Top 20 Favorite Shows of 2014

Top 20 Favorite Shows of 2014
Mark E. Ortega
Medium.com
December 27, 2014


Not counting music festivals, I managed to see exactly 100 live concerts in 2014. Previous to this year, I had seen in the ballpark of 25 concerts, I think? I couldn’t have ever expected to see this many shows, but thanks fo relocating to Los Angeles as well as picking up freelance work writing about music, I was able to make it to a shit ton of concerts. In August, I saw live music for seven straight days, something I wanted to do my whole life. I upstaged that by seeing shows 10 straight days in October, and all of a sudden in December, 100 seemed a realistic goal. I hit that mark with the Dec. 20 Saves the Day & Say Anything show at House of Blues on Sunset.

Click here to read about my 20 favorite concerts of 2014...

Staff Picks: Grimy Goods Best Albums of 2014

Staff Picks: Grimy Goods Best Albums of 2014
Mark E. Ortega
GrimyGoods.com
December 19, 2014


1. Sharon Van Etten – Are We There (Jagjaguwar) 
This is clearly Van Etten’s best and most expansive work to date. On previous efforts, she stuck with a less is more approach but incorporated a much fuller sound on this release. The common use of a piano brings an added element, and Van Etten takes a more hopeful approach to dealing with heartbreak and moving on in many songs. There’s not a single weak link among the 11 tracks, which you can stream here.

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The Nine II Five: Volume Four

The Nine II Five: Volume Four
TheAudiologist.net
December 17, 2014




Remember mixed tapes? Mixed CDs? Recording songs off the radio? Nowadays, it’s too easy to try and make a playlist on subscription-based streaming sites that spiral out of control.

Every playlist I’ve made climbs to crazy numbers, sometimes into the hundreds. This can be nice, for many reasons. But there was a certain difficulty and passion that came all my life with making mixed CDs. There’s an art to it — being able to move from track to track without something feeling far too out of place.

925… It’s the area code where I grew up in northern California’s Bay Area. It also works as “nine-to-five”, commonly known as the working person’s grind Monday-through-Friday. I’m taking that number and using it as the formula for a mix I hope to continue creating every week.

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Smashing Pumpkins wax nostalgic at Fonda Theatre

Smashing Pumpkins wax nostalgic at Fonda Theatre
Mark E. Ortega
GrimyGoods.com
December 17, 2014


Even in the prime of his band 20 years ago, The Smashing Pumpkins‘ Billy Corgan didn’t really seem like other rock stars. During the height of alternative and grunge in the ’90s, the Pumpkins got grouped in with the rest of the bands when really, they were quite different. Even then, Corgan seemed like a reluctant rocker.

Now a few decades later, Corgan comes across as a bit resistant to that handle, albeit he seems much more comfortable. Tuesday night at the Fonda Theatre, Corgan and his most recent shuffled lineup (which includes guitarist Jeff Schroeder, Mark Stoermer of The Killers on bass and Brad Wilk of Rage Against The Machine on drums.) played through 17 songs, including five from their latest release Monuments to an Elegy, which came out a few weeks ago.

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Ryan Adams and Jenny Lewis take chemistry from studio to stage at Fox Theater

Ryan Adams and Jenny Lewis take chemistry from studio to stage at Fox Theater
Mark E. Ortega
GrimyGoods.com
December 14, 2014

It wasn’t enough that Ryan Adams produced Jenny Lewis’ career-defining album The Voyager released earlier this year. Adams went ahead and brought Lewis on tour with him — and the magic that was made in the studio translated to the stage Thursday night at the Fox Theater in Pomona.

Lewis took the stage first and started her set the way she usually does with the last single from her days as the frontwoman of Rilo Kiley, singing “Silver Lining” to the awe of the crowd. Lewis was wearing her signature white blazer emblazoned in rainbow colors that graces the cover of her critically-acclaimed 2014 album that was produced at Adams’ Pax-Am studios.

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The Nine II Five: Volume Three

The Nine II Five: Volume Three
TheAudiologist.net
December 10, 2014




Remember mixed tapes? Mixed CDs? Recording songs off the radio? Nowadays, it’s too easy to try and make a playlist on subscription-based streaming sites that spiral out of control.

Every playlist I’ve made climbs to crazy numbers, sometimes into the hundreds. This can be nice, for many reasons. But there was a certain difficulty and passion that came all my life with making mixed CDs. There’s an art to it — being able to move from track to track without something feeling far too out of place.

