Broods excite fans (and famous friends) at sold-out Fonda Theatre performance

Broods excite fans (and famous friends) at sold-out Fonda Theatre performance
Mark E. Ortega
GrimyGoods.com
March 6, 2015


Just 13 months ago, New Zealand sibling synthpop duo BROODS were playing their first American show at Bardot’s It’s A School Night. On Thursday night, their career reached another plateau as they sold out the Fonda Theatre in Hollywood to an assortment of excited fans and famous pals that packed the place from the floor to the balconies.

Taking in the show on the evening was a group of of ladies in the balcony that included Taylor Swift, Ellie Goulding, Este Haim, and actress Chloe Grace Moretz. On the way into the venue, I also saw fellow New Zealander Alisa Xayalith of The Naked and Famous. You know you’re doing something right when you’ve got so many peers turning into fan girls.

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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.

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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Broods deliver a magnetic performance at The Observatory

Broods deliver a magnetic performance at The Observatory
Mark E. Ortega
GrimyGoods.com
May 16, 2014


Though it wasn’t a sell out like their SF show I attended at The Independent on Tuesday, Broods and Meg Myers packed them into the much larger main room at the Observatory in Santa Ana on Thursday and both acts delivered memorable sets to conclude their North American tour.

New Zealand sibling synth-pop duo Broods mixed in a couple of new songs from a forthcoming album as well as the popular tunes that landed them a major deal in the first place.

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Fast-rising Broods, Meg Myers showcase emerging talent at Indy gig

Fast-rising Broods, Meg Myers showcase emerging talent at Indy gig
Mark E. Ortega
Showbams.com
May 15, 2014


Tuesday night, burgeoning singer/songwriter Meg Myers played her first gig at The Independent in San Francisco as she set the stage for brother-sister New Zealand synth pop duo Broods later that evening.

Myers took the stage in what seemed to be one of those low cut H&M black t-shirts and a pair of shorts that were short enough to where some questioned whether she was wearing any at all. The only noticeable bit of color being her red lipstick, Myers delivered a heartwrenching eight-song set that highlighted her vocal range and her capturing stage presence.

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