Duran Duran, Metric, Clean Bandit deliver top Life is Beautiful day two sets

Duran Duran, Metric, Clean Bandit deliver top Life is Beautiful day two sets
Mark E. Ortega
GrimyGoods.com
September 28, 2015

Day two of Life is Beautiful was the most jam-packed day of the downtown Las Vegas festival schedule-wise. It makes sense. People that drove in from LA or flew in from elsewhere get to enjoy a full day’s worth of music whereas the other two days are sometimes eaten up by traveling to and from home.

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Interview with Catfish & the Bottlemen: On their way to stadium rockers

Interview with Catfish & the Bottlemen: On their way to stadium rockers
Mark E. Ortega
GrimyGoods.com
September 28, 2015

There’s this sense in indie rock with a lot of bands that they’re not out to conquer the world, that they’re too cool to outright say they desire to play to the biggest crowds out there.

With UK outfit Catfish & the Bottlemen, they’ve been vocal about their desire to play massive stadiums and blow up to becoming the biggest band the UK has seen since Oasis headlined at Knebworth House to the tune of 150,000 people in 1996.

This band is on the fast track given they sound a bit like if The Strokes were fronted by a British version of Brandon Flowers of The Killers. They’ve got a stadium sound, so who is anyone to call them cocky for dreaming they can fill stadiums in the next few years?

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Stevie Wonder, Hozier, Thievery Corporation and more mesmerize day one at Life is Beautiful

Stevie Wonder, Hozier, Thievery Corporation and more mesmerize day one at Life is Beautiful
Mark E. Ortega
GrimyGoods.com
September 28, 2015

Life is Beautiful was genius to book Stevie Wonder.

The downtown Las Vegas festival — now in its third year — kicked off the first day of their three-day festival with the first legacy headliner they’ve ever booked. It’s those types of acts that will make it stand out and also make it a destination festival rather than something just for the locals.

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An interview with Blackalicious' Chief Xcel: faith brings first new record in a decade

An interview with Blackalicious' Chief Xcel: faith brings first new record in a decade
Mark E. Ortega
GrimyGoods.com
September 25, 2015

“Never let life’s troubles block your flow. Have faith and keep where you’re trying to go, like a winding river in search of the ocean, you must keep your faith in motion.”

Those are the opening words from “Faith” off Imani Vol. 1 (off the label OGM) – which came out last week – the first Blackalicious album in a decade. The words are inspiring to listeners, but they also fit the hip-hop duo from Sacramento like a glove. Between Chief Xcel’s fire beats and Gift of Gab’s creative rhymes, this twosome has been an important pillar of California hip-hop for about two decades.

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6 Early-Day Can't Miss Life is Beautiful Acts

6 Early-Day Can't Miss Life is Beautiful Acts
Mark E. Ortega
GrimyGoods.com
September 25, 2015

In just its first two years, Las Vegas’ downtown music festival, Life Is Beautiful has served as the proving grounds for a number of acts that have gone on to mainstream success in the time since. In its first year in 2013, acts like HAIM, ZZ Ward, Charli XCX, Twenty-one Pilots and Robert DeLong delivered memorable early-day performances. Last year, it was The Orwells, The Preatures, Catfish & the Bottlemen, MO, and Milky Chance who got early-day starts.

This year, the festival starts later in the day and runs until later in the night, probably due to it moving from October to the much warmer September dates. Here are our recommendations on who to see once you get through the gates.

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The Killers, Grace Potter, Ben Harper and more close inaugural KAABOO Del Mar with a bang

The Killers, Grace Potter, Ben Harper and more close inaugural KAABOO Del Mar with a bang
Mark E. Ortega
GrimyGoods.com
September 23, 2015

The final day of the inaugural KAABOO Del Mar brought its largest crowd of the weekend as it was topped by a performance from The Killers, one of the biggest American rock bands out there today.