925… It’s the area code where I grew up in northern California’s Bay Area. It also works as “nine-to-five”, commonly known as the working person’s grind Monday-through-Friday. I’m taking that number and using it as the formula for a mix I hope to continue creating every week.

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ALTimate Christmas Party keeps things short but sweet

ALTimate Christmas Party keeps things short but sweet
Mark E. Ortega
GrimyGoods.com
December 10, 2014

It’s not often you can go to a show that features seven well-known acts, get in the doors at 6PM and be home and in bed before midnight on a work night.

At ALT 98.7‘s Altimate Rooftop Christmas Party at the W Hotel Hollywood, lucky attendees were treated to just that kind of experience. An exceptionally well-run event that featured performances by Bush, Banks, Cold War Kids, Glass Animals, Robert DeLong, The Neighbourhood, and a headlining performance by Fitz and The Tantrums. The event worked so seamlessly because it had alternating stages, giving you only about five minutes to catch your breath and munch on free appetizers before walking to the other side of the roof.

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Angel Olsen dazzles crowd at El Rey into (mostly) silence

Angel Olsen dazzles crowd at El Rey into (mostly) silence
Mark E. Ortega
GrimyGoods.com
December 7, 2014

A lot of people in Los Angeles use concerts as location for dates. Not a bad idea, generally. But oftentimes, people get lost in their own conversations and forget that others paid to see a show that night and cause an interruption with their chatter.

Burgeoning singer-songwriter Angel Olsen captivated MOST of the crowd for nearly the duration of her set at the El Rey Theatre this past Thursday night, as you could hear a pin drop during the many quieter moments of her performance. Unfortunately, the back part of the audience near the bar was full of chatterboxes that would not keep their mouths shut, taking the joy out of some of the quieter parts of the performance.

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Ten Favorite Festival Sets of 2014

Ten Favorite Festival Sets of 2014
Mark E. Ortega
Medium.com
December 6, 2014

In 2014, I had the luxury of attending a solid number of music festivals, almost exclusively in coverage for GrimyGoods.com. I went to Coachella for the first time (life-changing, weekend two), as well as FYF Fest, Made in America Festival, Sunset Strip Music Festival, and made a return to Life is Beautiful in Las Vegas. I decided to put together my list of my ten favorite sets from across all of those festivals, a much tougher task than I initially thought it would be.

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The Nine II Five: Volume Two

The Nine II Five: Volume Two
TheAudiologist.net
December 5, 2014




Remember mixed tapes? Mixed CDs? Recording songs off the radio? Nowadays, it’s too easy to try and make a playlist on subscription-based streaming sites that spiral out of control.

Every playlist I’ve made climbs to crazy numbers, sometimes into the hundreds. This can be nice, for many reasons. But there was a certain difficulty and passion that came all my life with making mixed CDs. There’s an art to it — being able to move from track to track without something feeling far too out of place.

925… It’s the area code where I grew up in northern California’s Bay Area. It also works as “nine-to-five”, commonly known as the working person’s grind Monday-through-Friday. I’m taking that number and using it as the formula for a mix I hope to continue creating every week.

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Video Premiere: QUI get weird with it in "Kicked Out of Mime College"

Video Premiere: QUI get weird with it in "Kicked Out of Mime College"
Mark E. Ortega
GrimyGoods.com
December 2, 2014

Ever wanted to see mimes harmonize (har-mime-ize?)? Los Angeles duo QUI has you covered in their new video “Kicked Out of Mime College”.


Qui, made up of Paul Christensen (drums/vocals) and Matt Cronk (guitar/vocals) look the part in this sometimes black-and-white and sometimes color video. At times, the two even mime them playing their instruments, I assume actually matching up to the song. Or maybe not, and that’s why it’s ‘Kicked Out of Mime College”.

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Ten Best Live Cover Songs of 2014

Ten Best Live Cover Songs of 2014
Mark E. Ortega
GrimyGoods.com
December 1, 2014

Having been fortunate enough to see around 100 concerts in 2014, not to mention a good number of music festivals, I had the opportunity to see some musicians pull out some pretty bad ass covers during their live sets. After much deliberation, I’ve broken down my Top 10 for the year, which was no easy feat.

