Maurice Hooker draws with Darleys Perez in unsatisfying Ward-Kovalev co-feature

Maurice Hooker draws with Darleys Perez in unsatisfying Ward-Kovalev co-feature
Mark E. Ortega
USA TODAY
November 19, 2016


LAS VEGAS — Fringe contender Maurice Hooker fought former beltholder Darleys Perez in the pay-per-view co-feature of the most important boxing match of the year.

That fact serves as a perfect indictment of what boxing has become in 2016. The result of the fight was as poetically unsatisfying as the undercard that it topped.

It’s not that Hooker (21-0-3, 16 knockouts) isn’t a solid if not unspectacular fighter or Perez (33-2-2, 21 KOs) a solid step up for him. But this fight is more in line with a ShoBox main event than the main appetizer for such an important event.

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Olympic bronze medalist Oleksandr Gvozdyk passes test against Issac Chilemba

Olympic bronze medalist Oleksandr Gvozdyk passes test against Issac Chilemba
Mark E. Ortega
USA TODAY
November 19, 2016

LAS VEGAS — Olympic bronze medalist Oleksandr Gvozdyk passed his stiffest test to date.

The light heavyweight prospect took a big step up with the Isaac Chilemba assignment, a well-traveled veteran gatekeeper. Chilemba’s trainer, legendary trainer Roy Jones Jr., halted the bout after eight rounds when Chilemba suffered an injury to his right arm.

Chilemba is known for giving guys fits, almost as much as he’s known for participating in uninteresting fights. Though Gvozdyk’s decision victory followed a similar script to most Chilemba fights, he won in convincing fashion.

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Curtis Stevens sleepwalks to decision victory over James De La Rosa after hand injury

Curtis Stevens sleepwalks to decision victory over James De La Rosa after hand injury
Mark E. Ortega
USA TODAY
November 19, 2016

LAS VEGAS — A hand injury for Curtis Stevens may have robbed us of what was shaping up to be an excellent fight between two gatekeepers.

Stevens, squaring off with James De La Rosa in the opening fight of the pay-per-view portion of the Sergey Kovalev-Andre Ward mega fight, hurt his left hand in the third round. It brought what was a solid action fight to a slowed pace as Stevens’ activity level dropped.

That didn’t keep Stevens (29-5, 21 KOs) from winning a lopsided decision, though the activity through the second half of the fight would have led you to believe it to be closer than the cards indicated. Stevens prevailed by scores of 98-90 and a more realistic 96-92 twice.

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Bonnaroo 2016: Winners and losers
Mark E. Ortega
TheWaster.com
June 13, 2016

Bonnaroo in 2016 was the first year to see LiveNation’s full involvement, which meant better facilities (flushable toilets on site along with improved water-refill stations), but also a more expensive ticket than in year’s past. Attendance was reportedly down and it was quite noticeable, particularly during LCD Soundsystem’s Friday headlining set, which was a sparse crowd.

 There was a mild lightning storm scare that caused a delay Saturday, forcing Pearl Jam to take the stage an hour-and-a-half later than anticipated. Attendees were sent back to their cars until further instruction, and when the storm passed, people weren’t checked as they came back through the festival gates. This made the guy who brought a backpack full of Bud Lites back into the festival the true winner of Bonnaroo 2016. Here’s our rundown of the other top winners and losers at The Farm this year.

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Courtney Barnett shreds in free Gov Ball makeup gig

Courtney Barnett shreds in free Gov Ball makeup gig
Mark E. Ortega
LYED.org
June 7, 2016

On Sunday, the final day of Governors Ball was canceled due to weather and several artists billed to play that day scrambled to find a way to play elsewhere within NYC.

Indie rock darling Courtney Barnett was the only one offering a free gig, popping up in the hipster epicenter of New York at Williamsburg's Rough Trade NYC record shop. A line wrapped around the block as people stood in pouring rain several hours early to lock down one of the 150 or so spots inside the tiny performing space at the back of the shop.

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Interview with Big Black Delta: How chatting with a friend landed him a dream Debbie Gibson collaboration

Interview with Big Black Delta: How chatting with a friend landed him a dream Debbie Gibson collaboration
Mark E. Ortega
Grimygoods.com
May 4, 2016

Jonathan Bates was sitting with a friend at a bar discussing his solo project Big Black Delta. Bates wasn’t even sure he wanted to continue the project, but his friend asked him if he could work with anyone, who would he choose?

“I just said Debbie Gibson, because I love her music,” Bates relayed via phone in a chat with Grimy Goods. “When I first came to the United States, that was one of the first American acts I heard, and just by chance, she was down [to collaborate].”

