Jenny Lewis brings The Voyager tour to close at Observatory

Jenny Lewis brings The Voyager tour to close at Observatory
Mark E. Ortega
Ellenwood-EP.com
August 27, 2015

Along the way, I managed to see Jenny Lewis play 15 stops on this tour. From festival stops at Coachella (twice) and Hangout and Sasquatch and Life is Beautiful, to a half-dozen shows in LA, to shows in the OC, Oakland, Petaluma and Pomona, I saw Jenny Lewis “more days than I’ve seen my mom this year,” as one friend put it to me.

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Meg Myers to headline El Rey Theatre in November

Meg Myers to headline El Rey Theatre in November
Mark E. Ortega
GrimyGoods.com
August 25, 2015

Los Angeles alternative rock favorite Meg Myers will headline the El Rey Theatre on November 17 in support of her upcoming album Sorry.

Myers has been a favorite of Grimy Goods since she played at Bardot’s It’s a School Night last February. The El Rey gig will be her largest headlining set in Los Angeles, and it’s happening as she’s generating a ton of buzz. She performed at ALT 98.7’s Summer Camp earlier this month and has always drawn nice crowds at her previous LA gigs, whether it’s been opening for BROODS or topping a show at the Echo.

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Solange hindered by late start, technical snafus at FYF Fest set

Solange hindered by late start, technical snafus at FYF Fest set
Mark E. Ortega
GrimyGoods.com
August 24, 2015

Solange Knowles was 20 minutes late to the Lawn stage Sunday night at FYF Fest and it took her an additional amount of time to get into the groove as she dealt with sound problems throughout the set.

At one point during her set, Solange walked off the stage before returning by saying how tough it was up there with the sound problems.

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The Jesus & Mary Chain cushion crowd's FYF Fest comedown

The Jesus & Mary Chain cushion crowd's FYF Fest comedown
Mark E. Ortega
GrimyGoods.com
August 23, 2015

Let’s be real. By the time Kanye West wrapped up his performance on the main stage at FYF Fest on Saturday, a lot of people in attendance were coming down from whatever high they were on. While for some it was the natural high of seeing a day’s worth of epic performances, there were definitely more than a fair share of people who were on something or another.

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Kanye West has FYF Fest crowd thinking, 'Frank who?' - hit-filled set joined by Rihanna and Travis Scott

Kanye West has FYF Fest crowd thinking, 'Frank who?' - hit-filled set joined by Rihanna and Travis Scott
Mark E. Ortega
GrimyGoods.com
August 23, 2015

There were a lot of people disappointed when Frank Ocean unexpectedly pulled out just a day before the first day of this year’s FYF Fest — myself included. Even when it was quickly followed up with the announcement that Kanye West would be the late substitute headliner, it wasn’t enough on its own to calm the disappointment of those who had bought tickets specifically to see the hermit Ocean.

I’d seen Kanye at a couple music festivals in the past year and was disappointed by the amount of time he spent lecturing the crowd or ranting in general. At FYF, Kanye instead delivered a hit-filled set that also saw Rihanna join the stage for a few brief seconds, as well as Travis Scott.

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Bloc Party livens up FYF Fest crowd with spirited mosh

Bloc Party livens up FYF Fest crowd with spirited mosh
Mark E. Ortega
GrimyGoods.com
August 23, 2015

Though not the full original lineup, Bloc Party proved Saturday at FYF Fest that they’ve got the same amount of spunk geared towards their live performances as they did when the epic Silent Alarm album first burst onto the scene in 2005.

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Alvvays cajoles big main stage FYF Fest crowd

Alvvays cajoles big main stage FYF Fest crowd
Mark E. Ortega
GrimyGoods.com
August 23, 2015

Nova Scotian lo-fi indie rockers Alvvays were unable to perform at Outside Lands in San Francisco a few weeks ago due to visa problems. Thankfully, those problems were cleared up before their FYF Fest performance Saturday on the main stage as they played to a massive crowd early on the festival’s first day.

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Savages royally slay FYF Fest performances

Savages royally slay FYF Fest performances
Mark E. Ortega
GrimyGoods.com
August 23, 2015

Fast-rising London post-punk band Savages had a difficult spot to fill at FYF Fest on Saturday night. They were competing with both Chet Faker and Bloc Party for attention, all of which helped setup the night for the evening’s headliner Kanye West.