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Fleetwood Mac rock The Forum like it's 1979

Fleetwood Mac rock The Forum like it's 1979
Mark E. Ortega
GrimyGoods.com
November 29, 2014

In order to see Fleetwood Mac at The Forum on Friday night, I had to give up my New Year’s Eve so that someone else would cover my shift on short notice at my full-time job. After seeing them play nearly three hours on the first of two nights at The Forum, I can say that I made the right choice and that I have zero regrets.

This was the first time since the original lineup played in Los Angeles together in years. Mick Fleetwood (drums), John McVie (bass), Stevie Nicks (vocals), Lindsey Buckingham (lead guitar), and — for the first time since 1998, Christine McVie on the keyboards. They had some help by a talented group of backup musicians, but this was who everyone came to see and they didn’t fail to deliver.

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The Nine II Five: Volume One

The Nine II Five: Volume One
TheAudiologist.net
November 26, 2014


Remember mixed tapes? Mixed CDs? Recording songs off the radio? Nowadays, it’s too easy to try and make a playlist on subscription-based streaming sites that spiral out of control.

Every playlist I’ve made climbs to crazy numbers, sometimes into the hundreds. This can be nice, for many reasons. But there was a certain difficulty and passion that came all my life with making mixed CDs. There’s an art to it — being able to move from track to track without something feeling far too out of place.

925… It’s the area code where I grew up in northern California’s Bay Area. It also works as “nine-to-five”, commonly known as the working person’s grind Monday-through-Friday. I’m taking that number and using it as the formula for a mix I hope to continue creating every week.

The Formula:

1. NINE - Nine songs from acts that are either a) unknown b) currently breaking out or c) about to break out. My main hope is that people will discover some music that they otherwise weren’t aware of.

2. TWO - Two specialty songs. This could be covers, live versions, unreleased tracks, remixes, acoustic versions, etc.

3. FIVE - Five songs from established and well-known acts. Doesn’t necessarily have to be well-known songs by those acts, however. Just named that people will know. There is no set order to the playlist. The track listing will be based on how well each song transitions into the next. Usually, I’ll try and keep a central theme to each playlist.

Justin Timberlake provides a cure for the Mondays with exhilarating performance at The Forum

Justin Timberlake provides a cure for the Mondays with exhilarating performance at The Forum
Mark E. Ortega
GrimyGoods.com
November 25, 2014


The last week of November is one that is usually looked forward to by a large majority of Americans. Thanksgiving is just a few days away, which means for most students, a full week off from school and for most adults, a shortened work week. For anyone that was still not satisfied, Justin Timberlake’s performance at The Forum in Inglewood took care of their case of the Mondays.

Let me preface this show review by saying Timberlake isn’t my usual cup of tea. I’ve had the good fortune of seeing a large volume of live music this year. Most fall into the “shows” category. Some are large enough to be considered “concerts”, but Monday night, Timberlake showed me what it was like to turn a night of live music into an “event”.

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Tegan and Sara share unreleased "When I Get Up" from 10th anniv. of So Jealous

Tegan and Sara share unreleased "When I Get Up" from 10th anniv. of So Jealous
Mark E. Ortega
November 25, 2014
GrimyGoods.com


It’s quite hard to believe when you realize Tegan and Sara‘s “So Jealous” album is nearly 10 years old. The indie rock done good sisters are commemorating it with a 10th anniversary deluxe edition of the album to be released on Dec. 23, called So Jealous X.

The deluxe album will include additional material like remixes, demos, and covers, like The White Stripes doing a version of one of Tegan and Sara’s early breakout hits “Walking With a Ghost”. It’s been a crazy year for the two as they opened up for Katy Perry on her stadium tour (including dates at STAPLES Center) and played the Hollywood Palladium just recently.

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Justin Blackmon pleads no contest to misdemeanor

Justin Blackmon pleads no contest to misdemeanor
Mark E. Ortega
NFL.com
November 21, 2014

Suspended Jacksonville Jaguars wideout Justin Blackmon pleaded no contest to a misdemeanor count of marijuana possession on Thursday, according to The Oklahoman.

Blackmon was arrested July 23 when police pulled over the troubled receiver for a traffic violation and found an odor of marijuana emanating from his vehicle. Blackmon admitted to smoking in the vehicle while driving.

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Listen to Henry Wolfe's new EP "Encino" - smooth and easy listening

Listen to Henry Wolfe's new EP "Encino" - smooth and easy listening
Mark E. Ortega
GrimyGoods.com
November 18, 2014


In a 2012 interview with Metro, Los Angeles-based singer-songwriter Henry Wolfe noted that modern music plays a very limited role in his life.