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Andre Berto earns redemption, knocks out Victor Ortiz in rematch

Andre Berto earns redemption, knocks out Victor Ortiz in rematch
Mark E. Ortega
USA TODAY
April 30, 2016

CARSON, Calif. — It may have come many years later than he hoped, but Andre Berto finally got sweet redemption against Victor Ortiz.

Climbing off the canvas in the second round, Berto fought his way back and stopped Ortiz in the fourth round of their PBC on FOX main event at the StubHub Center in front of 7,760 fans. He avenged the first defeat of his professional career, a decision loss to Ortiz back in April of 2011 that was many people’s Fight of the Year.

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Thomas Williams Jr. passes audition with second-round KO of Edwin Rodriguez; is Adonis Stevenson next?

Thomas Williams Jr. passes audition with second-round KO of Edwin Rodriguez; is Adonis Stevenson next?
Mark E. Ortega
USA TODAY
April 30, 2016

CARSON, Calif. – Two fights ago, Thomas Williams Jr. had his top prospect status revoked when he was stopped by former champion Gabriel Campillo. Williams has now emerged as a legitimate contender at 175 pounds after stopping Edwin Rodriguez in the second round of their slugfest.

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The Kills rock foundation of Apogee Studio away from the harsh winds of Coachella

The Kills rock foundation of Apogee Studio away from the harsh winds of Coachella
Mark E. Ortega
Grimygoods.com
April 22, 2016

The Kills vocalist Alison Mosshart paced the tiny stage at Apogee Studio back and forth, biting her nails waiting for guitarist Jamie Hince to launch into the opening song of their KCRW Morning Becomes Eclectic performance. Once “U R A Fever” started, Mosshart and Hince were all business, after engaging in an oft-hilarious 20-minute conversation with Jason Bentley.

Of the things discussed, Mosshart called The Kills’ Monday show at the Mayan Theater the best they’ve ever played, so if you were at that show consider yourself extremely lucky. She also said their Coachella set on Friday was difficult, with extremely gusty winds blowing dust into her mouth while she sang, the sunlight also making it hard for her to see Hince across the stage from her. You wouldn’t know there was any difficulty given how epic their set was.

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Sia steals show from headliner with once-in-a-lifetime performance to Coachella

Sia steals show from headliner with once-in-a-lifetime performance to Coachella
Mark E. Ortega
Grimygoods.com
April 18, 2016

Renowned Aussie singer-songwriter Sia hasn’t performed a full show hardly anywhere in years. When she was announced as part of Coachella’s bill this year, she was instantly on most people’s can’t-miss lists for the weekend. On Sunday, she more than justified the hype with the kind of performance that people will be talking about for years.

Moments into the opening song “Alive,” it became clear that this was not going to be like any other set in the desert that weekend. She stood behind what looked like the bottom of her dress, but instead it was a group of people all fluffed up hiding a dancer that donned the same outfit from the music video for the same song. As Sia hit all the high notes, singing “I’m still breathing,” the dancer was just the beginning of what could be considered more performance art than concert.

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Guns N Roses pole-vault over expectations with Coachella headlining set Saturday, bring out AC/DC’s Angus Young

Guns N Roses pole-vault over expectations with Coachella headlining set Saturday, bring out AC/DC’s Angus Young
Mark E. Ortega
Grimygoods.com
April 17, 2016

The second day of Coachella saw nearly perfect weather, particularly once the sun went down, which made it that much more enjoyable to witness a series of awe-inspiring performances throughout the day.

I found shade in the Gobi tent and caught jazz-tronica trio GoGo Penguin from Manchester. Nick Blacka on the double bass was a damn machine. He ripped things up and had the small crowd that gathered really feeling it. Pianist Chris Illingsworth slowed things down a bit with the beautiful intro on “Hopopono” before the rest of the band picked up the pace as the song progressed. Their set was one of those that as time progressed, the tent got more and more filled and people started vibing to the music more.

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Reviewed: LCD Soundsystem’s Fox Theater warm up gig from a new fan’s perspective

Reviewed: LCD Soundsystem’s Fox Theater warm up gig from a new fan’s perspective
Mark E. Ortega
Grimygoods.com
April 13, 2016

I had never seen LCD Soundsystem perform before seeing them Monday night at the Fox Theater in Pomona. In fact, the band didn’t even really come onto my radar until 2007, 2008ish after graduating high school. But on Saturday, I was lined up in front of Amoeba Records in the rain to buy two tickets to their show, a full three hours before the record store opened.

