10/12/2026
This is a preview of the full program for this Saturday's New Wave City 34-Year Anniversary Party. As you can see it will be a special time. Hope to see you there.
PROGRAM
NEW WAVE CITY 34-Year Anniversary
1992-2026
Saturday, October 19, 2026
Cat Club, San Francisco
Tonight’s Program
Presented by Shindog / in fond remembrance of Skip
New Wave City * 34-Year Anniversary Party
Saturday, October 19, 2026, Cat Club
Tonight’s event is bittersweet, as it is the first anniversary event without Skip, who passed away April this year. Skip immersed himself in the 80s scene as it was happening. It meant so much to him, and I'm convinced now more than ever that co-producing and DJ'ing New Wave City was like a dream come true for him. This event, and the people who came to it, are a huge part of his life that he cherished. I'm grateful he enjoyed his part of the event for over 3 decades. Skip’s spirit will continue to be part of New Wave City’s legacy at every event, and especially tonight. With peace, love, and New Wave music, Shindog (Steve)
8-9pm Members/Friends Pre-Party
Celebratory Ch*****ne Toast
Food by Chrissy’s Crockpot Catering
Music by DJ Danny White
9pm-2am The Anniversary Party
Dance to the Best of New Wave all night long in two rooms, with a dream team one-time only All-Star DJ Lineup! Get a New Wave makeover from Kutz by Kai.
DJ schedule
BACK ROOM FRONT ROOM
9-10pm - Brian Raffi Low-Life
10-11pm - Andy T & Brian Raffi Smokey
11pm-mid - Danny White [alternating every 50 minutes]
Mid-1am - Andy T
1-2am - Shindog
9-10pm - DJ Brian Raffi - Faves on 45
For the initial hour, prepare for a dive into tracks overlooked in today's New Wave/80s clubs. I'll be spinning forgotten gems from my 7-inch collection - tracks that, despite their popularity back then, largely remain outside the popular consciousness. It's a stark contrast to some of their contemporaries which soared into pop culture; I love these tracks as much, if not more, than my favorite New Order or Depeche Mode song.
10-11pm - DJs Andy & Brian Raffi - 80's Au Go-Go
Brian and Andy have worked together since 1990, when Brian gave Andy a shot to DJ at DNA Lounge. Brian revived an I-Beam party, 80's Au Go-Go, for his collaboration with Andy at the CW Saloon in the late 90's. For this hour, expect a tag-team DJ battle limited only by the breadth of New Wave music!
11pm-mid - DJ Danny White -I Learned It by Watching You!
Growing up “grunge” at the tail end of Generation X, I started my ’80s education at New Wave City in the year 2000. Between Low-Life’s B-sides, Shindog’s rock anthems, and Skip’s synth-pop gems, I was taking notes and making queries for track IDs until my first guest spot was granted in 2008. I’ll revisit some of those discoveries for the bulk of my set and then round it out with a few modern remixes and edits I’ve come across in recent years.
Mid-1am - DJ Andy T - Midnight at the Oasis
This set comes after Brian Raffi and Danny White have had their way with you, so no pressure!?! This hour could go a number of different ways. Maybe it's an ode to our gloriously misspent youth, with Modern English, Talking Heads, the Go Go's, Ramones, and Blondie! Or maybe we'll dig a little deeper. A one hour set usually means you won't spend nine minutes and thirty-seven seconds on Bauhaus' Bela Lugosi's Dead, but this could be exactly what this occasion demands. Really, it all hinges on Danny White's last track.
1-2am - DJ Shindog - Battle of the Birthday DJs redux
Skip and I had birthdays 18 days apart, and for quite a few years, we celebrated them at the closest date of New Wave City with a “Battle of the Birthday DJs.” We would each pick an act, and at midnight alternate tracks for the dance floor. After 3 tracks each, we would ask the crowd to “vote” for their battle winner with applause and cheers. Skip’s choice was always the winner. Damn! Starting at the top of the hour I’ll recreate some of those battles: Sinead O’Connor vs. Joan Jett, Soft Cell vs. Ska (yes, a genre, not an act), Bow Wow Wow vs. Blondie, Madness vs. Talk Talk, Chameleons vs. Oingo Boingo. Let the battle begin!
