Courtney Barnett, Alvvays double-bill hits Glass House for Coachella sideshow series

Courtney Barnett, Alvvays double-bill hits Glass House for Coachella sideshow series
Mark E. Ortega
Grimygoods.com
January 27, 2016

Aussie rocker Courtney Barnett and Nova Scotian indie outfit Alvvays will team up for a show at the Glass House in Pomona on Thursday, April 14. Both are slated to perform at Coachella on consecutive Saturdays, April 16 and April 23rd. But before they do that, they’ll partake in a show that’s part of Coachella’s yearly sideshow series.

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Alvvays just what the hipster factory at the Echoplex ordered

Alvvays just what the hipster factory at the Echoplex ordered
Mark E. Ortega
GrimyGoods.com
November 23, 2015

Thursday night at the Echoplex, I saw something in live music that is almost as rare as seeing a unicorn.

Amidst a sea of hipsters, I saw a bro in a trucker hat atop another bro’s shoulders. This I haven’t seen since Chet Faker at Coachella weekend two [proof]. I guess that’s just the sort of behavior that Molly Rankin and her kick ass lo-fi rock band Alvvays — that’s with two v’s — inspires.

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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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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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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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Sweetgreen makes boom at LA launch with performances by BANKS and Alvvays

Sweetgreen makes boom at LA launch with performances by BANKS and Alvvays
Mark E. Ortega
GrimyGoods.com
June 8, 2015

Sweetgreen is a smartly sourced seasonal food chain that began in DC and now operates all along the East Coast, founded by three Georgetown University graduates. With two of those founders being LA-based, it was only a matter of time until they tried their hand on the West Coast. Though the W. 3rd St. location officially launched on May 21 (and with one coming to Santa Monica soon), a block-party style launch took place Thursday with performances from LA’s own BANKS and rising lo-fi rockers Alvvays, in partner with FADER.

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SXSW Saturday explodes with hip-hop: J. Cole, Too $hort, G-Eazy & more

SXSW Saturday explodes with hip-hop: J. Cole, Too $hort, G-Eazy & more
Mark E. Ortega
GrimyGoods.com
March 24, 2015

If Friday was the busiest day of SXSW for me, Saturday was the most intense. If you would have told me I’d end up seeing 39 performances and almost half of them would be hip hop or rap, I wouldn’t have believed it. But that’s what SXSW is partly about, broadening your horizons.

My day began with The Church at Waterloo Records. I remember hearing “Under the Milky Way” in Donnie Darko in middle school and loving that song. The rain began coming down again and they played an acoustic set, performing that hit and some newer stuff. Vocalist Steve Kilby sounded fantastic and there was a sizable crowd for it being just 2 PM.

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SXSW Wednesday: Courtney Barnett, Ryn Weaver, Action Bronson & more

SXSW Wednesday: Courtney Barnett, Ryn Weaver, Action Bronson & more
Mark E. Ortega
GrimyGoods.com
March 19, 2015


After taking a bus from Los Angeles to Las Vegas and flying into Austin from there (cheaper flight, y’all), I hit the ground running for South by Southwest (SXSW) on Wednesday.

After waiting in line at the House of Vans at Mohawk for about an hour, I finally got in and was able to see Denver-based Son Lux. Lead man Ryan Lott utilizes a lot of interesting sounds — both on his vocals and on his keyboards — bringing together a sound that can best be described as a more electronic-heavy version of The Killers. The set-closing song “Lost it to Trying (Mouths Only Lying)” was the strongest track of the set and had the small bar-filled crowd really feeling it.

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