When listening to his new EP Encino, his first release in three years, it is obvious he draws influence from music of yesteryear. From the opening moments of the title track, I can’t help but think this is something Brian Wilson would have really dug.

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Tame Impala don't let Shrine technical difficulties deconstruct their set

Tame Impala don't let Shrine technical difficulties deconstruct their set

Mark E. Ortega

GrimyGoods.com

November 14, 2014

Australia’s Tame Impala are so psychedelic that when you see them live, you feel as though you’re on drugs — even when you’re not.

Wednesday night at The Shrine Auditorium, they showed that the jammy and acidy sounds of Cream and other super bands of the ’70’s are still much sought after. Except for the very top, The Shrine was packed tight with a crowd that was mostly twentysomething or younger.

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The Black Keys at The Forum: Living up to being one of America's biggest rock bands

The Black Keys at The Forum: Living up to being one of America's biggest rock bands
Mark E. Ortega
GrimyGoods.com
November 7, 2014

If there is one major realization I made Thursday night at The Forum in Inglewood, it’s that The Black Keys are in the running for America’s most popular rock band.

As Thursday was an important day politically, it felt as though these Akron, Ohio-bred rockers were on the campaign trail themselves. After seeing them blow through an impressive sold-out set at one of Southern California’s larger indoor venues, one could certainly make the case that they are in the hunt. In fact, outside of the Foo Fighters, I can’t think of a single American rock band that is as wide appealing as Dan Auerbach and Patrick Carney.

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Between two show reviewers: Courtney Barnett at Red Bull Sound Select #30DaysinLA

Between two show reviewers: Courtney Barnett at Red Bull Sound Select #30DaysinLA
Ziv Biton and Mark E. Ortega
GrimyGoods.com
November 6, 2014


Courtney Barnett played the El Rey for the 4th night of Red Bull’s Sound Select #30DaysInLA series. After getting loads of Red Bull swag, munching on empanadas, and getting strung out on vodka Red Bulls (THERE WAS SO MUCH RED BULL) I bumped into fellow Grimy Goods contributor Mark Ortega. Below we discuss the shows highlights, varying giveaways, openers, closers and Courtney Barnett’s performer resemblance to Girl Cobain.

Feature by Ziv Biton & Mark Ortega / Photography by Misha Vladimirskiy (Red Bull Sound Select)

ZB: I only bumped into you a bit later in the night. How was it your first half? Did you get there in time to swag a screen-printed Courtney Barnett poster?

MO: No! I thought those were just for people that won them via the scratchers? I got one of the #30DaysInLA posters though — No. 2 in my collection.

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Ben Howard spreads magic at sold-out El Rey Theatre performance

Ben Howard spreads magic at sold-out El Rey Theatre performance
Mark E. Ortega
GrimyGoods.com
November 6, 2014


I didn’t know very much about Ben Howard going into his show last Monday at the El Rey Theatre. I’d taken a quick listen to his latest album I Forget Where We Were and saw how quickly tickets were gobbled up to his one of two U.S. shows this month and was very intrigued.

What I didn’t expect was to hear just how full Howard and his band sounded. What I experienced was the kind of emotion that Damien Rice was able conjure out of me earlier that month.

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Foo Fighters close final day of Life is Beautiful on an ultimate high

Foo Fighters close final day of Life is Beautiful on an ultimate high
Mark E. Ortega
GrimyGoods.com
October 30, 2014


“We haven’t played here in a long f*cking time,” Foo Fighters frontman Dave Grohl said early on in the final performance of Life is Beautiful’s three-day festival in downtown Las Vegas. “So you know what that means? We are about to play a bunch of songs we normally don’t get to play. And we’re going to play as many songs as we can until they shut us down.”

Grohl made good on those words, as the band played beyond when the posted set times said they’d finish up. He was also right – it had been six years since the Foo Fighters played Las Vegas – at the Hard Rock’s awesome in-door venue The Joint.

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Life is Beautiful day two ruled by rap, balanced by Lionel Richie, and blown away by Flaming Lips

Life is Beautiful day two ruled by rap, balanced by Lionel Richie, and blown away by Flaming Lips
Mark E. Ortega
GrimyGoods.com
October 26, 2014


Outkast hadn’t played Las Vegas in more than a decade when they headlined Saturday’s Life is Beautiful smorgasbord on the second day of the downtown Las Vegas festival.

