For the record, The Smiths are my favorite band and have been since I was 12. And, yet, I’ve never played an all-Smiths-related set before last night. It was Club Underground’s Smiths Nite and Rose Knows and I DJed in the theme room for the two-room event at the Grand Star. It was hard! Seriously, I *still* have The Smiths catalog committed to memory and this was easily the hardest set I’ve ever played. It’s one of those things where, at 10 p.m., you think there aren’t enough songs to fill a whole night and at 12 p.m., you realize you might get to half of what you wanted to play.
“Don’t forget the songs that made you smile/And the songs that made you cry.” (Rubber Ring)
At least “Rubber Ring” made it into the set. And “What She Said.”
Anyhow, thanks to everyone who hit the dance floor last night. You can catch Rose Knows for her Smiths Night at Cha Cha Cha Lounge this Thursday, May 22. Larry G. is at Grand Star Jazz Club for Club Underground every Friday night. IDK when I’m playing next, so just follow me on Instagram or check here on Wednesdays. My set list is below.
Set One:
The Smiths – Paint a Vulgar Picture
The Smiths – The Hand that Rocks the Cradle
Johnny Marr- Hi Hello
The Smiths – Golden Lights
The Smiths – I Don’t Owe You Anything
Morrissey – Alsatian Cousin (request)
Morrissey – Our Frank
The Smiths – Vicar in a Tutu
The Smiths – London
Morrissey – The Boy Racer
The Smiths – Rubber Ring
Morrissey – Sister I’m a Poet
The Smiths – Girl Afraid
Morrissey – Tony the Pony
The Smiths – Nowhere Fast
The Smiths – Pretty Girls Make Graves
Morrissey – Interesting Drug
Set Two:
The Smiths – Rusholme Ruffians
The Smiths – William, It Was Really Nothing
Morrissey – November Spawned a Monster
The Smiths – The Boy With the Thorn In His Side
The Smiths – These Things Take Time
Morrissey – Hairdresser on Fire (request)
The Smiths – Stop Me If You’ve Heard This One Before
The Smiths – Panic
Morrissey -First of the Gang to Die
The Smiths – What She Said
The Smiths – Headmaster Ritual
Dance Contest- Rose Knows played Sing Your Life and The Loop
The Smiths – Bigmouth Strikes Again
The Smiths – Hand in Glove
Morrissey – Suedehead
The Smiths – Shakespeare’s Sister
The Smiths – Cemetery Gates
Morrissey – Tomorrow
Set Three:
I played B2B with Rose for the last set. These were my picks:
The Smiths – Please Please Please Let Me Get What I Want
Morrissey – Ouija Board, Ouija Board
Morrissey – Disappointed
Liz O. is an L.A.-based writer and DJ. Read her recently published work and check out her upcoming gigs or listen to the latest Beatique Mix. Follow on Instagram or Bluesky for more updates.
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