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Chk Chk Chk (!!!) make FYF Fest set dance-central

Chk Chk Chk (!!!) make FYF Fest set dance-central
Mark E. Ortega
GrimyGoods.com
August 23, 2015

One thing that you’ve got to appreciate about !!! (Chk Chk Chk)’s lead man Nic Offer — the dude has no qualms about getting down, however absurd it might look in his hot pants.

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BADBADNOTGOOD are good-good, not bad

BADBADNOTGOOD are good-good, not bad
Mark E. Ortega
GrimyGoods.com
August 23, 2015

Just a bit before the sun began to set, BADBADNOTGOOD’s hip-hop fused electronica was a great escape from the sun into the air-conditioned confines of the Arena stage at FYF Fest.

At times, the Toronto trio served up a sensory overload of sounds and flashing lights, fired off like sirens from an ambulance. The more mellower the tunes, the more people seemed to enjoy them as there was an easier beat for people to follow. The visuals were pretty intense, sometimes looking like shining stars in the sky and other times shooting lasers all throughout the massive venue.

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The Drums' sunset FYF Fest performance packs lawn stage

The Drums' sunset FYF Fest performance packs lawn stage
Mark E. Ortega
GrimyGoods.com
August 23, 2015

Brooklyn indie poppers The Drums packed The Lawn Stage at FYF Fest on Saturday as the sun started coming down.

The performance was chock full of great #WhitePeopleDancing material and you could tell a lot of people were really starting to feel themselves — whether it be due to the awesome tunes or surroundings or some other outside involvement.

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Tennis turns up the heat at FYF Fest under bright sun

Tennis turns up the heat at FYF Fest under bright sun
Mark E. Ortega
GrimyGoods.com
August 23, 2015

Denver synth-poppers Tennis rocked FYF Fest’s Lawn Stage under the bright sun early during Saturday’s action at Exposition Park.

Wife-and-hubby duo Alaina Moore and Patrick Riley and their band were on point during their set that was so affected by the bright sun that Moore apologized for needing her sunglasses.

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Run the Jewels make second FYF Fest set special -- joined by Zack de la Rocha, Travis Barker and Gangsta Boo

Run the Jewels make second FYF Fest set special -- joined by Zack de la Rocha, Travis Barker and Gangsta Boo
Mark E. Ortega
GrimyGoods.com
August 23, 2015

Per usual, FYF Fest had a lot of returning acts to the fold in 2015, and to some people it was a turnoff to see so many of the same names as in previous years. But if rising hip-hop juggernauts Run the Jewels proved something, it’s that maybe Goldenvoice got something right: why not bring people back that have growing fanbases and have already proven they can ignite a crowd?

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Dinosaur Jr. blends guitar shredding, beautiful melodies in memorably FYF Fest set

Dinosaur Jr. blends guitar shredding, beautiful melodies in memorably FYF Fest set
Mark E. Ortega
GrimyGoods.com
August 23, 2015

I had been hoping to see noise rockers Dinosaur Jr. for quite some time. Saturday’s performance at FYF Fest had me kicking myself for not crossing it off the list sooner, as the wizard-looking J Mascis led the charge in a high-energy set.

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Kevin Morby brings early-afternoon feels to FYF Fest

Kevin Morby brings early-afternoon feels to FYF Fest
Mark E. Ortega
GrimyGoods.com
August 23, 2015

“Is everyone hot? That’s good. Sometimes it’s good to be hot,” Kevin Morby said as he began his early FYF Fest set on Saturday.

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Mikal Cronin revs up Saturday crowd at FYF Fest

Mikal Cronin revs up Saturday crowd at FYF Fest
Mark E. Ortega
GrimyGoods.com
August 23, 2015

Mikal Cronin has a part in numerous bands, including LA favorite Ty Segall’s live band. Now for the second time, Cronin got to showcase his own songwriting skills at FYF Fest.