I wasn’t a superfan of James Murphy and his electro-rock group, so why did I go to all this trouble? For one, many of my best friends whose musical taste I respect are big LCD Soundsystem fans. I was also much too broke to ever see them around the time I got into them, being a freelance sports writer with no connections to free concert tickets at the time. When the opportunity presents itself to see a band of that caliber in a small to medium sized venue, always take it. This might be the last chance I ever get to see this band in a venue smaller than 5,000 capacity, who knows?

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Must-See Coachella Undercard: The Dead Ships — a ripe dose of rock ‘n’ roll for your soul

Must-See Coachella Undercard: The Dead Ships — a ripe dose of rock ‘n’ roll for your soul
Mark E. Ortega
Grimygoods.com
April 13, 2016

Los Angeles indie rock band The Dead Ships have had a helluva start to 2016.

They were added to the Coachella lineup around the time it came out. While trying to track down a contact number for the band and even having his Coachella family reach out to those that may have The Dead Ships contact number (including a text to our editor) — Paul Tollett, the man at Goldenvoice who curates the festival’s lineup, called the band’s manager and offered them a spot on Saturday’s bill. This was accomplished without a label or booking agent (but a lot of Grimy Goods love), quite the feat in today’s music landscape.

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Interview with La Sera: Discussing their new record and the role Ryan Adams played in producing it

Interview with La Sera: Discussing their new record and the role Ryan Adams played in producing it
Mark E. Ortega
Grimygoods.com
April 4, 2016

If you read anything about indie pop darlings La Sera‘s new record Music For Listening to Music To, you undoubtedly will see the name Ryan Adams somewhere in the first paragraph (like I did just now), maybe even the sub-headline. While Adams worked his magic on the production side of things, newly-married Katy Goodman and Todd Wisenbaker put the songs for the album together and had them ready to go, before showing up at Adams’ PaxAm Studios to record between Coachella dates last year.

I spoke with both members of La Sera (who play the Fonda Theatre on May 23 with Titus Andronicus) over the phone last week about the fourth La Sera record. First, it was Goodman on the phone. When asked how they came up with the cheeky name for the record, Goodman let me know it was Wisenbaker’s idea and she tried relaying the question to him in another room of their house.

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Santigold show at Hollywood Palladium rich with stage theatrics, costume changes, and boss jams

Santigold show at Hollywood Palladium rich with stage theatrics, costume changes, and boss jams
Mark E. Ortega
Grimygoods.com
April 2, 2016

Thursday night, the Hollywood Palladium was packed as Philadelphia singer-producer Santigold made a stop in Los Angeles on her tour in support of her new album 99¢.

People were still making their way into the venue as 10 PM approached. Luckily, Santigold wouldn’t make it onto the stage until about 10:15. As soon as she did, she wasted no time, kicking into the catchy “You’ll Find a Way” from her critically-acclaimed 2008 debut self-titled album.

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The Joy Formidable inspire complete strangers to make out at The Roxy

The Joy Formidable inspire complete strangers to make out at The Roxy
Mark E. Ortega
Grimygoods.com
March 30, 2016

After seeing them destroy at the first of two sold-out nights at famed venue The Roxy, we might have to amend our list of Top 20 Badass Frontwomen in Indie and Underground Music to include Rhiannon Bryan of The Joy Formidable.

Along with bandmates Rhydian Dafydd and Matthew James Thomas, the Welsh trio made the intimate Hollywood space sound like an arena. The depth of their tunes are surprising when you realize there’s only three of them on stage — there could easily be five or six with the amount of noise emanating from the stage.

Hot New (To L.A.) Band Alert: The Soft White Sixties Bring Their Vintage Rock n’ Soul Sound to Los Angeles

Hot New (To L.A.) Band Alert: The Soft White Sixties Bring Their Vintage Rock n’ Soul Sound to Los Angeles
Mark E. Ortega
Grimygoods.com
March 29, 2016

For the second year in a row, rock n’ soul band The Soft White Sixties sold out a gig during San Francisco’s Noise Pop Festival last month. Over the years, the four-piece had gained a big following in the Bay Area city that they made their home. But just a few months ago, they decided to pick up and move to Los Angeles for a fresh start.

“We were doing what we were doing in SF and it felt really good,” frontman Octavio Genera told Grimy Goods after playing one of many shows at this year’s SXSW. “But I’m very much in that psyche that when something becomes too comfortable, I get kind of nervous and have to shake it. And the band just said, yeah let’s do it. And it’s been nice for us to be able to do all that together.”

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Top 10 Most Booked U.S. Festival Acts of 2016

Top 10 Most Booked U.S. Festival Acts of 2016
Mark E. Ortega
Grimygoods.com
March 28, 2016

There is basically a major music festival in the United States once a weekend once festival season “officially” kicks off with Coachella in mid-April. While most of these festivals do a great job of curating unique lineups tailored to their usual base of patrons, there’s a handful of acts that you’ll see on more than their fair share of bills.

