Surfer Blood and Cayucas deliver vibrant double-bill at LA’s Teragram Ballroom

Surfer Blood and Cayucas deliver vibrant double-bill at LA’s Teragram Ballroom
Mark E. Ortega
GrimyGoods.com
January 11, 2016

Headlining in support of their third studio album 1000 Palms, a reshuffled Surfer Blood lineup impressed at the Teragram Ballroom with fellow surf-pop rockers Cayucas in support.

Their beach rock sound was welcomed happily on a gloomy Friday night in downtown Los Angeles. Guitarist Thomas Fekete and bassist Kevin Williams are no longer in the band – Fekete battles a rare form of cancer while Williams left the group for a job – but their replacements Mike McCleary and Lindsey Mills proved ample replacements. Mills’ duties as a backup vocalist provided an alternative layer to some of lead man’s John Paul Pitts’ sometimes Rivers Cuomo-type vocals quite nicely.

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Nicki Minaj surprises Teragram Ballroom crowd at final Red Bull Sound Select 30 Days In LA

Nicki Minaj surprises Teragram Ballroom crowd at final Red Bull Sound Select 30 Days In LA
Mark E. Ortega
GrimyGoods.com
December 2, 2015

Monday night, Red Bull Sound Select‘s second-annual #30DaysInLA culminated in a secret performance at the 600-capacity Teragram Ballroom.

All that was known heading in was that it was a hip-hop / rap performance with rumors swirling that it could be The Weeknd, Missy Elliott, or Nicki Minaj. By the time 10:30 pm rolled around, nobody in the crowd near me was 100 percent sure. Once the pink lights started hitting the stage, people came around to the idea that it was going to be Nicki Minaj. It was confirmed moments later when she walked out on stage, rapping the opening verse of “Superbass” to the heavy excitement of the crowd.

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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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