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Glen Hansard makes Apogee Studio crowd laugh, nearly cry

Glen Hansard makes Apogee Studio crowd laugh, nearly cry
Mark E. Ortega
GrimyGoods.com
August 21, 2015

If there’s one thing that Glen Hansard has proven to be in his songwriting, it’s that he is one hell of a storyteller.

Wednesday night, Hansard only further illustrated that point in an intimate performance at Santa Monica’s Apogee Studio for KCRW. What I expected to be an hour-long performance — including interview — turned out to be a nearly two-hour performance that included an intriguing 30-minute sit down with host Jason Bentley.

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Wolf Alice's 'You're a Germ' video an homage to horror flicks

Wolf Alice's 'You're a Germ' video an homage to horror flicks
Mark E. Ortega
GrimyGoods.com
August 20, 2015

London rockers Wolf Alice have released a video to go along with the single “You’re a Germ” from their highly-acclaimed debut full-length album My Love is Cool. The result is an awesome homage to old-school horror films, with the band going through multiple horror scenarios.

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The Bulls, Gothic Tropic blow away packed Satellite show

The Bulls, Gothic Tropic blow away packed Satellite show
Mark E. Ortega
GrimyGoods.com
August 20, 2015

Monday night, LA shoegazers The Bulls returned to their weekly residency at The Satellite, playing to a packed house.

The band — comprised by Anna Bulbrook of the Airborne Toxic Event (sometimes also Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros) and The Duke Spirit’s Marc Sails — played through songs from their debut EP Small Problems, due out on August 28. Their EP features just the two doing all the instrumentation, but in a live format they’ve added a drummer and bassist, both proved to be very talented.

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Jets guard Oday Aboushi suspended one game

Jets guard Oday Aboushi suspended one game
Mark E. Ortega
NFL.com
August 20, 2015

New York Jets guard Oday Aboushi was suspended Thursday for the first game of the season for violating the NFL Policy and Program for Substances of Abuse.

"Oday was pulled over for a traffic stop in Morris Plains, New Jersey, on Jan. 10," Aboushi's representatives said in a statement obtained by NFL Media Insider Ian Rapoport. "During the stop, police recovered a very small amount of marijuana from his vehicle. Oday accepted responsibility for the traffic infraction and all other charges were dismissed."

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5 Must-See Early Afternoon Acts at FYF Fest

5 Must-See Early Afternoon Acts at FYF Fest
Mark E. Ortega
GrimyGoods.com
August 19, 2015

FYF Fest is the preeminent LOS ANGELES music festival — because let’s be real, that desert fest in April is quite a bit of ways from LA. A large part of that is how deep the undercard is stacked, and 2015 is no different than any previous year. Take a look at our recommendations for who to catch as soon as you get through the gates this weekend.

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Cold War Kids rock Annenberg Space for Photography for tepid crowd

Cold War Kids rock Annenberg Space for Photography for tepid crowd
Mark E. Ortega
GrimyGoods.com
August 18, 2015

Sometimes, I get this feeling that Los Angeles is spoiled when it comes to live music, and therefore they don’t appreciate how good they have it.

Such was the case Saturday night, when Long Beach’s own radio-rockers Cold War Kids headlined the final night of KCRW’s Sound in Focus free shows at Studio City’s Annenberg Space for Photography, a beautiful place to take in a show.

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Grace Potter sparkles and shines at Fonda Theatre

Grace Potter sparkles and shines at Fonda Theatre
Mark E. Ortega
GrimyGoods.com
August 17, 2015

On Friday, Grace Potter‘s solo album Midnight dropped to lots of fanfare. Later that night, she would headline her second of two nights at Hollywood’s Fonda Theatre to raucous support, less than five miles from where Potter now owns a home in Laurel Canyon.

Potter turned up the heat at her second show, walking onto stage in a shiny silver dress that would have my five-year-old niece extremely jealous. Potter ditched the dress halfway through “Never Go Back,” the second song of her set and one of many she would play from her days as Grace Potter & the Nocturnals.

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Hot Chip and !!! (chk chk chk) inspire Greek Theatre crowd to show their moves

Hot Chip and !!! (chk chk chk) inspire Greek Theatre crowd to show their moves
Mark E. Ortega
GrimyGoods.com
August 13, 2015

One song into Hot Chip‘s Tuesday night headlining set at the Greek Theatre, I looked around and saw a bunch of people dancing with less rhythm than Elaine from Seinfeld.