We’ve done some research using a spreadsheet that covers Coachella, Levitation, Shaky Knees, Shaky Beats, Hangout, Boston Calling, Sasquatch!, BottleRock, Governors Ball, Bunbury, Bonnaroo, Firefly, Forecastle, Pitchfork, and Panorama’s lineups to nail down the top 10 most booked acts on the U.S. festival circuit this spring and summer. Take a look at who you might get to see multiple times if you’re lucky enough to be hitting more than one festival this year.

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Top 20 Badass Frontwomen in Indie/Underground Music

Top 20 Badass Frontwomen in Indie/Underground Music
Mark E. Ortega
Grimygoods.com
March 24, 2016

There’s an almost infinite amount of killer women fronting bands these days. We’ve done our best to put together our list of our 20 favorite bad asses that currently front their own bands, while also including some of our favorite lesser-known acts that have the potential to grow into being some of the better known ones. We got some good insight from our readers via social media, as well as from our own staff. Here’s our list in no particular order.

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Catfish and The Bottlemen release new video for “Soundcheck,” new album due in May

Catfish and The Bottlemen release new video for “Soundcheck,” new album due in May
Mark E. Ortega
Grimygoods.com
March 24, 2016

With elements of The Strokes meets Kings of Leon meets The Killers, UK rockers Catfish and The Bottlemen are seemingly destined to play arena shows across the globe. Their debut full-length album The Balcony was met with critical acclaim and they’ve been playing massive crowds at home. Now they look to conquer America with their upcoming album The Ride, due out May 27 via Capitol Records.

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Must-See Coachella Undercard: Anderson .Paak

Must-See Coachella Undercard: Anderson .Paak
Mark E. Ortega
Grimygoods.com
March 23, 2016

Oxnard rapper Anderson .Paak is poised to have a monster 2016 — and it couldn’t be happening to a harder-working guy.

Paak is part black and part Korean, giving him a different viewpoint from many within his genre. His 2016 album Malibu is one of the year’s best so far and much of the lyrical content of it deals with his upbringing and how difficult of a road it’s been to his current stature.

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Interview with POLIÇA: An in-depth discussion of their new politically charged album “United Crushers”

Interview with POLIÇA: An in-depth discussion of their new politically charged album “United Crushers”
Mark E. Ortega
Grimygoods.com
March 22, 2016

On Friday, March 25, Minneapolis synthpop band POLIÇA returns to Los Angeles for a date at the Fonda Theatre. They had a busy week during SXSW in Austin, playing upwards of a half-dozen shows during that stretch. Their new album United Crushers dropped a few weeks ago via Mom + Pop Records and it is a very brilliant and politically-charged record. We talked with singer Channy Leaneagh about the album and some of the messages behind it, check out what she had to say in our interview below!

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Music Festival-ization: Which spring festival is right for you?

Music Festival-ization: Which spring festival is right for you?
Mark E. Ortega
Grimygoods.com
March 22, 2016

Coachella takes place a little less than a month from now, which means festival season is nearly underway. There are now more music festivals taking place in the United States than ever before. Thievery Corporation’s Rob Garza told us last year that there’s a huge festival-ization going on right now, and he isn’t wrong. Here at Grimy Goods we’ve compiled a comprehensive guide based on the spring festivals we’ve covered over the past few years. Take a look to find out what festival is right for you.

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SXSW 2016 (Saturday): HINDS, Diet Cig, Formation make up for line-wasting time

SXSW 2016 (Saturday): HINDS, Diet Cig, Formation make up for line-wasting time
Mark E. Ortega
Grimygoods.com
March 20, 2016

The one big drawback of SXSW is that you could potentially wait in a line for three or more hours for a really hyped event, think you’re going to get in, and then get royally effed over and left in the cold.

This is what happened to me on my last day of SXSW 2016 as I got to the Bud Light Factory at Brazo’s extremely early in an effort to see The Roots and Big Grams at their famed Jam Sessions. Security told people doors would open at 8 PM. I was in the first 75 people in the wristband line, there wasn’t a long line of badge holders or VIPs but 8 PM came and went. Then 9 PM came and went and the VIP and badge holder lines were massive. I ended up waiting and waiting just to not make it in. It was the one mistake I made all week and it ended up costing me the chance to see some dope bands during that time. Luckily, SXSW always allows you a chance to redeem yourself and I ended up seeing some dope bands anyways.

