That is, unless you are so baffled by Pia Zadora’s turn as a high schooler torn between her controlling rockabilly boyfriend and a new wave alien that you watch Voyage of the Rock Aliens every time it pops up in your Tubi recommendations. 

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The Playlist

Here’s What I Played for Splash! at The Mermaid on July, 23, 2024

Christmas in July at The Mermaid on July 23, 2024 (Photo: Liz Ohanesian)
Christmas in July continues at The Mermaid. (Pic: Liz O.)

It was totally last minute, but I filled in for Splash! at The Mermaid on Tuesday night, playing ’80s music from 8 p.m. until last call. I was in a Roxy Music, Japan and Duran Duran mood, which manifested in the set. Plus, I’ve had the Real Life song “Openhearted” stuck in my head on-and-off for a few weeks, so that made an appearance in the set too. Check out the set list below.

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The Playlist

Here’s What I Played for Splash! at The Mermaid on July 9, 2024

Christmas in July at The Mermaid in Little Tokyo with Christmas tree tiki mug, sand snow man tiki mug and gingerbread man tiki mug (Photo: Liz Ohanesian)
The Mermaid’s Christmas in July tiki mugs, including a Christmas tree, a sand/snow man and a gingerbread man. (Pic: Liz O.)

Splash! is Dolce Vita’s new Tuesday night ‘80s party at The Mermaid. You’ll still hear Italo disco in the mix, but you’ll also hear new wave, synthpop and more subgenres of the decade’s dance music . I played for the first time since the rebrand for the first half of the night tonight and it was lot of fun to get to drop some of my Italo favorites (Ken Laszlo, Pino D’Angio) with a few of the ‘80s night standards (OMD, The Cure, etc.), some tunes that I don’t get to play out so much (Olivia Newton-John “Twist of Fate”) and a few tracks from the era that are actually new to me (Angelyne “Sex Goddess,” thanks to the Dark Entries reissue). Oh, and I was able to work in the best song from Voyage of the Rock Aliens (Real Life “Openhearted”), a movie I’ve been trying to write about for a while, but I still can’t make sense of it, which might be the point. My only regret is not adding Pia Zadora to my ‘80s virtual crate. Next time. 

Also, it’s Christmas in July at The Mermaid. The tiki mugs in the top photo are part of the promotion. You can buy one solo or with one of the drinks on the Cocktails for a Cause menu, all of which have Christmas horror names, like Santa’s Slay. The mugs were so cute— my favorite is the sand/snow man in the center of the photo— so I had to take a photo. 

Anyhow, keep reading for the set list. Seen you next on Friday, July 12, for Yeah Yeah Yeahs x Siouxsie Nite at Club Underground.

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The Playlist

Here’s What I Played at Disco Matinee on July 7, 2024

Pink pen with disco ball on top. (Photo: Liz Ohanesian
The disco ball spins!

Disco Matinee hit its first anniversary. We celebrated at the Grand Star, who has kindly hosted us on the first Sundays of the month since July of 2023. The coolest people on the planet were there. One of them is a friend of mine who I’ve known since the days of dialup internet. She brought me the sweet disco ball pen seen in the above photo. You might notice the blur in the photo. That’s because the disco ball spins too! You might also notice that I haven’t done my nails in quite a while. That’s because I don’t care about your Instagram beauty standards dictating that hands should only be seen when they are freshly manicured. 

Anyhow, here’s what I played. Thanks to everyone who came out and danced with us. 

Set One:

Michael Zager Band – Let’s All Chant

Anita Ward – Ring My Bell (Pontchartrain edit)

Evelyn “Champagne” King – Shame (Mr. Turner edit)

Cerrone – Supernature (Ethan Wood edit)

Kano – It’s a War (Purple Disco Machine, Lorenz Rhode edit)

Ken Laszlo – Hey Hey Guy

Telex – Moskow Diskow

Lime – Babe, We’re Gonna Love Tonight

Trans X – Living on Video

Bronski Beat – Smalltown Boy

Marc Almond – Tears Run Rings

Divine – You Think You’re a Man

Alaska y Dinarama – A quien le importa

Stop – Wake Up

Righeira – Vamos a la Playa

New Order – Blue Monday

Prince – Erotic City

Set two:

Desireless – Voyage Voyage

Erasure – Oh L’amour

My Mine – Hypnotic Tango

Freeez – I.O.U. 

Mr. Flagio – Take a Chance

Yaz – Situation

Skatt Brothers – Walk the Night

Pino D’Angio (RIP)– Ma Quale Idea

Sheila E. – A Love Bizarre

George Clinton — Atomic Dog

Zapp – More Bounce to the Ounce

Tom Tom Club – Genius of Love

Herb Alpert – Rise (Daz Rise Up edit)

Bee-Gees- Love You Inside Out (Antton edit)

Blondie – The Tide Is High

Jeanette – Por Que Te Vas (David Kust remix)

Donna Summer – Last Dance

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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The Playlist

Here’s What I Played at Bigfoot Lodge on July 6, 2024

Bigfoot Lodge in Los Feliz (Photo: Liz Ohanesian)
Inside Bigfoot Lodge

I brought two heaving bags of vinyl to play alongside DJ Felix for my pal Malvada’s night at Bigfoot Lodge. Of course, I worried that I didn’t bring enough music and, of course, I brought more than I needed. One of the records that made it onto the turntable, though, was Taleen Kali’s most recent album, Flower of Life. I played “Only Lovers Left Alive,” which is a terrific song that shares a title with one of the best ever vampire flicks. 

