The Kills rock foundation of Apogee Studio away from the harsh winds of Coachella

The Kills rock foundation of Apogee Studio away from the harsh winds of Coachella
Mark E. Ortega
Grimygoods.com
April 22, 2016

The Kills vocalist Alison Mosshart paced the tiny stage at Apogee Studio back and forth, biting her nails waiting for guitarist Jamie Hince to launch into the opening song of their KCRW Morning Becomes Eclectic performance. Once “U R A Fever” started, Mosshart and Hince were all business, after engaging in an oft-hilarious 20-minute conversation with Jason Bentley.

Of the things discussed, Mosshart called The Kills’ Monday show at the Mayan Theater the best they’ve ever played, so if you were at that show consider yourself extremely lucky. She also said their Coachella set on Friday was difficult, with extremely gusty winds blowing dust into her mouth while she sang, the sunlight also making it hard for her to see Hince across the stage from her. You wouldn’t know there was any difficulty given how epic their set was.

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Reviewed: LCD Soundsystem’s Fox Theater warm up gig from a new fan’s perspective

Reviewed: LCD Soundsystem’s Fox Theater warm up gig from a new fan’s perspective
Mark E. Ortega
Grimygoods.com
April 13, 2016

I had never seen LCD Soundsystem perform before seeing them Monday night at the Fox Theater in Pomona. In fact, the band didn’t even really come onto my radar until 2007, 2008ish after graduating high school. But on Saturday, I was lined up in front of Amoeba Records in the rain to buy two tickets to their show, a full three hours before the record store opened.

I wasn’t a superfan of James Murphy and his electro-rock group, so why did I go to all this trouble? For one, many of my best friends whose musical taste I respect are big LCD Soundsystem fans. I was also much too broke to ever see them around the time I got into them, being a freelance sports writer with no connections to free concert tickets at the time. When the opportunity presents itself to see a band of that caliber in a small to medium sized venue, always take it. This might be the last chance I ever get to see this band in a venue smaller than 5,000 capacity, who knows?

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Santigold show at Hollywood Palladium rich with stage theatrics, costume changes, and boss jams

Santigold show at Hollywood Palladium rich with stage theatrics, costume changes, and boss jams
Mark E. Ortega
Grimygoods.com
April 2, 2016

Thursday night, the Hollywood Palladium was packed as Philadelphia singer-producer Santigold made a stop in Los Angeles on her tour in support of her new album 99¢.

People were still making their way into the venue as 10 PM approached. Luckily, Santigold wouldn’t make it onto the stage until about 10:15. As soon as she did, she wasted no time, kicking into the catchy “You’ll Find a Way” from her critically-acclaimed 2008 debut self-titled album.

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The Joy Formidable inspire complete strangers to make out at The Roxy

The Joy Formidable inspire complete strangers to make out at The Roxy
Mark E. Ortega
Grimygoods.com
March 30, 2016

After seeing them destroy at the first of two sold-out nights at famed venue The Roxy, we might have to amend our list of Top 20 Badass Frontwomen in Indie and Underground Music to include Rhiannon Bryan of The Joy Formidable.

Along with bandmates Rhydian Dafydd and Matthew James Thomas, the Welsh trio made the intimate Hollywood space sound like an arena. The depth of their tunes are surprising when you realize there’s only three of them on stage — there could easily be five or six with the amount of noise emanating from the stage.

Chet Faker misses mark at CRSSD Fest; Gorgon City, Tycho bring the fire

Chet Faker misses mark at CRSSD Fest; Gorgon City, Tycho bring the fire
Mark E. Ortega
Grimygoods.com
March 9, 2016

Sunday night, it was up to Aussie electronic artist Chet Faker to close the second spring edition of San Diego’s CRSSD Fest. ODESZA had set the bar high the night before with a rousing headline performance. Could Chet Faker aka Nicholas Murphy match the Seattle duo’s intensity the following night?

Unfortunately for those who stayed, Chet Faker fell short — though not all at a fault of his own. Sound issues plagued his entire set and there were many moments where you struggled to hear Murphy’s vocals.

