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:
Never Better party @ Arlene’s Grocery
PAWS
Click image for full gallery – Donald Lee
Lee Bains III & The Glory Fire
Click image for full gallery – Donald Lee
PINS
Click image for full gallery – Donald Lee
Tweens
Click image for full gallery – Donald Lee
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Deli Mag showcase @ Rockwood Music Hall, Stage 2
The Family Crest
Click image for full gallery – Bashira Webb
Sons of an Illustrious Father
Click image for full gallery – Bashira Webb
She Keeps Bees
Click image for full gallery – Bashira Webb
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Canadian Blast showcase @ Hotel Chantelle
HIGHS
Click image for full gallery – Derek Klevitz
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Old Flame Records showcase @ Pianos (Upstairs)
Dead Stars
Click image for full gallery – Derek Klevitz
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CMJ showcase @ DROM
Sophie Hanlon
Click image for full gallery – Donald Lee
Native America
Click image for full gallery – Donald Lee
Turtle Giant
Click image for full gallery – Donald Lee
Be Forest
Click image for full gallery – Donald Lee
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Force Field PR showcase @ Cake Shop
Itasca
Click image for full gallery – Derek Klevitz
CYMBALS
Click image for full gallery – Bashira Webb
White Reaper
Click image for full gallery – Derek Klevitz
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CMJ showcase @ Terminal 5
Luxley
Click image for full gallery – Ken Grand-Pierre
Milo Greene
Click image for full gallery – Ken Grand-Pierre
Bombay Bicycle Club
Click image for full gallery – Ken Grand-Pierre
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Tijuana Gift Shop showcase @ Bowery Electric
Faded Paper Figures
Click image for full gallery – Ted Chase
PR firm Tijuana Gift Shop took over Bowery Electric, with the big draw being Faded Paper Figures. The group played to a packed space, displaying some smooth, relaxed indietronica, also with some strum elements, akin to Savoir Adore
Wormburner
Click image for full gallery – Ted Chase
After some MTA runaround (see below), was back at Bowery Electric for Wormburner. The place admittedly wasn’t as packed, probably because Wormburner’s sound isn’t as flavor of this month – they’re honest-to-god focused on guitars (of course, broke a string and had to borrow a Stratocaster)…
Playing off their recently released new album, Pleasant Living In Planned Communities, Wormburner began with single “Today Might Be Our Day” (QRO review), which might have been better as a big close – but instead they ended with a well received cover of Cult’s “(She Sells) Sanctuary”.
JPNGRLS
Click image for full gallery – Ted Chase
Might have missed the Osaka females Shonen Knife (see below), but caught JPNGRLS. This jaded New Yorker enjoyed how the (actually) boys (actually) from Vancouver were psyched to be playing in the Big Apple for the first time. Their wild party-rock (that included on-stage push-ups) was also slightly emo, but that element can actually cut nicely any over-party.
Concord America
Click image for full gallery – Ted Chase
Closing out the showcase was Concord America, a garage party-rock trio.
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SESAC showcase @ The Delancey
TOPS
Click image for full gallery – Derek Klevitz
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Crack In the Road/Grungecake Mag/Oleh! showcase @ Pianos
Tei Shi
Click image for full gallery – Derek Klevitz
Oyinda
Click image for full gallery – Derek Klevitz
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Deli Mag showcase @ Rockwood Music Hall, Stage 1
Invisible Familiars
Click image for full gallery – Bashira Webb
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Other notes:
-Attempted to go from Bowery Electric to Knitting Factory for Shonen Knife (see below) via the M train at Broadway/Lafayette, only to discover too late that of course it wasn’t running there after nine PM for the first three nights of CMJ.
Unfortunately missed:
-Twin Peaks (QRO photos), Happyness, and The Wytches (QRO photos) @ Glasslands (QRO venue review), 8:45 PM – 11:15 PM.
-Gringo Star (QRO spotlight on), The Dig (QRO live review), and Ages and Ages (QRO photos) @ Niagara, 9:15 PM – 12:00 AM.
-Shonen Knife (QRO spotlight on) @ Knitting Factory (QRO venue review), 10:00 PM – 10:55 PM.
-Girlpool and Caveman (QRO album review) @ Baby’s All Right (QRO venue review), 11:10 PM – 1:00 AM.
-Cold War Kids (QRO live review) @ Rough Trade NYC (QRO venue review), 11:30 PM – 12:30 AM.
-MiniBoone (QRO live review) @ Rock Shop (QRO venue review), 12:00 AM – 1:00 AM. Too far and too late on the rainy night.
-Ravens & Chimes (QRO album review) @ Fontana’s (QRO venue review), 12:00 AM – 1:00 AM.