Closing notes from Shindog:
Presenting a program at our Anniversary parties has been part of the labor of love that Skip put into the events. He produced the copy and layout for the program each year. I had not decided whether to have a program this year, when Danny White asked me about it, sharing that he loves the program as a souvenir, adding his offer to help put it together. So with his gracious support, here is this year’s program. Thanks to Danny for doing all the graphics for the Anniversary event; and I’ll add additional thanks to Jennie Andreasen who has created the monthly flyer art since earlier this year.
The closing note below was part of Skip’s tradition in the annual program. The “wise woman” quote was attributed to our friend and early/longtime supporter Amy Williams aka Amy Zing, who we also lost this year, whose humor and spirit live on in this saying…
A very wise woman once said:
“New Wave City is like Tinkerbell; it will continue to exist as long as people believe.”
WHERE WERE YOU IN ’82?
BIOS
Danny White lives at the intersection of synth-pop-driven '80s New Wave and modern House music. Currently residing in NYC, he’s part of the roaming Three of Hearts crew with DJs Andi and Rok One. In San Francisco, he ran the monthly Indie Slash party for over a decade and continues to guest DJ there with New Wave City at the Cat Club. In New Orleans, he started the House of N.O. party with Disko Obscura and returns there often for Halloween and "Acid Gras."
Brian Raffi’s legendary musical career in quick shots: 1977-1979 KALX Radio host on The Offbeat Hour / 1978 - DJ at X’s / 1979 - DJ at Earls / 1979-1986 - DJ at I-Beam / 1985 - opened The DNA Lounge / 1988 - DJ at Red Square / 1990 - Opened F/X in San Jose / 1980s – DJ at many underground parties: Anon Salon, Science Club, Boy Club, Industry, etc.; also DJ for band shows: New Order, George Clinton, Violent Femmes, Green Day, etc. Managed the band MCM & the Monster / 1992 – DJ at I-Beam Reunion Party with Shindog & Skip / 1993-1994 – resident DJ & collaborator for New Wave City. Also known as a poet, actor, and singer.
Andy T has been spinning tunes in San Francisco since the early 90's. With a suspicious knack for being in the right place at the right time, his first gig in SF was at the DNA Lounge, filling in for Brian Raffi. Andy's good friend DJ Blackstone set him up with his first residency, Saturdays at the CW Saloon. Andy was hired at the CW despite his demo tape featuring "Mississippi Queen" and "The Lumberjack Song."
Pivoting to funk and disco at the CW, Andy lucked out again as a 70's disco dance craze was about to sweep the nation. The CW was packed week after week, leading to more gigs at 1015 Folsom, Townsend, and the Stud. It was at the Stud that Andy would finally have to learn something about music and DJ technique.
As the 90's wore on, Andy got a real job and gave up his weekly residencies. He still djs around town, and considers it an honor to entertain the cognoscenti of New Wave City.
Shindog’s lifelong love affair with music began with listening to top 40 on transistor radio everywhere his bicycle could take him. His first New Wave concert was the 1978 tour Elvis Costello & the Attractions, Nick Lowe & Rockpile, and Mink DeVille. His first DJ gig was spinning rock, disco, and top 40 for the skaters at Fremont’s Roller World. His first nightlife DJ work was spinning 50s/60s oldies. Being a super fan of surf music, he joined some friends in a garage surf band called Ding City, which happened to include one of his casual friends who went by the nickname Skip. Shindog later had a vision to produce a regular DJ night of rockabilly and other early rock including surf instrumental, until Skip pitched him to work with him on an 80s New Wave party. Of course, here we are 34 years later into New Wave City’s history. Shindog is grateful to everyone’s support along the way!
DJ Low-Life was born in the grooves, raised on synths, and became permanently trapped somewhere between Manchester and the dance floor. He emerged from the vinyl tracks of New Order’s third album, fully formed, somewhere between the opening notes and the closing heartbreak. A synth-pop fanatic, Low-Life began guest DJ’ing at New Wave City in the mid-’90s, spinning New Wave bangers and rarities at legendary venues such as the Covered Wagon and Rawhide—names that, despite sounding like stops on a country-and-western tour, were actually home to packed nights of New Wave debauchery. His favorite New Order track is “Temptation.” Of course it is...
Smokey’s first DJ gig was at Burning Man doing a fill in spot. After that I was hooked! Other than being a Resident DJ for NWC, you can also find me as Guest DJ at Funkytown, Gossip, and occasionally 1984. My love for New Wave started when I was living in Berlin in the 1980's. Fun fact: I met the love of my life at NWC! We've been together for 19 years and married for 12.
