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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Jessie Ware, Ryn Weaver, Cashmere Cat, Tory Lanez play LA’s El Rey in February for Friends Keep Secrets showcase

Jessie Ware, Ryn Weaver, Cashmere Cat play El Rey in February for Friends Keep Secrets showcase
Mark E. Ortega
GrimyGoods.com
December 15, 2015

Friends Keep Secrets – the label fronted by producer Bennie Blanco – will be putting on a showcase on February 18 at the El Rey Theatre featuring Jessie Ware, Ryn Weaver, Cashmere Cat, Tory Lanez, BenZel and more. Ware and Weaver’s sets are listed as acoustic on the ticket page for Goldenvoice.

British singer Jessie Ware released her second full-length album Tough Love earlier this year. The album featured collaborations with Ed Sheeran, Dev Hynes, Miguel, Emile Haynie and others.

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Best Debut Albums of 2015

Best Debut Albums of 2015
Mark E. Ortega & Sandra Burciaga
GrimyGoods.com
December 8, 2015

This past year was a great year for debut albums, and especially a mammoth year for women in music. About 65 percent of our debut selections are from some very talented women. While we could have easily added a few more records to this list, we like to keep it selective. When it comes down to what exactly makes a “best debut album of 2015”, there are a lot of factors at play, but for us, all the debut records listed below were constantly on repeat throughout the year. From hip hop, rock, pop, electronica and more — these debut albums were each extraordinary in their own way.

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Ryn Weaver, HOLYCHILD and ASTR prove to be a triple threat at Belasco Theater

Ryn Weaver, HOLYCHILD and ASTR prove to be a triple threat at Belasco Theater
Mark E. Ortega
GrimyGoods.com
November 9, 2015

The more shows I go to, the less over time I’ve managed to get to a venue in time for the night’s first opener. On Saturday at the Belasco Theater in downtown LA, I made sure to get there early enough.

Ryn Weaver had moved on from selling out the El Rey just a few months ago to a headlining spot at the Belasco, a sizable venue on a Saturday night in LA. This show had support from HOLYCHILD and ASTR — two acts with considerable promise and reputations as live performers — both for whom I could attest to.

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Out from under the microscope: an interview with rising pop-star Ryn Weaver

Out from under the microscope: an interview with rising pop-star Ryn Weaver
Mark E. Ortega
GrimyGoods.com
November 2, 2015

Last June, a song exploded in the music blogosphere that had tons of people asking one question: Who the f*ck is Ryn Weaver?

When the wildly addictive “OctaHate” arrived on the scene last year, there was very little information out there on the talented singer-songwriter behind the track. Now almost a year-and-a-half later, the 23-year-old pop star has performed at many major music festivals (from SXSW to Coachella to Bonnaroo and many in between) as well as appearances on late-night TV.

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Kendrick Lamar, surprise Killers set, Halsey and Death Cab for Cutie cap off Life is Beautiful

Kendrick Lamar, surprise Killers set, Halsey and Death Cab for Cutie cap off Life is Beautiful
Mark E. Ortega
GrimyGoods.com
October 1, 2015

The third-annual Life is Beautiful Festival in downtown Las Vegas saved some of their best tricks for last.

Kendrick Lamar topped off a weekend that included many memorable performances. Perhaps it was perfectly fitting that Kendrick — perhaps the hottest thing in rap today — would close out a festival that is clearly on the up and up in its third year. Kendrick’s live band was fantastic and the rapper brought his A-game.

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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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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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Watch Ryn Weaver's new video for 'Traveling Song' (will probably make you cry)

Watch Ryn Weaver's new video for 'Traveling Song' (will probably make you cry)
Mark E. Ortega
GrimyGoods.com
June 18, 2015

The new music video from Ryn Weaver for her song “Traveling Song” should come with a NSFW disclaimer — because nobody wants to cry when sitting at their desk at work.

Having seen Weaver perform live a number of times (from SXSW to Coachella to Bonnaroo), an emotional moment always comes in the form of her performing “Traveling Song.” Weaver details the loss of her grandfather Max, who died on Jan. 1 this year. Weaver nearly breaks down in tears every time I’ve seen her perform it, and when looking around at the crowd, almost everyone’s eyes are welled up.