Outkast had made the festival rounds on their reunion this year, to mixed results. Their week one Coachella set was knocked for being a bit shaky, but their Saturday set in Las Vegas showed them at their best. The Atlanta duo went through their large array of hits without breaking off time for the weird Andre 3000 solo stuff that stunted their Coachella set.

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Life is Beautiful day one capped by -- what else -- a Kanye rant

Life is Beautiful day one capped by -- what else -- a Kanye rant
Mark E. Ortega
GrimyGoods.com
October 25, 2014


Downtown Las Vegas’ second-year music festival Life is Beautiful kicked off Friday capped by a typically awesome and rant-filled Kanye West set.

Now three days after being just two in its inaugural year, the festival has grown in more than just length of time. The festival grounds felt like they have doubled in size and there was a much larger international contingency than last year as well. Two British gals from London told me they came out to Vegas specifically to see Kanye.

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Trindon Holliday signs with Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Trindon Holliday signs with Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Mark E. Ortega
NFL.com
October 21, 2014

Return specialist Trindon Holliday has signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, according to NFL Media Insider Ian Rapoport, per a source informed of the deal. Holliday was previously with the New York Giants this season, who released him on Oct. 6 without him appearing in a game.

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An interview with Broods: Their meteoric rise will continue with release of new album Evergreen

An interview with Broods: Their meteoric rise will continue with release of new album Evergreen
Mark E. Ortega
GrimyGoods.com
October 20, 2014

Just eight months ago, the New Zealand sibling synth-pop duo Broods was making their U.S. debut at Bardot’s It’s A School Night. This past Tuesday, they headlined the El Rey Theatre in front of a sold-out crowd to celebrate the U.S. release of their first full-length album Evergreen, which came out on these shores on Oct. 7.

Prior to their sound check, I caught up with Broods, whom I had seen twice and had previously reviewed for Grimy Goods at The Observatory in Santa Ana. The way they finish each other’s sentences is no surprise given their chemistry both on stage and in the studio.

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Damien Rice breaks hearts, surprises with laughter at Cathedral Sanctuary

Damien Rice breaks hearts, surprises with laughter at Cathedral Sanctuary
Mark E. Ortega
GrimyGoods.com
October 15, 2014


There’s a reason why tickets were sold out within minutes of being offered for Damien Rice‘s intimate Oct. 9 show at the beautiful Cathedral Sanctuary at the Immanuel Presbyterian Church. Since emerging on the scene in 2001, people have turned to Rice’s music when needing to deal with a wide array of sad emotions. Those lucky few hundred that were able to witness Tuesday night’s performance got their fair share of eye-wiping in. They also experienced plenty of something maybe they weren’t anticipating: laughter.

While Rice ripped through a 17-song set of some of his latest and many of his greatest, he also mixed in an unexpected amount of comedic banter that kept things light. This, while just seconds before touching the depths of people’s souls with his often tragically-tuned songwriting.

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An interview with Craig Nyman: Get to know Life is Beautiful Festival in Las Vegas

An interview with Craig Nyman: Get to know Life is Beautiful Festival in Las Vegas
Mark E. Ortega
GrimyGoods.com
October 9, 2014


Last October, Las Vegas played host to the inaugural Life is Beautiful Festival — a two-day fiesta of music, art, food, and learning that took place on the city streets of the rejuvenated downtown Strip. The festival was such a success that this year’s festival has been expanded to include a third day and will take place Oct. 24 through Oct. 26, headlined by Kanye West, Foo Fighters, and Outkast.

This has made extra work for Craig Nyman, the Head of Music and Live Performances for Life is Beautiful, who is tasked with putting together the music lineup along with Another Planet Entertainment for the unique and up-and-coming festival. After talking to Nyman for this feature, it became clear immediately that the additional workload was exciting rather than stressful.

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Lorde shows tremendous growth at Greek Theatre, delivering spectacular performance

Lorde shows tremendous growth at Greek Theatre, delivering spectacular performance
Mark E. Ortega
GrimyGoods.com
October 7, 2014


A few songs in front of her headlining set at The Greek Theatre on Monday night, teenaged sensation Lorde acknowledged that the last time she played Los Angeles “proper”, she was at The Belasco and The Echoplex, just a little more than a year ago.