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G-Eazy brings out A-listers P. Diddy, Chris Brown for second sold-out Shrine Expo Hall show

G-Eazy brings out A-listers P. Diddy, Chris Brown for second sold-out Shrine Expo Hall show
Mark E. Ortega
Grimygoods.com
February 12, 2016

Almost exactly a year ago, Bay Area rapper G-Eazy had two sold-out nights at The Wiltern as he toured behind his second album These Things Happen. Over the course of those two evenings, the young rapper brought out a venerable who’s who of the hip-hop community – from T.I. to Big Sean to Bay Area legend Too $hort.

A year later and G-Eazy was again headlining two sold-out nights in LA – this time at the much larger Shrine Expo Hall near USC. What was the 26-year-old from Oakland going to do to top his previous LA stint?

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Riothorse Royale, Kera and the Lesbians help wrap up inaugural GirlSchool at Bootleg Theater

Riothorse Royale, Kera and the Lesbians help wrap up inaugural GirlSchool at Bootleg Theater
Mark E. Ortega
Grimygoods.com
February 3, 2016

Anna Bulbrook needed only a few months to pull together an epic three-day fest celebrating women in rock. The lead singer of The Bulls brought the inaugural GirlSchool’s Field Day Weekend to the Bootleg Theater and Bar, featuring names like Dead Sara, Veruca Salt and Riothorse Royale on the bill.

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Jenny Lewis and The Watson Twins deliver ethereal nostalgia at Immanuel Presbyterian

Jenny Lewis and The Watson Twins deliver ethereal nostalgia at Immanuel Presbyterian
Mark E. Ortega
Grimygoods.com
February 1, 2016

The tinted windows of Immanuel Presbyterian’s Cathedral Sanctuary in Los Angeles, California served as the backdrop for a trio of rare performances over the weekend.

Jenny Lewis — the established indie queen of southern California — and The Watson Twins turned back the clock in celebration of their 2006 album Rabbit Fur Coat. Lewis also brought along holdover help from that album M. Ward, who himself opened the show with an entertaining 40-minute set.

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Sonos Studio says goodbye with killer blowout headlined by Gaslamp Killer

Sonos Studio says goodbye with killer blowout headlined by Gaslamp Killer
Mark E. Ortega
Grimygoods.com
January 29, 2016

Last Friday, Sonos Studio in Los Angeles had one last party before closing their doors. Performing on the evening were Gaslamp Killer, YACHT, Daedelus DJ sets that were preceded by a set from Warpaint bassist Jennylee.

Jennylee played from her debut album Right On right as the show began at 8 PM. People packed the venue quickly, enjoying some drinks on the house in the tiny studio that featured some of the best sound of any venue I’ve been to.

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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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Matt Corby awes Masonic Lodge crowd at Hollywood Cemetery

Matt Corby awes Masonic Lodge crowd at Hollywood Cemetery
Mark E. Ortega
Grimygoods.com
January 28, 2016

Years ago, I discovered singer-songwriter Matt Corby via the Australian radio station TripleJ’s Like a Version segment – which is when a musician stops in and performs an original song and a cover on their air. His cover of The Black Keys’ “Lonely Boy” was solid, but it was his original song “Brother” that had me hit play again and again on YouTube.

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Miguel channels David Bowie during special intimate School Night performance

Miguel channels David Bowie during special intimate School Night performance
Mark E. Ortega
Grimygoods.com
January 26, 2016

I arrived at Bardot on Monday night for a special edition of School Night at 7:30 PM in an effort to nag a great spot in the tiny Hollywood venue. R&B singer Miguel was announced as the special headliner just an hour or so earlier, and I knew the place was going to be jam-packed.

By the time Miguel took the stage around 11:30 PM, my feet were beyond wrecked by the unforgiving hard floor. But the wait was immediately made worth it when the Los Angeles native launched into a cover of David Bowie’s “Space Oddity,” (watch the video below) supported by nothing but an acoustic guitar. There was audible excitement as Miguel worked through the first couple verses before segueing into his song “Waves.”

