DJ Paul T is a Philadelphia-based DJ and event founder who has been shaping the city’s alternative dance scene since 2000. Since 2010, he has launched and curated multiple long-running dance nights, including DJSC, a staple event devoted to Depeche Mode, Joy Division, New Order, The Smiths, and The Cure, as well as Night Drive, a synthwave-focused party celebrating retro-futurist sound and aesthetics. Across these nights, Paul has built a reputation for thoughtful curation, deep musical knowledge, and dance floors that balance nostalgia with discovery.

In March 2026, he takes his boldest step forward yet with New Desires, a new event expanding into modern post-punk, dream pop, darkwave and coldwave, synthpop and new romantic, with shoegaze textures and FM synth-driven electronic dance music woven throughout the night.

The night will also feature nightlife photography by Jordan Martinez (weseedarkly), whose one-of-a-kind visuals have become a defining part of the DJSC experience.Within Philadelphia’s creative networks, Martinez’s work has become emblematic of a new generation of photographers who document nightlife as a form of social storytelling, capturing the atmosphere, emotion, and fleeting moments that give these nights their identity.

Hosted at Nikki Lopez in Philadelphia, New Desires mirrors the established DJSC cadence by taking place on the third Saturday of the month, alternating with DJSC on the off months. The 2026 New Desires dates are March 21, May 16, July 18, September 19, and November 21, with occasional live band and music collaborations curated in partnership with the venue that align with the New Desires sound. With New Desires, DJ Paul T continues his long-standing mission of evolving the scene while staying rooted in the sounds that move people to the floor.