There was no better way to note how far she’d come in that one year. Lorde said that playing Coachella this year was a moment where she felt her band had “made it,” and headlining The Greek was another such moment in a career that will undoubtedly feature many more ups along the way. It is actually quite stunning how far she’s come even just since that Coachella set in April.

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Watch The Preatures' surfing inspired video for "Somebody's Talking"

Watch The Preatures' surfing inspired video for "Somebody's Talking"
Mark E. Ortega
GrimyGoods.com
September 26, 2014


I’ve been fortunate enough to hear The Preatures perform their new single “Somebody’s Talking” three times this year. The downside is that it’s made the anticipation of the single’s release nearly become the end of me.

Luckily, not only has the single officially dropped, but the Sydney, Australia rockers have also pushed out a video for the bangin’ jam out. Singer Isabella Manfredi is the second coming of Chrissie Hynde and this song and video only validates that opinion even more.

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La Roux transforms The Fonda Theatre into an upbeat "Sexotheque"

La Roux transforms The Fonda Theatre into an upbeat "Sexotheque"
Mark E. Ortega
GrimyGoods.com
September 25, 2014

Tuesday night, English synthpop export La Roux rocked The Fonda Theatre like gangbusters. Where Kylie Minogue left things with European dance pop, La Roux picked it up and has taken it to another level.

What you get with La Roux on album is surprisingly close to what you get on stage. Singer Elly Jackson’s vocal range is impressive and her falsetto never once cracked throughout an impressively high energy set at The Fonda.

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Album Preview: Damien Rice's "My Favourite Faded Fantasy" gets the Rick Rubin treatment

Album Preview: Damien Rice's "My Favourite Faded Fantasy" gets the Rick Rubin treatment
Mark E. Ortega
GrimyGoods.com
September 25, 2014

Something as powerful and emotionally taxing as Damien Rice’s first new material in eight years shouldn’t be something that you can access via Spotify. It just feels wrong.

Don’t get me wrong, I love Spotify. It is one of the only unnecessary bills I pay monthly. But Rice’s single “I Don’t Want to Change You” is something I should have to drive to a record store to procure before heading home and feeling sad and melancholy upon listening.

The upcoming album, titled My Favourite Faded Fantasy, is Rice’s first album since 9 back in 2006. In the time since, Rice disbanded his professional and personal relationship with Lisa Hannigan, the cellist and vocalist who brought additional depth to Rice’s songwriting with her vocal prowess. Whereas Rice’s vocals were sometimes harsh and sharp-edged, Hannigan’s soft vocals helped bring a balance.

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Former Titans kicker Rob Bironas dies in car accident

Former Titans kicker Rob Bironas dies in car accident
Mark E. Ortega
NFL.com
September 21, 2014


Former Tennessee Titans kicker Rob Bironas died Saturday night in a single-car crash in Nashville, Tenn. He was 36 years old.

According to a Nashville Metro media release, Bironas lost control of the SUV he was operating and went off the road into several trees before turning upside down around 11 p.m. CT on Saturday. He was transported by ambulance to Vanderbilt University Medical Center where he was pronounced dead. There was no evidence of drugs or alcohol.

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CHVRCHES puts on a PDA-inducing performance at the Palladium

CHVRCHES puts on a PDA-inducing performance at the Palladium
Mark E. Ortega
GrimyGoods.com
September 21, 2014


Depending on who is playing, a concert can be a difficult place to bring your struggling relationship.

Friday night at the Hollywood Palladium, I saw first-hand the ramifications of this as a couple next to me went through a wide range of emotions during CHRVCHES‘ fantastic 13-song set. This show served one of the last two shows on their tour in support of their debut album, The Bones of What You Believe.

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Jeff Tweedy and son team up for new album, Sukierae

Jeff Tweedy and son team up for new album, Sukierae
Mark E. Ortega
GrimyGoods.com
September 18, 2014


When I worked on something with my dad when I was 19, it was never anything as cool as what Spencer Tweedy has going with his pops, Jeff Tweedy of Wilco.

On Sept. 23, the two will release the album Sukierae, an impressive family project that also features vocal contribution from Lucius’ Jess Wolfe and Holly Laessig and keyboard work from R.E.M.’s Scott McCaughey. It sure tops my high school woodshop project that my dad assisted me with. The project is going by the simple family name, Tweedy.

