Pop Conference 2025

This roundtable proposes an exploration of the iconic queer Los Angeles night, Mustache
Mondays, as a vibrant intersection of popular music, fashion, and creative expression. C0-
founded in 2007 by Ignacio “Nacho” Nava, Mustache Mondays fostered a community where
music, visual culture, and style converged, creating a space for Black and Brown queer
people. Nava’s vision was not just about curating a party; it was about using music and style
to challenge norms and uplift marginalized voices.

Mustache Mondays flourished at a time when LGBTQ+ nightlife was often confined to
spaces that catered predominantly to cisgender, white gay men. What set this night apart was
its embrace of queer and trans people of color, and its celebration of avant-garde aesthetics.
The night became a platform for underground artists, DJs, drag performers, stylists, and
musicians who didn’t fit into more mainstream queer scenes.

At the heart of Mustache Mondays was a fusion of music genres that reflected its eclectic
audience. It drew inspiration from house, techno, electroclash, hip-hop and global diasporic
sounds, all underscored by the DIY ethos that characterized much of LA’s underground
scene. This musical curation not only fostered a sense of community but also offered an
alternative sonic landscape to more homogenized club music.

Mustache Mondays harnessed style not only to reflect the aesthetics of underground queer
culture but also as a site of transformation. Nava embraced avant-garde fashion, encouraging
attendees to express themselves through bold looks that resisted the whitewashed depictions
of LGBTQ culture common in West Hollywood. Mustache became a launchpad for artists
like Kelela and Total Freedom (Bobby Beethoven), where music, performance, and style
coalesced to shape a new vision for queer cultural expression in Los Angeles. Over the years
many musicians came out of Mustache, DJs like Nguzunguzu, producers like Kelman Duran,
and also artists in various realms, like fashion designers Pia Davis (No Sesso), contemporary
artist rafa esparza, and choreographer Ryan Heffington.

In the wake of Nava’s passing, Mustache Mondays continues to resonate as a space where
popular music, fashion, and queer experiences collided, and this roundtable seeks to unpack
its lasting impact on the cultural landscape of Los Angeles and beyond.
Participants will include DJ Josh Peace, Kelman Duran, and Pia Davis, who will share their
perspectives on Mustache Mondays as a site of creative freedom, resistance, and community.
By engaging with these narratives, the roundtable aims to contribute to larger discussions on
queer nightlife, urban space, and the politics of style.