Feels at Echo Park Rising 2016
Echo Park Rising is coming through East Los Angeles this Thursday, August 16 though Sunday, August 19. Every year, Grimy Goods delivers a list of Must-See Bands at Echo Park Rising, and this year is no different. With hundreds of budding and seasoned local acts flourishing the streets of Echo Park with their unique sounds, you really can’t go wrong with any venue or band, but if you’re having trouble with what bands to see at Echo Park Rising, we got you! Below is our list of 15 Must-See Bands at Echo Park Rising 2018. Read up and take their music for a spin! We base our selections on bands we’ve caught live or covered in a recent feature, and we never repeat the same band twice, but we do shout them out on our Hall of Fame picks.
Echo Park Rising is free and all-ages! See you there.
KOLARS
https://soundcloud.com/kolars/one-more-thrill-1
If dancing, soul claps and dynamic rock ‘n’ roll is what you crave, then KOLARS are the band to see at Echo Park Rising. Made up of the badass husband and wife duo Rob Kolar (guitar) and Lauren Brown (drums), the two roll out a fierce combo of energy and chemistry that makes their live show quite the unique experience. And we can’t deny how enthralling it is to see Lauren jump, tap and dance across the stage and even atop her drum kit. Trust, KOLARS’ insatiable energy will keep you smiling all night long.
Follow KOLARS on Facebook and Instagram.
Check out our past KOLARS coverage.
KOLARS will play at the Liberty Stage on Friday, August 17 at 7pm.
CONES
The Rosens, brothers Jonathan and Michael, are the soft-spoken psych rock duo Cones. Separately, they prove to have talents in other areas—Jonathan is an acclaimed animator who uses hand-drawn images and Michael is a composer for commercials and film. Together, their instincts mesh for instant earworms.
Follow Cones on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Cones will play at Taix Champagne Room on Thursday, August 16 at 9pm.
LINAFORNIA
If you want those fresh and funky beats, you gotta see Linafornia. She is too dope! We caught the rising producer open up for Tune-Yards and she had us bobbin’ our heads all the way home. Linafornia drops the kind of slick beats that get stuck in your head like ants on honey. You go to sleep with Linafornia, you dream with Linafornia and you wake up with Linafornia. And you know what, it’s all good. Making beats and sounds on the fly, it’s all about the real-time soundsmithing when you catch Linafornia live.
Check out our previous coverage of Linafornia.
Follow Linafornia on Facebook and Instagram.
Linafornia will play The Echo / Echoplex on Friday, August 17 at 5:20pm.
DEF.SOUND
def.sound is a poet and artist who once said that “if hip hop is a menu, I’m the vegan option.” A vegan himself, he is both the sustainable alternative to what’s on the radio and something that the masses would find delicious. His new, multi-tiered project is a vibrant hybrid of soul, R&B, and hip hop, with many more layers to unravel in his brilliant lyricism.
Follow def.sound on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
def.sound will play at the Echoplex on Thursday, August 16 at 8pm.
LAEL NEALE
https://soundcloud.com/laelneale/white-daisy-lace-gloves
is a poet whose sonic simplicity is moving. Her album, I’ll Be Your Man, is an acoustic storybook, with striking imagery and palpable emotion. She is originally from a small town in Virginia, where it is easy to imagine finding solace in nature—at least compared to a sprawling city like LA. It’s fitting that her music then makes me want to go off the grid.
Follow Lael Neale on Facebook and Instagram.
Lael Neale will play at Stories on Saturday, August 19 at 5:30pm.
ASSQUATCH
“You ever feel cheated, you ever feel lost?” ASSQUATCH has. Preach along with dirty choir that is ASSQUATCH if you wanna slammin’ weird time. With members of Death Hymn Number 9, ASSQUATCH are the turbulent tornado of thrash your hearts seeks this year at Echo Park Rising. Don’t be scared, just let it happen …
Follow ASSQUATCH on Instagram and Facebook.
ASSQUATCH will play the Echo / Echoplex on Saturday, August 18 at 4:40pm.
ODDNESSE
The stylish duo Oddnesse (rhymes with finesse) is a collaboration between Rebeca Arango and Grey Goon aka Doug Walters. Arango writes about emotions on the margins, like final memories of love and comfort in introversion; with Grey Goon’s production, they create thoughtful dream pop. When they play live, though, the band is a quintet; an extra guitar, bass, and synth allows their lush tracks to come to life.
Check out our past Oddnesse coverage.
Follow Oddnesse on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Oddnesse will play at Taix Champagne Room on Saturday, August 18 at 9pm.
PAVO PAVO
Brooklyn-based Pavo Pavo are back in LA again after playing the Satellite and the Moroccan within the past year. Since their last visit, they released a new song, “Statue is a Man Inside,” which takes their signature art rock style in the direction of space pop. The duality of “Ran Ran Run,” where they change time signatures on a dime, gives a more complete picture of who they are.