Anyhow, I posted the record in my Instagram story, tagged Taleen and then, very shortly after that, there she was at Bigfoot Lodge. Turns out she was already on her way there when I posted. It was a fun coincidence, but also a good segue into this reminder that you should get Flower of Life. It’s a fantastic album and— I swear this isn’t sponsored content— if you head over to Bandcamp, you can get it on vinyl or cassette or CD or digital. 

Keep reading for last night’s set list. 

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The Playlist

Here’s What I Played at Decadanse x Underground on July 5, 2024

Photo of full dance floor at Club Underground at Grand Star Jazz Club in Chinatown, Los Angeles on July 5, 2024
The scene at Grand Star Jazz Club for Decadanse x Underground on July 5, 2024

Decadanse x Underground was such a great time and I’m happy to have been a part of it. DJs Pierrot and Fifi LaRoux played French pop on vinyl downstairs. Larry G. and I brought the indie vibes upstairs. We switched off on the controllers about every half hour or so. 

“Amour Ex Machina,” from L’Impratrice’s new album, Pulsar, did pretty well for my first time playing it out. “Digitalism in Cairo,” the Digitalism track that samples “Fire in Cairo” by the Cure, made a reappearance after many years. People probably don’t recall it was a big track back in the ‘00s. 

Anyhow, I’ll be back at Underground next Friday, July 12, for Siouxsie x Yeah Yeah Yeahs Nite. Tickets are already available on Restless Nites, Dice and Eventbrite. 

Check out my set list from Decadanse x Underground at Grand Star Jazz Club on July 5, 2024.

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New Music

Daphne Guinness’ New Album, Sleep, Is Disco Perfection

Cover of Sleep by Daphne Guinness
Album cover for Sleep, by Daphne Guinness

It was before noon on the first day of July when I listened to Sleep, the new album from Daphne Guinness, for the third time that day. I’m not one to play albums on repeat, but this one resonated with me in a particular way. By the third listen, I had already started to memorize a few of the songs, but had yet to decide which ones will end up in my DJ sets.  This album is disco perfection and there are songs suited for nearly every kind of set I might play.

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Got It On Vinyl, The Playlist

This 12-Year-Old School of Seven Bells Song Still Hits Like It’s New

School of Seven Bells Ghostory on vinyl
My vinyl copy of School of Seven Bells’ 2012 album, Ghostory.

When a song isn’t instantly recognizable, you can see it on the faces in the crowd. They’ll shoot befuddled glances around the room, scope the scene and see how many people look like they know it. They half-dance, as if they’re still deciding whether or not to stay on the floor. 

In the DJ booth, this is a tense moment because there are a few ways that the scenario can play out. They might leave the dance floor, taking a handful of people with them. Or, someone who is equally bold and clueless might come up to the booth with the “play something I know” request. In the best possible instances, they stick with the groove and keep moving.

I see people cast the “I don’t know this song, should I dance?” glance whenever I play “Low Times” by School of Seven Bells. The song is 12 years old, and I’ve been playing it for just as long, but it still hits as if it were new. Even though it’s not a song that people automatically know, they keep dancing. Every time, the crowd grows and energy builds alongside the heart-pounding rhythm and breathless vocals. 

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The Playlist

Here’s What I Played at Klub Nocturno on Saturday, June 15 2024

Sambas and fishnets (photo: Liz Ohanesian)
Summer 2024 DJ uniform: Sambas and fishnets.

On Saturday, it felt like summer had arrived. That is unfortunate if you, like me, have an aversion to sunlight and sweat. The upside was that I was DJing in the new wave/darkwave room at Nocturno on Saturday night, so I could avoid the sun. Since online tickets had already sold out, though, I had to prepare for a hot night. That’s when fishnets really come in handy. In fact, I think fishnets and Sambas might end up being my 2024 club uniform. After a four-and-a-half-hour DJ set, I felt pretty good. (Three cans of water probably helped too.)

It was a really fun night. There were stilt walkers who came out to the stage in the new wave/darkwave room twice, dancing to French Police and Sisters of Mercy during one set and Depeche Mode and Visage in the other. The crowd let out disco calls during “Blue Monday.” It was a vibe. 

Boy Harsher’s remix of Chelsea Wolfe’s song “House of Self-Undoing,” which was released earlier in the week, made its second appearance in my sets this weekend. Since it’s brand new, I’ve been testing it out early in the night, but I’m really into it, so you’ll probably be hearing this later in the nights going forward. The remix is available on Bandcamp, by the way, so get it into your own collection if you’re so inclined. (That’s not an ad or a sponsored link, btw, but Bandcamp is my personal first choice for digital music.)

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