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SXSW 2016 (Friday): Willie Nelson’s party weathers the storm; CHVRCHES, Deftones rock SPIN showcase

SXSW 2016 (Friday): Willie Nelson’s party weathers the storm; CHVRCHES, Deftones rock SPIN showcase
Mark E. Ortega
Grimygoods.com
March 19, 2016

Friday was a wild day for SXSW goers everywhere. The afternoon came and went without issue, but when the evening started rolling in, a nasty storm came along with it. All outdoor showcases were postponed and later shut down due to the weather. I myself was nowhere near Austin at the time, instead an hour west at Willie Nelson‘s ranch for their annual Luck Reunion, itself delayed by the inclement weather. Check out the recap of Friday, which features performances from Willie Nelson, Jenny Lewis, CHVRCHES, Deftones, and Lucius.

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SXSW 2016 (Thursday): John Legend, Loretta Lynn, Gallant, DMA’S sparkle

SXSW 2016 (Thursday): John Legend, Loretta Lynn, Gallant, DMA’s sparkle
Mark E. Ortega
Grimygoods.com
March 18, 2016

Thursday at South by Southwest, we got to take in a diverse range of acts spanning a multitude of genres, including acts ranging from heavyweights like John Legend, Loretta Lynn and The Kills to up-and-comers like Gallant, Vince Staples and DMA’s.

John Legend not only topped a SXSW showcase this year, but he showcased some buzzy artists like Jack Freeman, IAM Action, Korbyn Rachel and Tim Jack Wilkins. I didn’t make it in time to see these acts but what an honor it must have been for them to be featured on the same bill as the hit-making Legend.

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SXSW 2016 (Wednesday): Kacey Musgraves, Charles Bradley, Julien Baker bring variety and good feels

SXSW 2016 (Wednesday): Kacey Musgraves, Charles Bradley, Julien Baker bring variety and good feels
Mark E. Ortega
Grimygoods.com
March 17, 2016

Wednesday at SXSW we covered quite a bit of ground, hitting showcases all over downtown Austin featuring acts like Kacey Musgraves, Charles Bradley, BORNS, HAELOS, Anderson .Paak and a slew of other awesome acts. Check out our full coverage of the day!

Things got started over at the Waterloo Records’ first showcase. There were some issues, as in the fire marshall was late in showing up and letting people in, so sets got pushed back an hour from their scheduled start times. By the time LA-based indie pop group PHASES went on, it was 1 PM, but they were well worth the wait.

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SXSW 2016 (Tuesday): Big Boi, St. Lucia, Kacy Hill, Jack Garratt leave lasting impressions

SXSW 2016 (Tuesday): Big Boi, St. Lucia, Kacy Hill, Jack Garratt leave lasting impressions
Mark E. Ortega
Grimygoods.com
March 16, 2016

Ah, Austin. It’s good to be back inside your town for South by Southwest (SXSW), and you really knew how to officially kick off the music portion of your epic city-wide festival, didn’t you? We got around quite a bit, and it’s only the beginning. Be sure to check in on our daily coverage if you want to get some insight into what you’re missing, or if you just want to relive some of the key moments.

First, things got started at Spotify House, which is pretty far tucked away from where most of the action is downtown. I checked it out the day before and caught impressive sets from Miguel and Lucius (please check out their new album Good Grief that just dropped March 11), getting a bit sunburnt in the process.

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Fonda Theatre crowd gets ‘physical’ for St. Lucia

Fonda Theatre crowd gets ‘physical’ for St. Lucia
Mark E. Ortega
Grimygoods.com
March 14, 2016

“I know it’s Thursday but really, this is like Friday night!” St. Lucia leader Jean-Philip Grobler yelled to the crowd at the sold-out Fonda Theatre midway through their energetic set. The crowd needed no prodding from Grobler as they would dance all night to their tropical tunes over the course of more than an hour.

Fresh off the release of their second full-length album Matter, Grobler and his band took the stage to raucous applause and anticipation a little after 10 PM. They kicked things off with “Rescue Me” and “Do You Remember?” — two cuts from the new album — before turning it back with fan-favorite “Closer Than This.” One thing that was clear right away was that St. Lucia’s new album is a hit with their fans, who seemed to know all the words to those songs already.

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Chet Faker misses mark at CRSSD Fest; Gorgon City, Tycho bring the fire

Chet Faker misses mark at CRSSD Fest; Gorgon City, Tycho bring the fire
Mark E. Ortega
Grimygoods.com
March 9, 2016

Sunday night, it was up to Aussie electronic artist Chet Faker to close the second spring edition of San Diego’s CRSSD Fest. ODESZA had set the bar high the night before with a rousing headline performance. Could Chet Faker aka Nicholas Murphy match the Seattle duo’s intensity the following night?