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Death From Above 1979, Future Islands, & More to Headline Red Bull Sound Select's 30 Days in LA

Death From Above 1979, Future Islands, & More to Headline Red Bull Sound Select's 30 Days in LA
Mark E. Ortega
GrimyGoods.com
September 10, 2014

Ask any venue booker how difficult it is to set up one show and they’ll tell you it can be a huge pain in the ass. Extrapolate that over the course of 30 days in one city across multiple venues, and the task seems downright impossible.

Tuesday, Red Bull Sound Select announced that they’ve managed to do just that with their #30DaysInLA, a series of music-related events that will take place all across Los Angeles in November in mostly intimate venues with extremely affordable ticket prices featuring a number of more than solid acts involved.

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Made In America Los Angeles reviewed: The good, the bad, and the fugly

Made In America Los Angeles reviewed: The good, the bad, and the fugly
Mark E. Ortega
GrimyGoods.com
September 4, 2014


This past weekend marked the inaugural Made In America festival in Los Angeles. Though this festival has been running the past few years in Philadelphia, the promoters undertook a huge effort in running one in the heart of downtown LA, with City Hall serving as the backdrop to a main stage that would showcase the likes of Kanye West, Imagine Dragons, John Mayer, Kendrick Lamar, Iggy Azalea, and a number of others from a wide range of genres.

As is the case with any first-year festival, there were always going to be growing pains. Couple that with the fact that it was run simultaneously with the festival in Philadelphia, and problems were gonna be aplenty.

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Panic! At The Disco ignites The Greek for fans both old and new

Panic! At The Disco ignites The Greek for fans both old and new
Mark E. Ortega
GrimyGoods.com
August 27, 2014


Tuesday night, I took a trip back to my high school days. No, a DeLorean and Doc Brown weren’t involved. All it took was a trip to the Greek Theatre to see Panic! At The Disco, a band whose popularity first emerged when I was still a teenager with little life experience.

One thing that struck my right away: though a decade has passed since I really was into this band, their target demographic has not changed. A new generation of teenagers comprised more than half of the crowd at the Greek as 15-year-old girls were in every direction.

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The Strokes put stamp on FYF Fest with festival-ending romp

The Strokes put stamp on FYF Fest with festival-ending romp
Mark E. Ortega
GrimyGoods.com
August 25, 2014


Julian Casablancas and Albert Hammond Jr. did double duty at FYF Fest, playing with The Voidz and Albert’s solo act (respectively) on Saturday night before headlining the festival’s final night with the rest of The Strokes.

The crowd grew uneasy as 10-15 minutes passed after the listed 10:25 pm start time, but once they took the stage, things got started in a haste. “Barely Legal” began the set, perhaps serving as a reminder to the many underage attendees that were skirting their curfew to catch one of the influential bands of their older siblings’ high school days.

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The Bronx rage at FYF Fest with awesome crescendo and rambunctious mosh pit

The Bronx rage at FYF Fest with awesome crescendo and rambunctious mosh pit
Mark E. Ortega
GrimyGoods.com
August 25, 2014

Los Angeles’ own hardcore punk rockers The Bronx kicked off a string of sets at The Trees stage at FYF Fest on Sunday that would get rowdier and rowdier. Serving as a lead-in to Murder City Devils and The Blood Brothers, the set built to an awesome crescendo that featured a rather rambunctious mosh pit.

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Blood Brothers wax nostalgic on FYF Fest crowd, show no signs of rust

Blood Brothers wax nostalgic on FYF Fest crowd, show no signs of rust
Mark E. Ortega
GrimyGoods.com
August 25, 2014


It’s likely a fair amount of people that saw The Blood Brothers’ reunion at FYF Fest on Sunday night sustained some injuries — but it is equally fair to assume that the bloodshed was worth it.

“I had been trying to get them for two and a half years,” FYF’s Sean Carlson told the LA Times earlier in the week. “I’m so, so happy that they’re doing this at FYF.”

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Thundercat takes FYF Fest on a bass-filled adventure

Thundercat takes FYF Fest on a bass-filled adventure
Mark E. Ortega
GrimyGoods.com
August 25, 2014


Los Angeles-based bass guitar extraordinaire, Thundercat’s FYF Fest set was filled with incredible solos on Sunday later afternoon, but the former Suicidal Tendencies member showed there is much, much more to him than the metal stylings of his former band.