Brandon Flowers has been in heavy support of his solo record, with very few dates in the States in 2015 for his band. They recently performed at the iHeartRadio Music Festival in Las Vegas, as well as a late-add show the night before in San Diego. Some fans told me how tired and hungover they were from a show that didn’t start until around midnight. This set would begin at 8:30 p.m. and end before 10 p.m.

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Zac Brown Band, Counting Crows, Spoon, The Roots highlight wide array of musical offerings at KAABOO Day 2

Zac Brown Band, Counting Crows, Spoon, The Roots highlight wide array of musical offerings at KAABOO Day 2
Mark E. Ortega
GrimyGoods.com
September 22, 2015

Day two of KAABOO Del Mar featured a diverse string of musical acts, from hip-hop to rock to electronic. One of the interesting things about this festival is how little of the latter two genres it offers.

Rodrigo y Gabriela made magic on the main stage with their Spanish guitars, blending flamenco with rock seamlessly. Despite the early heat, people were definitely being moved to dance by the rhythmic sounds of this awesome duo.

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Ben Harper & the Innocent Criminals deliver marathon set at Greek Theatre

Ben Harper & the Innocent Criminals deliver marathon set at Greek Theatre
Mark E. Ortega
GrimyGoods.com
September 21, 2015

Ben Harper & the Innocent Criminals began winding down their tour Friday night at the Greek Theatre in Los Angeles, packing a ton of material into two-and-a-half hours.

With a catalog that spans 20 years worth of material, Ben and Co. touched on a little bit of everything over the course of their 21-song set. Harper’s many dimensions lended itself to the set’s length as he alternated from playing lap steel to acoustic guitar throughout the night.

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Hot Band Alert: With Phases, 'there's just no ego anymore'

Hot Band Alert: With Phases, 'there's just no ego anymore'
Mark E. Ortega
GrimyGoods.com
September 21, 2015

Los Angeles indie pop band Phases — formerly known as Jjamz — is comprised of four people that have all been involved in music for most of their lives. Z Berg (The Like), Jason Boesel (Rilo Kiley/Bright Eyes), Alex Greenwald (Phantom Planet), and Michael Runion have enjoyed varying degrees of success but currently find themselves in their happiest situation if vocalist Z Berg is to be believed.

“Most of us were in our first bands when we were like — 15?” Berg said in a phone interview last week.

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5 Early-Afternoon Can't Miss Acts at KAABOO Fest

5 Early-Afternoon Can't Miss Acts at KAABOO Fest
Mark E. Ortega
GrimyGoods.com
September 14, 2015

The inaugural KAABOO Music Festival kicks off this upcoming weekend, Sept. 18-20 in beautiful Del Mar San Diego. The lone non-EDM festival will feature acts like No Doubt, The Killers, Slightly Stoopid, Ben Harper, 311 and other big name performances. But as with any music festivals, there’s a lot of value to be found in the early part of the day. Be sure to arrive early and discover some new music. Below are our selections for the 5 Early-Afternoon Can’t Miss Acts at KAABOO Fest!

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IK Enemkpali added to Buffalo Bills' 53-man roster

IK Enemkpali added to Buffalo Bills' 53-man roster
Mark E. Ortega
NFL.com
September 11, 2015

It's been a whirlwind week for outside linebacker IK Enemkpali, and it ended with a promotion to the Buffalo Bills' primary roster.

NFL Media Insider Ian Rapoport reported Friday that Enemkpali was signed to the 53-man roster to keep another team from stealing him off their practice squad while suspended, according to a source informed of the Bills' plans. If he was on the practice squad, someone could sign him away, and because he's suspended, he wouldn't count against that team's roster count.

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Aldon Smith charged with 3 misdemeanors, arraignment Oct. 6

Aldon Smith charged with 3 misdemeanors, arraignment Oct. 6
Mark E. Ortega
NFL.com
September 11, 2015

On the same day it was announced that he had signed with the Oakland Raiders, Aldon Smith was charged with three misdemeanors stemming from an arrest by Santa Clara police that occurred last month.