Unfortunately for those who stayed, Chet Faker fell short — though not all at a fault of his own. Sound issues plagued his entire set and there were many moments where you struggled to hear Murphy’s vocals.

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ODESZA proves headliner-worthy at San Diego’s CRSSD Spring Fest

ODESZA proves headliner-worthy at San Diego’s CRSSD Spring Fest
Mark E. Ortega
Grimygoods.com
March 8, 2016

Now in its second year, San Diego’s CRSSD Fest at Waterfront Park made the jump this weekend from being one of the best-kept secrets to being a legitimate powerhouse of a second-tier music festival.

The twice-a-year fest — which takes place in both March and October — was a sell-out and tickets on the secondary market were going for a pretty high price. With just two full-length records to their name, Seattle electronic duo ODESZA went from being a second-line act at last year’s March edition to the Saturday headliner this year.

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Leo Santa Cruz stops Kiko Martinez in 5th round in early fight of year candidate

Leo Santa Cruz stops Kiko Martinez in 5th round in early fight of year candidate
Mark E. Ortega
USA TODAY
February 27, 2016

ANAHEIM, Calif. — There were many in the boxing community expecting a Fight of the Year candidate to come out of Saturday night. Most didn’t expect it to come from the Showtime main event between Leo Santa Cruz and Kiko Martinez, but Santa Cruz’s fifth-round TKO victory against Martinez is an early sleeper pick two months into 2016.

Santa Cruz was expected to handle veteran Martinez with relative ease, and through the first few rounds, it looked to follow the script. Santa Cruz put Martinez down twice in the first as he bludgeoned Martinez from the outset. Martinez launched a miniature comeback that was brought to an end in the fifth round when referee Raul Caiz Sr. stopped the bout at the 2:09 mark after Martinez was battered in the corner. Santa Cruz retained the WBA featherweight belt he earned against Abner Mares last August.

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Hugo Ruiz stops Julio Ceja in first round to take 122-pound title; Ceja injures ankle

Hugo Ruiz stops Julio Ceja in first round to take 122-pound title; Ceja injures ankle
Mark E. Ortega
USA TODAY
February 27, 2016

ANAHEIM, Calif. — If Hugo Ruiz was hoping to redeem himself from last August’s fifth-round TKO loss at the hands of Julio Ceja, he did so in emphatic fashion.

Ruiz dropped Ceja with pretty much the first right hand he landed in the fight’s opening seconds. Ceja got back up but was clearly in trouble, and appeared to injure his ankle. This allowed Ruiz to finish him with a volley of punches on the ropes. Referee Tom Taylor halted the bout 51 seconds into the first round, setting up a potential rubber match between the two.

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0 Best Coachella 2016 Niche Bookings

10 Best Coachella 2016 Niche Bookings
Mark E. Ortega
Grimygoods.com
February 25, 2016

One of the things that makes Coachella special compared to every other festival is their ability to step outside of the box with their bookings. With more than 150 total acts on the lineup, they’re able to pull from niche genres that don’t get a lot of mainstream love without compromising the amount of name-recognition talent they can bring. Here we spotlight 10 of our favorite billings at this year’s festival.

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An Interview with Coeur de Pirate: Taking a linguistic leap of faith

An Interview with Coeur de Pirate: Taking a linguistic leap of faith
Mark E. Ortega
Grimygoods.com
February 23, 2016

Beatrice Martin is a musician in transition.The singer-songwriter also known as Coeur de Pirate returns to Los Angeles for a headlining set at the El Rey Theatre this coming Saturday armed with some awesome electro-pop tunes.

Martin is touring in support of her 2015 full-length release Roses, an album that sees her challenge herself in more ways than one. On this record, Martin sings more English-language tunes than French ones for the first time while also taking a deep dive into the burgeoning synthpop genre with tracks like “Carry On” and “I Don’t Want to Break Your Heart” — which features rapper Allan Kingdom.

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Jessie Ware, Cashmere Cat, Ryn Weaver, Tory Lanez deliver the goods at El Rey for Friends Keep Secrets showcase

Jessie Ware, Cashmere Cat, Ryn Weaver, Tory Lanez deliver the goods at El Rey for Friends Keep Secrets showcase
Mark E. Ortega
Grimygoods.com
February 22, 2016

Thursday night, producer Benny Blanco’s label Friends Keep Secrets held a special showcase at the El Rey Theatre. It shined a light on the present and also showed the future is very bright after featuring a slew of performances from Jessie Ware, Cashmere Cat, Ryn Weaver, Tory Lanez and other special drop-ins.