It’s really an awesome thing to see at a concert. Oftentimes, people are too self-conscious to really let loose, especially if dancing isn’t their thing. But all around me, people were “team zero f*cks given” and just GETTING IT on a Tuesday night. British electro-pop group Hot Chip had everything to do with that.

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An interview with Grace Potter: giving pop music its much needed 'kick in the ass' with new record

An interview with Grace Potter: giving pop music its much needed 'kick in the ass' with new record
Mark E. Ortega
GrimyGoods.com
August 12, 2015

When I caught up with Grace Potter via telephone last Friday, she was in Santa Fe, “the best location ever and the best mood ever, just really good vibes,” she said. Over the course of our interview, we talked about her Thursday and Friday shows at the Fonda Theatre, her upcoming album Midnight that drops on August 14, as well as how Los Angeles and California helped inform the more poppy-feel to the album compared to her previous records as Grace Potter & the Nocturnals.

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Tom Coughlin: Jason Pierre-Paul will return when he's ready

Tom Coughlin: Jason Pierre-Paul will return when he's ready
Mark E. Ortega
NFL.com
August 8, 2015

New York Giants coach Tom Coughlin said Saturday he finally spoke to star defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul.

The two had a "good conversation" on Friday according to Coughlin, who also said Pierre-Paul wouldn't return to the team until he's healthy enough to get on the field.

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Tame Impala sets bar "high" at first of two Hollywood Forever shows

Tame Impala sets bar "high" at first of two Hollywood Forever shows
Mark E. Ortega
GrimyGoods.com
August 7, 2015

After seeing them play at a handful of festivals this year, I was convinced: Tame Impala was meant to be seen outdoors. Thursday night, the Australian psych-rockers headlined their first of two nights at the renowned Hollywood Forever Cemetery and it couldn’t have gone much better.

A sheet hung in front of the stage and a green light bounced around the front of it as the intro to their set began to play. A steady build of anticipation began to mount and when the sheet came down in time for an extended version of “Let It Happen,” the packed lawn was ready.

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Wilco crushes marathon set at Greek Theatre

Wilco crushes marathon set at Greek Theatre
Mark E. Ortega
GrimyGoods.com
August 7, 2015

The weather couldn’t have been more perfect to take in Wilco‘s two-hour set at the Greek Theatre on Wednesday night.

With the sun setting behind them and pot smoke waffing all around, Jeff Tweedy and Co. roared through their latest album Star Wars — which can be had for free, I might add — from beginning to end. The new record has more of an alt-rock feel to it than previous Wilco releases and it was a nice tempo-setter for the rest of the evening.

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Ratatat turns up the heat at Sonos Studio

Ratatat turns up the heat at Sonos Studio
Mark E. Ortega
GrimyGoods.com
August 6, 2015

KCRW’s Jason Bentley apologized afterwards for the air conditioning being busted at Sonos Studio, but I’m not entirely convinced rock-tronic duo Ratatat weren’t the ones responsible for the sauna-like temperatures inside.

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Hot Band Alert: Riothorse Royale set to ignite Satellite with September residency

Hot Band Alert: Riothorse Royale set to ignite Satellite with September residency
Mark E. Ortega
GrimyGoods.com
August 4, 2015

Most of last year, I was a regular at Bardot’s weekly free-with-RSVP It’s a School Night showcase. I often went without knowing any of the bands that were playing and more often than not walked away with some new tunes to look up when I got home. Few nights fit that description better than when I saw indie rockers Riothorse Royale (known then simply as Riothorse) back on December 1.

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De la Soul and Quantic bring killer beats to KCRW's Sound in Focus at Anneberg Space for Photography

De la Soul and Quantic bring killer beats to KCRW's Sound in Focus at Anneberg Space for Photography
Mark E. Ortega
GrimyGoods.com
August 3, 2015

If you haven’t made it to one of KCRW’s free Sound in Focus shows at the Annenberg Space for Photography in Studio City yet, you’re missing out.

In its second weekend of 2015, an enticing double-bill featuring Quantic and headlined by throwback hip-hop stalwarts De La Soul took center stage.

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