Follow Pavo Pavo on Facebook and Instagram.
Pavo Pavo will play at Semi-Tropic on Thursday, August 16 at 10pm.
MIYA FOLICK
Miya Folick declared that God is a woman months before Ariana Grande, but her act doesn’t depend on femininity. Folick’s relentless alt rock is raw and free, speaking (or shouting) her truth over pliable electric guitars. Her EPR set directly precedes Starcrawler, so get there early to secure a good spot in the mosh pit.
Follow Miya Folick on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Check out our past coverage of Miya Folick.
Miya Folick will play at the Echo on Saturday, August 18 at 8:40pm.
EGRETS ON ERGOT
A saxophone and a crowbar blend into the death rock instrumentation of Egrets on Ergot. When they opened for UK punks Shame in February, they also brought out a manifesto which guitarist Crow Jane recited without hesitation. For a few of their shows in the spring, the band partnered up with Refuse Fascism LA—a grassroots organization with an obvious mission—to flyer and sign up volunteers who are as dedicated to resistance as they are.
Follow Egrets on Ergot on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Check out our past coverage of Egrets on Ergot.
Egrets on Ergot will play at the Echoplex on Sunday, August 19 at 10pm.
DANTE ELEPHANTE
Santa Barbara’s Dante Elephante just released an album filled with foot-stomping surf rock called Rare Attractions. It catches the light just right to fill you with warmth even when lyrics turn melancholic. Frontman Ruben Zarate wrote “Call Me” with sudden emotional clarity, and hopefully the power of his band can clear up other tangled romances.
Follow Dante Elephante on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Check out our past coverage of Dante Elephante.
Dante Elephante will play at Spacedust on Thursday, August 16 at 8pm.
TRABANTS
There are many influences in Trabants’ entirely instrumental discography that vie for your attention. You may have heard their collaboration with Winter last year, released on Burger Records, which combined their adept grooves with the latter’s affinity for shoegaze. But they are known for a wider set of sounds, such as the notably mid-eastern progressions on Freakout, their 2015 LP.
Follow Trabants on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Trabants will play twice on Saturday, August 18: noon at Spacedust and 7pm at Nico & Bullitt.
STARCRAWLER
STARCRAWLER is the type of the band that should have been around during the golden era of the Sunset Strip. Since the January release of their self-titled debut album, the band has been touring non-stop and gaining quite the global fan base. They reek of glorious rock ‘n’ roll at its finest, served with a grimy slice of glam. This year they’re one of Echo Park Rising’s biggest acts, and there’s good reason why.
Follow STARCRAWLER on Facebook and Instagram.
Check out our previous STARCRAWLER coverage.
STARCRAWLER will play The Echo / Echoplex on Saturday, August 18 at 9pm.
EMMA COLE
What we love most about Emma Cole, is that lovely, soulful voice. Yes, her band brings it, and you will be dancing to their throwback beats — but what really fuels your shimmy is Cole’s voice. She’s high octane and so are her honest lyrics. Cole’s got mad soul and range; she can lift you into a toe-tappin’ frenzy or wooo your heartstrings with her deep cuts. GO. SEE. HER.
Check out our previous Emma Cole coverage.
Follow Emma Cole on Facebook and Instagram.
Emma Cole will play on Friday, August 17 at Trencher at 6pm.
SPARE PARTS FOR BROKEN HEARTS
Dripping with those 90s alt rock vibes, Spare Parts for Broke Hearts come through with all the chunky riffs and melodic tones sure to spark some nostalgia (especially if you were a 90s child). Inspired by grunge, heavy rock and post punk — Spare Parts for Broken Hearts deliver a bold, guitar-heavy sound all with just three core members: SG on lead vox/guitar/bass, Laurita Guaico also on vocals/guitar/bass, and Mikey Vallejo on drums.
Follow Spare Parts for Broken Hearts on Facebook and Instagram.
Check out our previous Spare Parts for Broken Hearts coverage.
Spare Parts for Broken Hearts play Saturday, August 18 at Trencher at 6:15pm.
Grimy Goods’ Echo Park Rising Hall of Fame Picks
Also, be sure to check out our Echo Park Rising Hall of Fame picks. We’ve featured these bands in past Must-See Bands at Echo Park Rising features, and they’re performing again this year!
Twin Temple (featured in 2017)
Live Slingerland (featured in 2017)
Night Talks (featured in 2017)
The Paranoyds (featured in 2016)
The Tissues (featured in 2016)
The Birth Defects (featured in 2015)
Smoke Season (featured in 2015)
Harriet Brown (featured in 2015)
Dead Dawn (featured in 2015)
For the full Echo Park Rising lineup and schedule, be sure to visit their website.
