If there was one place to be in West Hollywood on Saturday night, it was The Abbey.
The iconic LGBTQ+ hotspot transformed into a full-throttle celebration for event producer Oly Innes‘ birthday, bringing together partygoers for a “Sunglasses at Night” themed bash that proved one thing: nobody throws a celebration quite like the man who has spent years creating unforgettable nightlife experiences.
From the moment guests walked through the doors, the assignment was clear. Grab your favorite shades, hit the dance floor, and don’t stop moving.
A Birthday Worth Celebrating
Anyone familiar with queer nightlife knows Oly Innes isn’t just another promoter. He’s helped shape some of the biggest parties on both sides of the Atlantic.
Long before Saturday’s celebration, Innes made his mark co-producing Evita, the wildly popular Friday night event at Nightingale Plaza in West Hollywood. The party became known for pulling in headline performers including Iggy Azalea, Tinashe, Kim Petras, Brooke Candy, Mýa, Daphne Guinness, Keiynan Lonsdale, Fischerspooner, and countless RuPaul’s Drag Race stars.
Today, Innes is behind Daddy Issues, a touring pop-up party that has expanded to more than 25 cities across the United States and Europe. The brand has welcomed celebrity guests including Lizzo, Little Boots, and fan-favorite drag performers while growing into its own lifestyle label with apparel and a companion zine.
After spending years creating memorable nights for everyone else, it only felt right that the spotlight belonged to him.
Sunglasses Stayed On All Night
The dress code wasn’t merely a suggestion.
Guests fully embraced the “Sunglasses at Night” theme, arriving in everything from oversized designer frames to colorful statement shades that somehow made perfect sense long after the sun had disappeared.
The energy never really dipped.
It felt like one continuous celebration, with the dance floor staying packed as friends gathered to toast Innes throughout the evening. Everywhere you looked, people were laughing, snapping photos, and catching up between songs before rushing back into the crowd.
It was one of those nights where nobody seemed interested in checking the time.
Erika Jayne Kept The Party Moving
A birthday party still needs the right soundtrack, and Erika Jayne delivered exactly that.
The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star stepped behind the DJ booth as The Pretty Mess, spinning a high-energy set that kept the room bouncing from start to finish. Every transition seemed to raise the temperature inside The Abbey, with guests singing along, throwing their hands into the air, and finding one more reason to stay on the dance floor.
Helping fuel the atmosphere were go-go dancers stationed throughout the venue, bringing another layer of excitement to an already lively crowd. Between the music, the performances, and the sea of sunglasses, the room felt like one giant celebration rather than a scheduled event.
Honestly, it was hard not to get swept up in it.
Ending The Night In Style
No birthday celebration is complete without cake.
As the evening reached its biggest moment, everyone gathered to celebrate Innes with a birthday cake before he blew out the candles to cheers from friends filling the venue. It was a fitting finale for someone whose career has revolved around creating memorable experiences for the LGBTQ+ community.
The moment felt genuine. Rather than simply marking another birthday, it doubled as a celebration of someone who has spent years building spaces where people can dance, connect, and have fun together.
West Hollywood has no shortage of parties, but every so often one stands out because the person at the center of it has earned the love filling the room.
Saturday night was one of those occasions.
From the sunglasses theme to Erika Jayne’s infectious DJ set, energetic go-go dancers, and the birthday toast that brought everyone together, Oly Innes’ celebration reminded everyone why he’s become one of the driving forces behind queer nightlife. If the goal was to throw a party people would still be talking about the next morning, mission accomplished.