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G-Eazy brings out A-listers P. Diddy, Chris Brown for second sold-out Shrine Expo Hall show

G-Eazy brings out A-listers P. Diddy, Chris Brown for second sold-out Shrine Expo Hall show
Mark E. Ortega
Grimygoods.com
February 12, 2016

Almost exactly a year ago, Bay Area rapper G-Eazy had two sold-out nights at The Wiltern as he toured behind his second album These Things Happen. Over the course of those two evenings, the young rapper brought out a venerable who’s who of the hip-hop community – from T.I. to Big Sean to Bay Area legend Too $hort.

A year later and G-Eazy was again headlining two sold-out nights in LA – this time at the much larger Shrine Expo Hall near USC. What was the 26-year-old from Oakland going to do to top his previous LA stint?

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CRSSD Fest adds Ryan Hemsworth, Poolside, others to stacked March bill

CRSSD Fest adds Ryan Hemsworth, Poolside, others to stacked March bill
Mark E. Ortega
Grimygoods.com
February 8, 2016

CRSSD Fest has added a dozen acts to their spring lineup, including Canadian DJ Ryan Hemsworth and Los Angeles feel-good duo Poolside.

Cirez D, Bondax, Rezz, Lane 8, Adriatique, Damian Lazarus, Kidnap Kid, Jon Hopkins, Walker & Royce and Tom Trago join a lineup headlined by Chet Faker and ODESZA that also features Tycho, Loco Dice, Gorgon City and others. The two-day festival takes place at Waterfront Park in San Diego on March 5 and 6. Tickets are on sale for a limited time for $135 for a weekend pass, and then they will be on sale for $145 and $155.

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Riothorse Royale, Kera and the Lesbians help wrap up inaugural GirlSchool at Bootleg Theater

Riothorse Royale, Kera and the Lesbians help wrap up inaugural GirlSchool at Bootleg Theater
Mark E. Ortega
Grimygoods.com
February 3, 2016

Anna Bulbrook needed only a few months to pull together an epic three-day fest celebrating women in rock. The lead singer of The Bulls brought the inaugural GirlSchool’s Field Day Weekend to the Bootleg Theater and Bar, featuring names like Dead Sara, Veruca Salt and Riothorse Royale on the bill.

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Must-See Coachella Undercard: DMA’s – Aussies with a Britpop punch

Must-See Coachella Undercard: DMA’s – Aussies with a Britpop punch
Mark E. Ortega
Grimygoods.com
February 3, 2016

If you’ve been holding your breath for Oasis to make a return since breaking up almost a decade ago, you can exhale. No, the Gallagher brothers haven’t patched things up and announced they’re back together, but there’s another band ready to continue the Britpop legacy that Oasis helped build. The intriguing thing is these guys hail from Australia.

DMA’s came on the scene last year with a self-titled EP that had critics comparing them to Oasis right out of the gate. The band admits they found heavy influence from them, not just in their music but even in their stage attire — bucket hats and track suits are heavily featured.

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Nosaj Thing to play The Regent as part of Coachella sideshow series

Nosaj Thing to play The Regent as part of Coachella sideshow series
Mark E. Ortega
Grimygoods.com
February 3, 2016

Los Angeles electronic producer Nosaj Thing will play a date at The Regent on April 21 in between appearances at this year’s Coachella.

Famous for working with top artists like Kendrick Lamar, Kid Cudi and Chance the Rapper, Nosaj Thing released last year’s Fated to critical acclaim. He will perform on consecutive Sundays at Coachella on April 17 and 24, his first appearance in the desert since 2011.

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Modern English to perform “Mesh and Lace” at The Echoplex

Modern English to perform “Mesh and Lace” at The Echoplex
Mark E. Ortega
Grimygoods.com
February 2, 2016

“I’ll stop the world and melt with you / You’ve seen the difference and it’s getting better all the time,” the memorable chorus to ’80s classic “Melt With You” begins. On May 15, the band behind the hit Modern English will perform their 1981 debut album, Mesh & Lace in its entirety at The Echoplex. That album contains the song that shot the British new wave band to the top of the charts.

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Fleetwood Mac Fest adds guests to already deep lineup at Fonda Theatre

Fleetwood Mac Fest adds guests to already deep lineup at Fonda Theatre
Mark E. Ortega
Grimygoods.com
February 2, 2016

On February 9 and 10, the music of Fleetwood Mac will be celebrated in epic fashion as part of Jameson’s Best Fest series at the Fonda Theatre.

