| CMJ 2007: Trials, Tribulations, and Tips |
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| Written by Robin Ziari | |
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  Johnny Rotten may not be at this year's Marathon, as he was in 1984, but there will still be plenty of distinguished panelists to choose from.   If you don't plan ahead, your CMJ week will end up in a lot of frustrating lines and waiting around for nothing. With over 1,000 mostly obscure bands slated to play over 5 days at venues all over Manhattan and Brooklyn, pretty much every dive bar in the city transforms itself into a booming rock venue. With dreams of making it big, these thousands of musicians overflow the city’s infrastructure of clubs, hoping that the right music industry rep (or influential blogger) will be hanging out in the front row with a pen/label contract (or a laptop/wi-fi connection) at the ready. Unfortunately for the musicians, the sad truth is that most of these artists will not blow up nation-wide, no matter how incredible their music may be. But despite the disheartening statistics, independent music fans in New York are blessed with an extravaganza of shows, the equivalent of which can only be found at hyped once-a-year festivals such as Austin’s South by Southwest. And since, presumably, these types of fans are not out seeking the next Fall Out Boy or Nickelback, all that really matters is that new musical discoveries are made—the ones that will keep you engrossed in their singular sounds until next year’s fest offers up another go-round. Besides the music, to which discussion I will limit this article, there are a huge number of informative industry panels and some incredible film screenings (such as Todd Haynes’ Dylan-inspired “I’m Not There”). Check out the official website for complete scheduling information on films and panels. To offer a little advice: the $495 laminated badge, which theoretically will get the holder into any show, is not all it’s cracked up to be. What they don’t tell you is that most venues put a cap on the number of badges they allow per night, meaning that if you want to go to Wednesday night’s Dan Deacon/Deerhunter show at Bowery Ballroom, you’re gonna have to get there way early and sit through Ponytail and White Williams (who, you ask?)—because every other pitchforkmedia.com-obsessed indie kid with a badge will be there too. And then, you’re stuck just buying a normal ticket for 20 bucks… unless the show is sold out (which this one is), and in that case, you’re just screwed. Therefore, the safest route is to just pick a venue that looks promising, get there early, and stick with it. If you know of or like one of the bands on a bill, chances are you’ll like someone else in the lineup too. So to make it just a little bit easier, I’ve put together some day-by-day choices—one or two “Sure Bets” (meaning that you should arrive before the first band starts or else you probably won't get in), and a couple “Alternates” which should be easier to get into and provide a similar level of indie-rock enjoyment. p.s. – check out Mark Rifkin’s “This Week in New York” column for more great recommendations.
 Austin's indie darlings Voxtrot  Dragons of Zynth, going bonkers live as usual  The GoStation Sure Bet: On the first night of the Marathon, the Bowery Ballroom features a stellar lineup, headlined by Merge Records’ (a personal favorite) The Rosebuds and the excellent Austin-based indie pop group Voxtrot - $16. Bon Iver (6 pm), Miracle Fortress (8 pm), The Most Serene Republic (9 pm), Dean & Britta (10 pm), The Rosebuds (11 pm), Voxtrot (12 am) Sure Bet: Union Pool in Brooklyn has put together a night of strange, artsy rock endorsed by the locally beloved TV On The Radio—whose members have produced the debut albums of both Celebration and Dragons of Zynth (who are completely insane live) - $12. Effi Briest (8 pm), Tall Firs (9 pm), Dragons of Zynth (11 pm), Celebration (12 am) Alternate #1: The Williamsburg-based Industrial Park Records showcase will feature an eclectic night of indie folk at a hip, relocated performance space in Tribeca called The Tank. Don’t miss The Bones of Davey Jones at 8:00 pm - $10. Norris (7:15 pm), The Bones of Davey Jones (8 pm), Super Monster (8:45 pm), National Seashore (9:30 pm), John Biz & The Rolling Stallones (10:15 pm), Higgins (11:00 pm) Alternate #2: A bunch of great rock bands of various stripes, including local favorites The GoStation (who sound a lot like Oasis—in a good way), take over the Crash Mansion. To get in, email This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it - admission will be free before 9 pm and $5 therafter. Care Bears on Fire (7 pm), Love Takes Flight (8 pm), The Beasts of Eden (9 pm), Oppenheimer (10 pm), Rochester Road (11 pm), The GoStation (12 am)
