LOCALS ONLY: Dirty Penni Fest Proves Popularity of Indie Music

Fan crowd surfs during Feels the band at Dirty Penni Fest 3 - Photo by Scott Free
Fan crowd surfs during Feels the band at Dirty Penni Fest 3 - Photo by Scott Free

Photos by SCOTT FREE

The Dirty Penni Fest continues its tremendous growth and next year’s event is already in the planning stages, festival producers said.

“This year was the biggest crowd yet,” said Michael Grodner who is the “main man” at Dirty Laundry TV.  Dirty Laundry and Penniback Records co-produce the indie fest, which just wrapped its third outing at the ultimate indie venues The Echo and The Echoplex.

Laena Geronimo of Feels at Dirty Penni Fest - Photo by Scott Free
Laena Geronimo of Feels at Dirty Penni Fest – Photo by Scott Free

Grodner said the Dirty Penni Fest crowd is growing in size and demographic for one simple reason: The music is great.

“It’s a diverse crowd,” Grodner said. “There are a lot of different types of people who attend, young and older, and ethnically diverse. I think we have something that we can continue to build upon.”

Side Eyes at Dirty Penni - Photo by Scott Free
Side Eyes at Dirty Penni – Photo by Scott Free

CHECK OUT PHOTOS FROM LAST YEAR’S DIRTY PENNI FEST

How are the bands selected for the fest?

“It’s very democratic process,” Grodner said. “The guys from Penniback Records, Julian Montano and Luis Ho, and I, get together and we put together a list of bands, who we want to be the headliners, who will play the patio, who’s right for The Echo. It’s a democratic process, we all have to check off on who gets selected.”

Plumber at Dirty Penni Fest - Photo by Scott Free
Plumber at Dirty Penni Fest – Photo by Scott Free

What are the plans for next year?

“Let’s just say we’re already thinking about next year and how to make it just a little bigger and better,” Grodner said.

Sadgirl - Photo by Scott Free
Sadgirl – Photo by Scott Free

 

Frankie and the Witch Fingers - Photo by Scott Free
Frankie and the Witch Fingers – Photo by Scott Free

 

Dirty Penni Fest - Photos by Scott Free
Dirty Penni Fest – Photos by Scott Free

 

Fan crowd surfing at Dirty Penni Fest - Photo by Scott Free
Fan crowd surfing at Dirty Penni Fest – Photo by Scott Free