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Interview with Wavves -- new album V, acid trips, LA shows and more

Interview with Wavves -- new album V, acid trips, LA shows and more
Mark E. Ortega
GrimyGoods.com
September 10, 2015

Earlier this summer, I saw San Diego garage punk rockers Wavves perform a highly spirited set at Atlanta’s Shaky Knees Music Festival. It was quite a sight to see as I never saw so many full $8 beers being tossed in the air in pure jubilation.

That’s the kind of excitement these guys jolt out of people. Their live shows are a great representation of the band – just one massive party. Bodies went flying in every direction and the band fed off their energy. They have upcoming LA dates on Sept. 12 at the Troubadour and Sept. 14 at the Teragram Ballroom.

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Ryn Weaver to headline Belasco Theater in November

Ryn Weaver to headline Belasco Theater in November
Mark E. Ortega
GrimyGoods.com
September 9, 2015

Rising pop-star Ryn Weaver will return to Los Angeles this November after playing a sold-out gig there in July at the El Rey Theatre.

Weaver will headline a show on Saturday, November 7 at the Belasco Theater in downtown Los Angeles. Also featured on the bill are HOLYCHILD and ASTR, making it quite the packed show.

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Red Bull Sound Select's #30DaysInLA lineup announced: Grimes, Flume, Chromeo, TV On the Radio, and more!

Red Bull Sound Select's #30DaysInLA lineup announced: Grimes, Flume, Chromeo, TV On the Radio, and more!
Mark E. Ortega
GrimyGoods.com
September 9, 2015

Last year, Red Bull Sound Select did the unfathomable and put together a completely-booked November featuring big-name and rising artists playing in mostly small or peculiar venues, as well as some special events mixed in. What it meant was there was something awesome to do every day of the month, from seeing Run the Jewels tear up the Echoplex with Travis Barker to Bad Religion at the Mayan and too many things in between. They had raffles, put some talented artists they were pushing on the undercards, and even provided free parking if you showed up early.

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Pool Party A-Go-Go caps magnificent Labor Day weekend of music featuring Bleached, Summer Twins and more

Pool Party A-Go-Go caps magnificent Labor Day weekend of music featuring Bleached, Summer Twins and more
Mark E. Ortega
GrimyGoods.com
September 9, 2015

After not getting home from Burger A-Go-Go 2 until 3 AM on Saturday night, I wasn’t sure how I was going to rally for a sweet unofficial Burger pool party that was headlined by Bleached at a rad house in Eagle Rock. Once I got there it was easy to find the energy.

The party – for which limited tickets were sold – had about 60-to-75 people gathered with a nice cheap bar and free pizza. The pool had a sweet slide that was built into this piece of rock. Underwater, there were color-changing lights and speakers from which you could hear music. The layout of the house made it truly feel like you were teleporting back into the 1960s but armed with some of today’s technology.

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Jonas Gray signs to Dolphins' practice squad

Jonas Gray signs to Dolphins' practice squad
Mark E. Ortega
NFL.com
September 8, 2015

Running back Jonas Gray has found a new home, but it isn't on a team's active roster.

NFL Media Insider Ian Rapoport reported Tuesday that Gray was picked up by the Miami Dolphins and added to their practice squad, per a team source. He was cut by the Patriots on Saturday as they got down to their 53-man roster.

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Of Monsters and Men announce intimate El Rey date in October

Of Monsters and Men announce intimate El Rey date in October
Mark E. Ortega
GrimyGoods.com
September 8, 2015

Of Monsters and Men have announced an intimate show that will benefit MusiCares.

The indie rock-gone-mainstream ensemble will play a show at the El Rey Theatre on Sunday, October 18. They’ve played a couple dates in LA this year, first a brief set at the iHeartRadio Theater in June and then at the Greek Theatre in August. They’ve been extensively touring their album Beneath the Skin that came out in June.