The lineup of announced guests already included Mark Ronson, Perry Farrell, Joana Newsom, Alison Mosshart, Cold War Kids and Sarah Silverman. Now they’ve added Courtney Love, Carly Rae Jepsen (Feb. 9 only), Juliette Lewis and Weezer’s Brian Bell to the bill.

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Jenny Lewis and The Watson Twins deliver ethereal nostalgia at Immanuel Presbyterian

Jenny Lewis and The Watson Twins deliver ethereal nostalgia at Immanuel Presbyterian
Mark E. Ortega
Grimygoods.com
February 1, 2016

The tinted windows of Immanuel Presbyterian’s Cathedral Sanctuary in Los Angeles, California served as the backdrop for a trio of rare performances over the weekend.

Jenny Lewis — the established indie queen of southern California — and The Watson Twins turned back the clock in celebration of their 2006 album Rabbit Fur Coat. Lewis also brought along holdover help from that album M. Ward, who himself opened the show with an entertaining 40-minute set.

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HÆLOS to headline The Echo as part of Coachella sideshow series

HÆLOS to headline The Echo as part of Coachella sideshow series
Mark E. Ortega
Grimygoods.com
February 1, 2016

London synthpop group HÆLOS returns to Los Angeles in April for a performance at The Echo, as part of Coachella’s sideshow series Localchella.

We last saw the group perform as an opener for R&B sensation Miguel at an intimate edition of Bardot’s School Night in January. There they impressed a packed house with their celestial sound and layered vocals. They will release their debut album Full Circle on March 18, via Matador Records. They are a must-see Coachella undercard act if you can catch them at the desert festival on consecutive Fridays, April 15 and 22.

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Sonos Studio says goodbye with killer blowout headlined by Gaslamp Killer

Sonos Studio says goodbye with killer blowout headlined by Gaslamp Killer
Mark E. Ortega
Grimygoods.com
January 29, 2016

Last Friday, Sonos Studio in Los Angeles had one last party before closing their doors. Performing on the evening were Gaslamp Killer, YACHT, Daedelus DJ sets that were preceded by a set from Warpaint bassist Jennylee.

Jennylee played from her debut album Right On right as the show began at 8 PM. People packed the venue quickly, enjoying some drinks on the house in the tiny studio that featured some of the best sound of any venue I’ve been to.

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Futurebirds belt The Echo with high-quality country-rock

Futurebirds belt The Echo with high-quality country-rock
Mark E. Ortega
Grimygoods.com
January 29, 2016

Wednesday night, Athens, Georgia’s Futurebirds brought their brand of country-rock to The Echo. Playing mostly songs from their 2015 record Hotel Parties, though the venue wasn’t sold out, it was filled with fans passionate for their tunes.

One interesting thing I found while watching this band is how they alternate vocals between their three main members, though Carter King often takes the lead. They all have slightly different vocals and it gives their songs a different flavor depending on who heads the mic – though the others usually share harmonies in backup duties.

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Matt Corby awes Masonic Lodge crowd at Hollywood Cemetery

Matt Corby awes Masonic Lodge crowd at Hollywood Cemetery
Mark E. Ortega
Grimygoods.com
January 28, 2016

Years ago, I discovered singer-songwriter Matt Corby via the Australian radio station TripleJ’s Like a Version segment – which is when a musician stops in and performs an original song and a cover on their air. His cover of The Black Keys’ “Lonely Boy” was solid, but it was his original song “Brother” that had me hit play again and again on YouTube.

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Red Hot Chili Peppers playing Bernie Sanders benefit at Ace Hotel!

Red Hot Chili Peppers playing Bernie Sanders benefit at Ace Hotel!
Mark E. Ortega
Grimygoods.com
January 27, 2016

The Red Hot Chili Peppers are playing a benefit show for Bernie Sanders as part of the Feel the Bern effort to raise money for the presidential candidate at the Theatre at the Ace Hotel on Friday, February 5. Pre-sale tickets are on sale now and are priced between $40 and $2,000.

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Reviewed: St. Lucia’s “Matter” is sure to have you dancing

Reviewed: St. Lucia’s “Matter” is sure to have you dancing
Mark E. Ortega
Grimygoods.com
January 27, 2016

With Brooklyn-based synthpoppers St. Lucia churning out tunes, Phil Collins – you can stay retired. St. Lucia has perfected the tropical synths and heavy percussion sound that Collins became known for in the ‘90s after defecting from Genesis.

It’s been two-and-a-half years since their debut album When the Night dropped. After seeing them a half-dozen times over the last year-plus, I’ve been itching to hear the studio version of the new tunes they’ve been playing at their shows. Alas, on Friday, January 29, their second album Matter finally drops, via Columbia Records. It was worth the wait.

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