Another year, another CMJ. New York’s multi-venue music industry festival has had its ups and downs, but in 2014 seems to be on an upswing, with a slew of big shows to go with the millions of struggling bands at tiny places, Tuesday-to-Saturday, October 21st to 25th:
CMJ Panel @ Kimmel Center
Beautiful Noise Panel
Click image for full gallery – Derek Klevitz
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Breakthru Radio showcase @ Cake Shop
Dinosaur Feathers
Click image for full gallery – Donald Lee
Monomyth
Click image for full gallery – Donald Lee
DOTT
Click image for full gallery – Donald Lee
Flowers
Click image for full gallery – Donald Lee
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Planetary Group/Dutch Impact/Eurosonic Noorderslag showcase @ Pianos
Dune Rats
Click image for full gallery – Derek Klevitz
Dune Rats
Click image for full gallery – Bashira Webb
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CMJ party @ Rockwood Music Hall, Stage 1
The Field Effect
Click image for full gallery – Donald Lee
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Papercup Records showcase @ Lit Lounge
Needle Points
Click image for full gallery – Donald Lee
Gal Pals
Click image for full gallery – Donald Lee
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CMJ showcase @ Hammerstein Ballroom
First Aid Kit
Click image for full gallery – Ken Grand-Pierre
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Deli Mag showcase @ Pianos
Girlpool
Click image for full gallery – Derek Klevitz
Girlpool
Click image for full gallery – Bashira Webb
Vandana Jain
Click image for full gallery – Derek Klevitz
WALTZ
Click image for full gallery – Derek Klevitz
WALTZ
Click image for full gallery – Bashira Webb
altopalo
Click image for full gallery – Derek Klevitz
Fascinator
Click image for full gallery – Derek Klevitz
Bo Ningen
Click image for full gallery – Derek Klevitz
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FADER Fort @ Converse Rubber Tracks
SPOOKYLAND
Click image for full gallery – Ted Chase
If you don’t know where to go at CMJ, always a good choice is FADER Fort (especially if you’ve got a Press or VIP wristband and can skip the GA line…). This evening had a special headliner and special guest (see below), whose crowd meant that SPOOKYLAND’s garage-rock didn’t exactly fit.
Adult Jazz
Click image for full gallery – Ted Chase
‘Adult’ in being an acquired taste, Adult Jazz had jazz and choral elements for still an interesting sound, playing to a packed Converse Rubber Tracks
George Maple
Click image for full gallery – Ted Chase
Not a man but (definitely) a woman, George Maple’s sultry songstress was more suited for the FADER Fort audience this evening.
TOPS
Click image for full gallery – Ted Chase
Nice indie-female sound (if that doesn’t sound sexist – is there an ‘indie-male sound’?), TOPS had indie with just the right hints of electro and/or pop.
Sir Michael Rocks
Click image for full gallery – Ted Chase
Finally some hip-hop came on at what should have been a hip-hop/R&B dedicated showcase, considering the crowd for the headliner (see below), and they were definitely into Sir Michael Rocks, who jokingly asked for an Ebola doctor.
Nick Catchdubs
Click image for full gallery – Ted Chase
In the back half of the evening, all-star DJ Nick Catchdubs took over between-song spinning – ‘star’ being literal in this case, as he was wearing a shirt that made him look like The Star-Spangled Kid.
Willow Smith
Click image for full gallery – Ted Chase
This biggest surprise/outlier on the CMJ schedule this year (admittedly at an unofficial show) was Willow Smith – yes, daughter of Will Smith & Jada Pinkett-Smith, the preteen who did the “Whip Your Hair” song (and not the one in After Earth). At FADER Fort, however, there was no hair to be whipped (though closed with a revamped version of the song), with Willow doing a jazz-songstress thing like everyone’s favorite influence, Nina Simone (though couldn’t have alcohol-soaked wisdom of most established jazz singers).
Willow was joined at one point by SZA, and another by her brother Jaden (the one in After Earth), with fellow famous teen Kendall Jenner – not surprising that FADER Fort seemed to stop letting in people at all by this point.
Cam’ron
Click image for full gallery – Ted Chase
For some reason, people actually left after Willow Smith, despite it (finally) getting out who the ‘special guest’ was – rapper Cam’ron. FADER kept that secret for a long time, but it did seem that his fans heard and were there in force, as he owned the headlining slot.
Yes, there was a fight after the end of one song, but security sorted it out in a matter of seconds.
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CMJ showcase @ Legion
The Black Back
Click image for full gallery – Donald Lee
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Capeshok showcase @ Cake Shop
Lace Curtains
Click image for full gallery – Derek Klevitz
Weird Womb
Click image for full gallery – Derek Klevitz
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Other notes:
-It may not be good for one’s liver when bartenders at pop-up place like FADER Fort recognize you, but does get you your drink faster – always remember to tip, even at open bars.
Unfortunately missed:
-Fort Lean (QRO photos at a festival) @ Living Room, 3:10 PM – 4:00 PM. Chance to check out new, now-in Brooklyn Living Room (QRO venue review of old Manhattan location).
-James (QRO spotlight on) @ Rough Trade NYC (QRO venue review), 3:15 PM – 4:00 PM. Acoustic performance of songs from new album, La Petit Mort (QRO review) – so once again not playing “Laid”…
-Caveman (QRO album review) @ Cameo (QRO venue review), 12:00 AM – 1:00 AM.