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Burger A-Go-Go packs Observatory with girl power old and new

Burger A-Go-Go packs Observatory with girl power old and new
Mark E. Ortega
GrimyGoods.com
September 8, 2015

Saturday, I got to see a half-dozen female-fronted musical acts perform at Burger Records’ second-ever Burger-a-Go-Go at the Observatory in Santa Ana. The bill featured rock icons like Kathleen Hanna of Bikini Kill and Kim Gordon of Sonic Youth — but also featured a number of rising female musicians that are taking the baton and running with it, like Cherry Glazerr, Bleached, and Kate Nash.

I arrived at the Observatory around 5:30 PM, enough to catch the end of the Summer Twins‘ set. I had previously seen them open for Jenny Lewis at this same venue a few weeks ago and enjoyed them just as much this time. They turned in a very well-timed cover of No Doubt’s “Just a Girl” to wrap up their set before Kimya Dawson took the stage.

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The Dead Ships get riveting performance at packed Bootleg show

The Dead Ships get riveting performance at packed Bootleg show
Mark E. Ortega
GrimyGoods.com
September 7, 2015

You gotta love people who will use their Friday nights to see an awesome band play a late-night set. The Dead Ships didn’t go on until 11:30 PM, but the Bootleg was packed by the time they took the stage.

Frontman, Devlin McCluskey was dapper-ed out in a nice suit and then also donned a sweet fur coat of sorts, all while his band ravaged the Bootleg with rock ‘n’ roll. This band’s sound is much more expansive than you’d expect, perhaps due to the fact they’ve expanded from a three-piece to a foursome.

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Kate Nash shakes the Echo's 'Foundations' with killer set

Kate Nash shakes the Echo's 'Foundations' with killer set
Mark E. Ortega
GrimyGoods.com
September 4, 2015

Thursday at the Echo was the fourth time I’ve seen Kate Nash perform live and I have zero shame in that.

Though she’s known by most for the pop album she released eight years ago Made of Bricks, Nash has evolved as a musician into something entirely different altogether. She’s fused her catchy pop lyrics with rock ‘n’ roll and has an extremely talented band behind her that gives her even more credibility as a punk rock princess.

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Alvvays announce November date at Echoplex

Alvvays announce November date at Echoplex
Mark E. Ortega
GrimyGoods.com
September 4, 2015

Lo-fi indie rock favorites Alvvays have announced a date at the Echoplex for November 19. They’ve been quite the buzz since releasing their self-titled debut full-length in 2014.

It’ll mark the band’s first performance in LA since a rousing set at FYF Fest a few weeks ago where they drew quite the crowd early in the afternoon on the main stage. We covered them in June when they played the Sweetgreen block party and can guarantee their live show is not something you want to miss. There’s a reason Death Cab for Cutie’s Ben Gibbard was fond enough of their sound to cover their hit, “Archie, Marry Me.”

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Walk the Moon, St. Lucia, Robert DeLong and HOLYCHILD prove merit as Artists to Watch at Avalon

Walk the Moon, St. Lucia, Robert DeLong and HOLYCHILD prove merit as Artists to Watch at Avalon
Mark E. Ortega
GrimyGoods.com
September 2, 2015

Saturday night, the MTV VMAs kicked things off with a pre-party at Avalon in Hollywood, showcasing talent as part of their Artists to Watch. Though none of the performers on this night were up for the actual award the following day, Walk the Moon, St. Lucia, Robert Delong and HOLYCHILD are all talent worth keeping an eye on for the future. Grimy Goods has been covering them for years, but it looks like the folks at MTV are just finally catching on.

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Halsey proves the hype train is legit at BADLANDS surprise record-release show

Halsey proves the hype train is legit at BADLANDS surprise record-release show
Mark E. Ortega
GrimyGoods.com
September 1, 2015

Is there anyone with as much buzz as burgeoning 20-year-old pop singer Halsey these days? If Friday’s secret record release show in downtown LA’s Arts District is any indication, probably not.

A pop-up shop was setup Wednesday on Melrose in the afternoon called BADLANDS AIR, where hundreds of kids showed up to claim free tickets to the show in shape of boarding passes. It was quite a unique thing.

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