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Kendrick Lamar tops Bonnaroo highlights, freestyles with Chance the Rapper during Earth, Wind & Fire

Kendrick tops Bonnaroo highlights, freestyles with Chance the Rapper during Earth, Wind & Fire
Mark E. Ortega
GrimyGoods.com
June 15, 2015

Of all the festivals I’ve traveled to the past few months, I felt least prepared for Bonnaroo. Flying in from LA I could only bring a small one-person tent and carry-on bag but I lucked into camping with people a bit more prepared.

We got into the line of cars to pull into the campgrounds at 4 am Thursday morning and didn’t park until close to 10:30 am. Despite that and no sleep, I rallied to see some awesome stuff the first night as well as a jam-packed Friday.

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Ryn Weaver proves the buzz is real in Coachella set

Ryn Weaver proves the buzz is real in Coachella set
Mark E. Ortega
GrimyGoods.com
April 12, 2015

Dressed in her finest desert festival gear, rising pop star Ryn Weaver made the most of her early Saturday set time in Coachella’s Mojave tent.

A nice breeze blew through the crowd — which quadrupled in size from the beginning to the end of her charismatic performance.

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9 Lesser-Known Acts You Need to See at Coachella

9 Lesser-Known Acts You Need to See at Coachella
Mark E. Ortega
GrimyGoods.com
April 1, 2015


Coachella is less than 10 days away! As you start going into Coachella mode and planning your course of action, make sure to check out some lesser known bands this year to get the real Coachella experience. Sure, Jack White, Drake and AC/DC are all a sight to see live — but so are the smaller acts. You just don’t know it yet. After all, that is what Coachella was once all about.

Below we’ve selected nine lesser know bands you need to see this year at Coachella 2015! While we’re no stranger to these bands and have covered many of them numerous times, a lot of Coachella-goers have no idea how great these bands are live. So do yourself a favor and schedule them into your Coachooser.

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SXSW Friday: The ladies rule: Elle King, Natalie Prass, Charlotte OC & more

SXSW Friday: The ladies rule: Elle King, Natalie Prass, Charlotte OC & more
Mark E. Ortega
GrimyGoods.com
March 22, 2015

All week I knew that Friday promised to be the busiest day for me music-wise from beginning to end. From noon to 1:30 AM, I hit five different venues and got to see a dozen different acts, almost all of which I hadn’t gotten a chance to see the previous two days.

My day started at Mohawk for House of Vans. I caught the tail-end of British synth-pop act JUCE. They had great energy and I liked their sound. Lead vocalist Chalin was able to get the crowd really into it, which is a lot to ask at noon after most people have partied the previous three days and were hungover. “Austin, you just got JUCED!” she shouted at the end of her set to great applause.

SXSW Thursday: Rising stars Raury, Clairity, James Bay & more

SXSW Thursday: Rising stars Raury, Clairity, James Bay & more
Mark E. Ortega
GrimyGoods.com
March 20, 2015


I woke up Thursday to the sound of housekeeping knocking on the door of my cheap motel room that I found at 3:30 AM for $60. It was 11 AM and I had planned on being awake a few hours earlier but after being at SXSW all day Wednesday, I needed the few extra hours of sleep.

Thursday would be a day of much less music compared to the previous day, but it was an important day for other reasons.

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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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8 Los Angeles Bands to Watch at SXSW

8 Los Angeles Bands to Watch at SXSW
Mark E. Ortega
GrimyGoods.com
March 16, 2015


At South By Southwest (SXSW), thousands of musicians from all over the world travel to take part in the most expansive festival around. It only makes sense that the best up-and-coming talents from Los Angeles would take part — and here we’ve got the creme de la creme of southern California headed to Austin.

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Forecast: 13 Los Angeles Artists and Bands to Watch in 2015

Forecast: 13 Los Angeles Artists and Bands to Watch in 2015
Mark E. Ortega and Sandra Burciaga
GrimyGoods.com
January 6, 2015

Our great city of Los Angeles is gem for discovering new music. Many of the artists and bands that make the City of Angels their home quickly work their way up from playing small venues and underground shows, to selling out famed venues and going on large tours and playing music festivals. Last year, as predicted in our 2014 forecast for artists to watch, we saw it happen with Banks, Lo-Fang, Death Valley Girls, The Moth & Flame and many more L.A. based acts. This year we’ve selected a new crop of talented and promising Los Angeles artists and bands who are sure to create quite the excitement in 2015. While we are aware that there are plenty more bands who are just as promising, these our selections for the 13 Los Angeles Artists and Bands to Watch in 2015.

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