While April Fool’s Day is typically reserved for elaborate hoaxes and digital pranks, Christina Hendricks spent the holiday providing a rare, analog surprise for the San Diego music scene. In a move that felt more like a curated gallery opening than a standard celebrity appearance, the actor took over the decks at Part Time Lover, a local bar known for its intimate atmosphere, to perform a four-hour DJ set.
The Christina Hendricks DJ set was not a superficial foray into nightlife; it was a deep dive into the textures of indie, shoegaze, and dream pop. Performing entirely on vinyl, Hendricks curated what has been described as a “shoe pop dream gaze” experience, blending ethereal melodies with the heavy, atmospheric walls of sound characteristic of the genres. The performance, which took place on Wednesday, April 1, saw the actor dancing and singing along to her selections, transforming the venue into a temporary sanctuary for underground music enthusiasts.
Joining her for the evening was her husband, camera operator George Bianchini, who remained by her side as she navigated a 46-song journey through some of the most influential recordings of the last few decades. The event served as a physical manifestation of Hendricks’ long-standing interest in alternative music, moving her from the role of a listener to a tastemaker in a public setting.
A Curated Study in Shoegaze and Dream Pop
For those unfamiliar with the terminology, “shoegaze”—a term coined in the UK in the early 1990s to describe guitarists who stared down at their effects pedals—is defined by a blurred, distorted sound and airy vocals. Dream pop, its close cousin, emphasizes atmosphere and melody over traditional song structure. By combining these, Hendricks created a sonic landscape that mirrored the cinematic moodiness of her own filmography.
The setlist was a comprehensive survey of the genre’s evolution. She leaned heavily on the architects of the sound, including the Cocteau Twins and Slowdive, while bridging the gap to modern iterations like Beach House and Lana Del Rey. The inclusion of artists such as The Knife and Yaeji added a contemporary electronic edge to the evening, ensuring the set felt like a living conversation between the past and present of independent music.
The choice of vinyl as the sole medium for the performance added a layer of intentionality to the night. In an era of digital synchronization and pre-planned playlists, the physical act of flipping records requires a tangible connection to the music and a willingness to embrace the slight imperfections of the medium. This analog approach aligned with the “dream gaze” aesthetic, prioritizing warmth and texture over clinical precision.
Beyond the Screen: An Indie Pedigree
While the world knows Hendricks primarily for her iconic role as Joan Harris in Mad Men, her career has often flirted with the avant-garde. From the neon-soaked noir of Drive to the surrealist horror of The Neon Demon, she has consistently gravitated toward projects with a strong visual and atmospheric identity. This musical detour in San Diego feels like a natural extension of that artistic curiosity.
This is not the first time Hendricks has signaled her affinity for the fringes of pop music. In previous reflections on the music that shaped her life, she has expressed admiration for the idiosyncratic sounds of Kate Bush and the moody post-punk of The Cure, as well as the synth-pop of Erasure and the subversive energy of The Dead Milkmen. The San Diego set functioned as a live exhibition of these tastes, proving that her “indie credentials” are deeply rooted rather than a curated image.
The Full “Shoe Pop Dream Gaze” Setlist
The four-hour performance spanned 46 tracks, moving through various moods of melancholy, euphoria, and experimentalism. Below is the sequence of artists and tracks played during the event:
- Spiritualized – ‘Broken Heart’
- Chromatics – ‘Yes (Love Theme From Lost River)’
- Yaeji – ‘Drink I’m Sippin On’
- Broken Social Scene – ‘Hug Of Thunder’
- Wolf Alice – ‘How Can I Produce It Ok?’
- Warpaint – ‘New Song’
- Dead Man’s Bones – ‘Pa Pa Power’
- Japanese Breakfast – ‘Machinist’
- Youth Team – ‘Michael Mann’
- The Knife – ‘Heartbeats’
- Catnapp – ‘Thunder’
- Cocteau Twins – ‘Ivo’
- The Deadly Syndrome – ‘Joseph Porter’
- Rick Cuevas – ‘The Birds’
- Anna Of The North – ‘I Do You’
- Bananarama – ‘Cruel Summer’
- Talvi – ‘The Day We Met Never Ended for Me’
- Causeway – ‘Crazy For You’
- St. Vincent – ‘Los Ageless’
- Desire – ‘The Judge’
- Sorry – ‘Waxwing’
- Noga Erez – ‘Dance While You Shoot’
- Halsey – ‘Ghost’
- Esper Star – ‘Boys of Summer’
- Lana Del Rey – ‘West Coast’
- Tricky & Martina Topley-Bird – ‘Hell Is Round The Corner’
- Glass Animals – ‘Gooey’
- Thievery Corporation – ‘(The Forgotten People)’
- Tori Amos – ‘God’
- Broken Bells & Danger Mouse – ‘The Ghost Inside’
- The Stone Roses – ‘She Bangs the Drums’
- Kitten – ‘I Did It!’
- The Beaches – ‘Can I Call You in the Morning?’
- Sky Ferreira – ‘Heavy Metal Heart’
- The Dandy Warhols – ‘Horse Pills’
- Bright Eyes – ‘Lover I Don’t Have to Love’
- The Verve – ‘Velvet Morning’
- The Stevenson Ranch Davidians – ‘Love Is a Massive Light’
- Tennis – ‘In The Morning I’ll Be Better’
- Beach House – ‘Girl Of The Year’
- The Asteroid No. 4 – ‘Rescue’
- Ride – ‘Vapour Trail’
- Mitski – ‘First Love/Late Spring’
- Slowdive – ‘Crazy for You’
- Loma – ‘Half Silences’
- BANKS – ‘Waiting Game’
The set’s progression suggests a deliberate emotional arc, starting with the spiritual weight of Spiritualized and ending with the moody, contemporary tension of BANKS. It was a performance that prioritized the “vibe” over the hit, reflecting a sophisticated understanding of how these genres function to create a specific psychological space.
While there are currently no announced dates for future DJ appearances, the success of the San Diego event highlights a growing trend of artists crossing over into the curation space. For Hendricks, the evening was less about the spectacle of fame and more about the shared experience of a specific sound.
Do you have a favorite shoegaze or dream pop artist? Share your recommendations in the comments below.