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Mac DeMarco's FYF Fest performance even gets security wildin' out

Mac DeMarco's FYF Fest performance even gets security wildin' out
Mark E. Ortega
GrimyGoods.com
August 25, 2014

Perhaps paying homage to the 12-day long ultimate marathon happening on FXX, Mac DeMarco donned a Simpsons t-shirt featuring Homer and Marge. His stage banter was on point on the main stage on Sunday at FYF Fest, but more importantly, he delivered the goods as he blasted through an entertaining set that had quite a crowd for it being still early in the day. DeMarco’s set certainly set the stage for all the madness that was set to take place later with Blood Orange, HAIM, and The Strokes still to come.

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Benjamin Booker gives early FYF attendees their money's worth Sunday

Benjamin Booker gives early FYF attendees their money's worth Sunday
Mark E. Ortega
GrimyGoods.com
August 25, 2014


When I saw The Naked & Famous on Thursday night at The Echoplex, who happened to be upstairs playing a well-attended set but Benjamin Booker? Though I didn’t get a chance to see him that night, enough people recommended him for FYF Fest that he became must-see to start Sunday’s festivities.

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Fans couldn't help but spark joints and grind to Kelela's sexy grooves at FYF Fest

Fans couldn't help but spark joints and grind to Kelela's sexy grooves at FYF Fest
Mark E. Ortega
GrimyGoods.com
August 25, 2014


“I was working at a call center in the valley a year and a half ago,” said a gracious and beaming Kelela on Sunday afternoon midway through her FYF Fest inside The Arena. The DC-born and Los Angeles-based R&B singer gave people an enjoyable ride as they escaped the heat for a half-hour. The coolness of The Arena was welcoming as the newly situated venue was much more accommodating following Saturday’s mess of a setup that kept many people from getting inside to see their favorites.

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Ty Segall caps off FYF day one and brings Manipulator to an intense reality

Ty Segall caps off FYF day one and brings Manipulator to an intense reality
Mark E. Ortega
GrimyGoods.com
August 24, 2014


Ty Segall’s night-capper last night at FYF Fest was such a fitting end to the first day, the hometown favorite closed things out in front of a crowd that seemed to be of the homegrown variety. If you frequent the L.A. music scene, you start to run into the same people. Those people that you keep running into, they were all undoubtedly seeing Ty Segall on Saturday night.

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Phoenix's FYF performance seizes night even though set ends ten minutes early

Phoenix's FYF performance seizes night even though set ends ten minutes early
Mark E. Ortega
GrimyGoods.com
August 24, 2014


Phoenix’s Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix album was the album of my 21st summer. Their FYF Fest headlining set on Saturday connected to me on a personal standpoint, as they played their numerous hits from that album, putting into perspective just how things have changed in those five years since.

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Grimes proves authentic at FYF Fest

Grimes proves authentic at FYF Fest
Mark E. Ortega
GrimyGoods.com
August 24, 2014


Looking all the part of a Japanese anime character — her hair flowing like she was about to be swallowed up in a tornado — the Vancouver-based Grimes took the crowd on a journey that jumped from place-to-place. On appearance alone, you wonder if Grimes is a gimmick, but moments into her FYF Fest set it makes you feel quite stupid for ever having suggested the thought.

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Julian Casablancas delivers a gift to FYF Fest on his birthday

Julian Casablancas delivers a gift to FYF Fest on his birthday
Mark E. Ortega
GrimyGoods.com
August 24, 2014

“I’m not a big birthday guy, but thanks,” said Julian Casablancas on the main stage at FYF Fest upon receiving a birthday cake on Friday, playing with The Voidz.

The Strokes front man celebrated his birthday in style, playing a wide assortment of differing tunes from his repertoire.

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Interpol take FYF Fest up a few notches with a fresh and nostalgic set

Interpol take FYF Fest up a few notches with a fresh and nostalgic set
Mark E. Ortega
GrimyGoods.com
August 24, 2014


“Rosemary…heaven restores you in life…”

That’s all it took for FYF Fest to collectively lose their shit a few songs into Interpol’s killer set. Music festival goers of a wide range finished the opening verse of “Evil”, a highlight among many from them on Saturday night.

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Slowdive gives FYF Fest a chance to recharge with soothing reunion show

Slowdive gives FYF Fest a chance to recharge with soothing reunion show
Mark E. Ortega
GrimyGoods.com
August 24, 2014


British shoegaze stalwarts, Slowdive was one of the more anticipated sets of Saturday at FYF Fest 2014, and their most recent leg of their long overdue reunion was met with lots of praise.

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