CM-fucking-J, dude. Whoah.
So here’s all the shit I saw and notable things about all the shit I saw. I tried to find pictures by other people when possible so this wouldn’t end up as just listing, but it’s mostly listing. Sorry.
Surf City, Motocade, and Bang Bang Eche @ Red Bull Space, New Zealand Radio Mixer
Surf City photo by Ken Grand-Pierre.
OK, so I’m going to be honest. It was the first day, it was a mixer, and the drinks were free. But even though listening wasn’t necessarily my first priority, I thought all three of these bands sounded great (and that’s saying something, because I was expecting the worst). Great music to move to, which was all I could ask for, really.
The White Tie Affair @ Highline
Wish I could say this was the show I wanted to go to Tuesday night, but alas! We got to Le Poisson Rouge too late for Atlas Sound and Broadcast, so we were stuck with a band that my sister probably thinks is the best ever, but I can’t honestly say I understand. Luckily, I was fairly schwasted at this point, and I found a table over in the side sections so I wouldn’t have to tough it out with the 16-year-old SRO screamfest. I WILL SAY that they played like, the most fantastic cover of Lady Gaga’s “Poker Face” possible. It was dead-on and the 16-year-old screamer in me loved it. Just sayin’.
Warpaint @ Cake Shop, Terrorbird Party
Photo by Ken Grand-Pierre.
I was only able to catch Warpaint at this showcase, which totally blew because I liked pretty much every other band on the list. And despite my “meh” about seeing three girls get on stage (I think it’s more of a nerves thing, it just has potential to be devastatingly awful), they were AWESOME. I actually dug everything about this set, but especially the bassist, because she was SO IN IT the whole time. I even bought a T-shirt! Whoopee! So I would say this was my best “discovery” of CMJ, if you will.
Darcy James Argue’s Secret Society @ Le Poisson Rouge
I guess you could say I ended up at this one by mistake, because I wanted to catch the later showcase but didn’t really know what to do in between the SWEET PUNK ROCK HISTORY BAR CRAWL I did with Heavy Hitter and the 11PM stuff (I feel like I had a plan to see something, but then ended up eating sushi through it…uh…). So anyway, I had high hopes when I saw what looked like a big band get on stage, but they were quickly smashed when I realized it was “contemporary” big band music, which is like bland and arranged-in-a-way-that’s-not-enjoyable-fest 2009. Y’know, cause space isn’t a topic that’s ever been done by jazz before, how innovative. I hope someone comments about how I can’t get into contemporary experimental music so that I can reply that my brother is playing at The Stone this month (the 10th) with Billy Martin (of Medeski Martin & Wood). You should see it if you’re in the city because I can’t (hooray for being 6 hours away!).
Violens and Grandchildren @ Le Poisson Rouge
So Violens confused the hell out of me. I remembered getting their CD at the station and thinking it was nice and simple, but when they played live, it was a completely different experience. They were a lot louder and even harder than the CD ever made them out to be, and I didn’t really feel like it worked for them. So overall a fairly generic but not unenjoyable.
GRANDCHILDREN, HOWEVER were fantastic. It took them a bit to set everything up, and by everything I mean two synths and two sets of drums (well, one was just a floor tom, snare and cymbal front and center). They also had two guitarists and a bassist, and a trumpet and trombone to throw in for good measure. It was loud, it was awesome, everything fit together perfectly and you could tell that every band member LOVED what they were doing. I mean shit, half of them switched instruments over the course of the set (for example, the bassist played both drum sets, two synths and a trombone. FUCKING AWESOME.) The drummer had this huge smile on his face the entire time and I really, REALLY loved it. So basically aside from the drunk people behind me, and the fact that The Very Best weren’t going to be playing later (we left), this was great.
We are Enfant Terrible, Reni Lane, Suckers, Yes Giantess, Delorean, The Antlers @ The Delancey
WHERE DO I EVEN START?!?
This was my big show this year. Last year it was Broken Social Scene, and despite getting to the venue an hour and a half early, I was like, THE FIRST PERSON denied entrance (accepted 45 badges, I was number 46, not a joke, it was fucking devastating). So needless to say I got there unnecessarily early for a really, really long showcase that ended up running an hour and a half behind. DON’T REGRET ANY PART OF IT! We are Enfant Terrible was pretty sweet, dancey and awesome. Reni Lane was fairly typical sounding, but the band was really tight so it all came off like a recording, which is admirable. Now onto the rest!
All photos in this section stolen from Pitchfork.com.
SUCKERS. We got their CD in the station last year, I was under the impression that it sucked (LOL GET IT) for some reason. I don’t know how I ever got that impression, because they were AWESOME live. I mean, when they first started playing, my boyfriend turns to me and says “This sounds like you.” I don’t know how I missed this band! Really, really worth checking out, so please do!
YES GIANTESS. So. Much. Synth. It blew me away. While I didn’t think their music was anything new or spectacular, it was great to dance to and whatnot. And despite their technical difficulties throughout the set, they really came through and rocked. It helped that I am really into the SYNTH IN YOUR FACE thing these days.
DELOREAN. Let me preface this by saying that the show was probably already running 30-45 minutes behind at this point, for some reason. Delorean proceeded to take 45 minutes to set up. It was kindof ridiculous and honestly ruined a lot of their vibe for me (my feet were starting to hurt, blahblahblah whining). This was also when a lot of the photographers / outside press people started to push for the front of the crowd (we had been in the front since Suckers), so it was getting more annoying to stand in my spot. ANYWAY. Once they finally got started the performance was great (one of my favorite dance-party albums of the year, easily). I just wish they hadn’t taken FOREVER to get to that awesome point.
THE ANTLERS. The love of my life. I was so, so SO sosososo happy to see them, and I thought they adapted well to the crowd (sortof strange to hear an album I think of as mostly quiet in the middle of such a loud show). Everything was really on, I wasn’t disappointed in the slightest. Actually, I wasn’t disappointed until I heard that at their Brooklyn show earlier in the week they ended with Epilogue, and they didn’t end with it at The Delancey. So basically I made my boyfriend listen to Epilogue as soon as we got back to Queens, I just wish they had done it at the show (the perfect ending!).
SO THATS MY CMJ IN TERMS OF SHOWS! I also was able to make about 8 panels, meet a whole bunch of other music directors and assorted industry people, & attend a listening party for AAM that included wine and cheese (psyched). I ate sushi no less than 4 times that week (it may have been 5), and I also got fried chicken at UFC in Woodside (AWESOME AWESOME AWESOME). Now that I’m talking about food I should probably end this, but I’ll end on an even more positive note: the main thing I learned all week was that, despite our small size and our middle-of-nowhere audience, WAIH really REALLY has its shit together. We’re doing fantastic things and I’m so happy to have had the opportunity to gain this experience through the station. Sentimental! But here’s to hoping there’ll be space for me to tag along again next year ;]
Love,
Amanda.