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Talib Kweli, Hi-Tek dust off Reflection Eternal at Belasco gig to much fanfare

Talib Kweli, Hi-Tek dust off Reflection Eternal at Belasco gig to much fanfare
Mark E. Ortega
Grimygoods.com
January 22, 2016


Friday night at The Belasco in downtown Los Angeles, I got to see Talib Kweli dust off his side-project with Hi-Tek called Reflection Eternal.

In order to get to the point where Talib finally took the stage a little bit after 11:15 PM, I had to brave the smell of your mom and dad’s not-so-dank marijuana. The crowd was on average a decade older than myself, early-to-mid thirties being common. The security trekked their way through the main pit constantly forcing people to put out their low-grade joints, telling them to take it to the smoking patio.

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Oh Wonder, GEMS dazzle at sold-out first night at El Rey Theatre

Oh Wonder, GEMS dazzle at sold-out first night at El Rey Theatre
Mark E. Ortega
GrimyGoods.com
January 14, 2016

London-based synth-pop duo Oh Wonder couldn’t get over how each time they’ve come to LA, the reception has been greater and greater. On Wednesday night, they headlined the first of two shows at the El Rey Theatre, a sold-out endeavor that solidifies the idea they’re a rising act to keep an eye on.

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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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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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Cage the Elephant’s raucous sold-out El Rey gig promises a strong 2016

Cage the Elephant’s raucous sold-out El Rey gig promises a strong 2016
Mark E. Ortega
GrimyGoods.com
December 14, 2015

Cage the Elephant began their banner 2015 by celebrating a Grammy nomination. On Sunday night at the El Rey Theatre, they showed fans that the future looks bright for the alt-rock five-piece as they performed some songs from their upcoming album Tell Me I’m Pretty — due out December 18 and produced by The Black Keys’ Dan Auerbach – as well as favorites from the past.

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The Weeknd, BANKS, Travis $cott turn The Forum into Madness; Lana Del Rey guest appearance

The Weeknd, BANKS, Travis $cott turn The Forum into Madness; Lana Del Rey guest appearance
Mark E. Ortega
GrimyGoods.com
December 11, 2015

Is there anyone in music who’s had a bigger 2015 than The Weeknd?

Wednesday night’s show at The Forum – the second of two sold-out shows on The Madness Tour at the 17,500 capacity venue – was further evidence that the answer to that question is no.

With a nearly two-hour set, The Weeknd – aka Abel Tesfaye – proved his merit and vocal prowess. Perhaps the highlight of the hit-filled set was the shocking surprise in the form of a Lana del Rey appearance at the end of his set to perform their track “Prisoner” from his critically-acclaimed 2015 record Beauty Behind the Madness.

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Zella Day rocks LA, Fleetwood Mac cover among highlights at high-energy Fonda Theatre set

Zella Day rocks LA, Fleetwood Mac cover among highlights at high-energy Fonda Theatre set
Mark E. Ortega
GrimyGoods.com
December 10, 2015

Sometimes, pop music doesn’t make sense to me.

Tuesday night, emerging alt-pop artist Zella Day headlined at the Fonda Theatre, supporting her debut album Kicker. It’s an impressive debut record with catchy tracks featured all throughout. I’d put it up against some of the better-performing stuff in the genre.

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Gary Clark Jr. delivers virtuoso performance at Fonda for third sold-out night

Gary Clark Jr. delivers virtuoso performance at Fonda for third sold-out night
Mark E. Ortega
GrimyGoods.com
December 7, 2015

Gary Clark Jr. might be the best American guitarist going these days.

That was my main takeaway after witnessing the virtuoso both Friday and Saturday nights at the Fonda Theatre – the second and third of a three-night sold-out stint at the famed Hollywood venue. Saturday, I was covering the show for Grimy Goods and it meant I was seeing Gary Clark Jr. for four hours overall this weekend. No complaints.

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