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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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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Jennylee steps out of shadow of Warpaint with killer solo show at The Echo

Jennylee steps out of shadow of Warpaint with killer solo show at The Echo
Mark E. Ortega
GrimyGoods.com
December 17, 2015

The Echo was pretty packed, as could be expected given the peanut butter & jelly-type complement that Warpaint and the buzzy LA music scene have enjoyed since the mid-2000s. There are Tumblrs dedicated to Jenny Lee Lindberg – she’s got that Silver Lake aesthetic to go along with her killer bass jams. Her solo project was received with a warm welcome as she worked through the material off the album, *as well as throwing in a Warpaint deep cut cover of “CC.” 

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Kate Nash shakes the Echo's 'Foundations' with killer set

Kate Nash shakes the Echo's 'Foundations' with killer set
Mark E. Ortega
GrimyGoods.com
September 4, 2015

Thursday at the Echo was the fourth time I’ve seen Kate Nash perform live and I have zero shame in that.

Though she’s known by most for the pop album she released eight years ago Made of Bricks, Nash has evolved as a musician into something entirely different altogether. She’s fused her catchy pop lyrics with rock ‘n’ roll and has an extremely talented band behind her that gives her even more credibility as a punk rock princess.

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Tobias Jesso Jr. charms a sold-out Echo with piano magic and style

Tobias Jesso Jr. charms a sold-out Echo with piano magic and style
Mark E. Ortega
GrimyGoods.com
April 7, 2015


Saturday, burgeoning songwriter Tobias Jesso Jr. played a magnificent, but brief sold-out set at The Echo. With a start time on the early side at 7:30 PM, Jesso’s hour-long set served as a tasty appetizer for most people’s nights out.

Showing a bit of greenness at live performing, Jesso’s banter was bit on the awkward but funny side in between songs. Jesso made a point to note that he hasn’t perfected that aspect of his show yet.

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Kali Uchis brings fans and Tyler. the Creator on stage at packed Echo show

Kali Uchis brings fans and Tyler. the Creator on stage at packed Echo show
Mark E. Ortega
GrimyGoods.com
March 3, 2015


Monday night, there was a line like I’d never seen wrapped around The Echo to see Colombian-born and Virginia-bred singer Kali Uchis.

Playing to a mostly younger crowd — which undoubtedly played perfectly into the hands of her 9 p.m. start time — Kali Uchis proved to be quite a performer with a large following for someone who just released a new EP Por Vida last month.

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Best Coast show fans at The Echo what "California Nights" are all about

Best Coast show fans at The Echo what "California Nights" are all about
Mark E. Ortega
GrimyGoods.com
February 20, 2015


One minute. That’s how long it took tickets to sell out to west coast favorite Best Coast‘s show that took place Thursday night at The Echo. Tickets went on sale just 48 hours before Bethany Cosentino and her cohorts would take the stage, and they didn’t last long.

By 7:30 p.m., the line was around the block of The Echo, full of people waiting to get in. By the time Best Coast hit the stage around 10:15, the anticipation was almost too much for many people in the crowd.

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Jessica Hernandez & The Deltas shimmer with climbing star potential

Jessica Hernandez & The Deltas shimmer with climbing star potential
Mark E. Ortega
GrimyGoods.com
July 17, 2014

Just a few short months ago, Jessica Hernandez & The Deltas opened up a show at The Echo in support of soul singer Allen Stone (check out the review). Tuesday night, Hernandez and her five-piece band headlined that same venue, proving that her appearance in February did lots to raise awareness of their climbing star potential.

Hernandez’s sound is a bit reminiscent of early No Doubt with a dash of jazz thrown into the mix. In addition to guitar, bass, drums, and keyboard, Hernandez employs a full-time trombonist in John Raleeh. Each of those components are key to her sound, but Hernandez’s voice and charisma were definitely the key to a memorable performance.

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The Preatures turn the heat up at sold out Echo gig

The Preatures turn the heat up at sold out Echo gig
Mark E. Ortega
GrimyGoods.com
June 4, 2014

Sydney rockers, The Preatures exceeded expectations at their sold out gig at The Echo last night as they breezed through an 11-song set of jams.

Having seen them the night before at a free gig at Bardot’s It’s A School Night in Hollywood, the band didn’t look like one overcoming a serious jetlag of having arrived just a few days earlier.

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Pink Mountaintops climb psychedelic peaks with incredible set at Echo

Pink Mountaintops climb psychedelic peaks with incredible set at Echo
Mark E. Ortega
GrimyGoods.com
June 3, 2014


Friday night, Stephen McBean project Pink Mountaintops blew away a nice crowd at The Echo with their hazy throwback sound. If you weren’t on drugs, you sure felt like you were thanks to the psychedelic acidy sound that McBean and his mini supergroup foursome produced.

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Allen Stone delivers a first-class soul show at The Echo

Allen Stone delivers a first-class soul show at The Echo
Mark E. Ortega
GrimyGoods.com
February 27, 2014


There’s no other way to say it, Allen Stone’s got PIPES. At his sold out show at The Echo last Thursday night, Stone hit every note as he proved to the crowd that he could’ve fit in any era of R&B.

It is of no surprise to find out that Stone grew up a pastor’s son. Many of the songs he performed with his large band had that gospel feel behind it, complete with Church Lady keyboards. Stone had the crowd in the palm of his hand, demanding them to sway back and forth to one song, grab hold of all their “bullshit” and toss it on stage during another.

Stone played through a number of new tracks, with “Voodoo” featuring the catchiest chorus. “What kind of voodoo do you do, what kind of voodoo do you do-do-do, what kind of witchcraft have I walked into, what kind of voodoo do you do,” Stone belted.

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