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 The mad scientist: Dan Deacon  Mates of State support nudity, err... PETA.  Tacks, The Boy Disaster  Sure Bet: This lineup at Bowery Ballroom is probably one of the most-hyped shows of the festival, due to much blogger-generated heat about the noise-rock stalwarts Deerhunter, and the hyper, cartoonish sample-oriented music of Dan Deacon. The show is sold out, so the only way to get in is to show up really early with a badge. Ponytail (8 pm), White Williams (9 pm), No Age (10 pm), Dan Deacon (11 pm), Deerhunter (12 am) Sure Bet: The high vaulted ceiling at Avalon, a converted gothic cathedral, should be the perfect venue for Lawrence, Kansas’ boy/girl duo Mates of State and New York indie acolytes The Walkmen. Grindcity (6:30 pm), The Felice Brothers (7:20 pm), White Denim (8:10 pm), Mates of State (9 pm), Tif McMillin (10:10 pm), The Walkmen (11:10 pm), Just Jinger (12:10 am) Alternate #1: One of the Lower East Side’s best venues (and there is A LOT of competition these days), Arlene’s Grocery, is the host for an amazing night of pop-oriented bands—and one of my top picks for the entire fest. I recently saw Tacks, The Boy Disaster—who managed to make me start dancing, something I absolutely never do at rock shows. They open up for the apparently reformed synth-poppers Barcelona (whose last album was released in 2001) and The Silent Years, whose brand of exuberant indie pop will be the perfect cap to an extremely rocking evening. Your Black Star (7:30 pm), Brooke Waggoner (8:15 pm), Team Goldie (9:00 pm), Northern Room (9:45 pm), Tacks, The Boy Disaster (10:30 pm), Barcelona (11:15 pm), The Silent Years (12 am) Alternate #2: The Meat Puppets’ Kirkwood brothers (Curt and Chris) are back together again after many years apart, and have been picking up right where they left off—with their unique style that has inspired countless alt-rock bands (notably Nirvana) since their incredible debut album in 1981 (and even better 2nd and 3rd records). At The Lion's Den - $15. The Valley Arena (8 pm), Charlemagne (9 pm), Via Audio (10 pm), Meat Puppets (11 pm), 1090 Club (12:30 am) - - -Thursday 10/18 Sure Bet:  ... And You Will Know Us By The Trail of Dead  Annie Clarke of St. Vincent Thunderheist (8 pm), Yo Majesty (8:45 pm), …And You Will Know Us By The Trail of Dead (9:30 pm), Enon (10:30 pm), Octopus Project (11:15 pm), Islands (12 am) Alternate #1: The Force Field PR/Aero Booking Showcase at the Knitting Factory’s Main Space features one of my absolute favorite new artists of the year—Annie Clarke, aka St. Vincent, whose debut album “Marry Me” is so inventive and oddly beautiful that there’s no need to even mention the fact that she’s played lead guitar with artists like Sufjan Stevens and the Polyphonic Spree. Also on the bill is Bowerbirds, a band who will probably get lumped in with the freak-folk movement, but deliver so much more that they should be in a category of their own—evocative-place-folk, perhaps? Just check them out - $14. Speck Mountain (8 pm), Le Loup (8:45 pm), The Papercuts (9:30 pm), Bowerbirds (10:15 pm), His Name is Alive (11 pm), St. Vincent (12 am) Alternate #2: I know I mentioned Mates of State in a previous pick, but their show at The Annex is worth seeing due to their pairing with the eclectic Londoner Jack Penate and the up-and-coming Black Kids (whose debut album is pretty freakin' astounding). We Are Wolves (9 pm), Black Kids (10 pm), Jack Penate (11 pm), Mates of State (12 am) - - -Friday 10/19 Sure Bet:  Rodrigo y Gabriela play at Roseland Ballroom on Friday, along with Alex Skolnick's trio   San Francisco's The Warlocks Alex Skolnick Trio (8 pm), Rodrigo Y Gabriela (9 pm) Sure Bet: M.I.A. at Terminal 5 — good luck getting into this one - $30. M.I.A. (8 pm) Alternate #1: One of the few all hip-hop lineups at CMJ, held at B.B. King’s Blues Club in Times Square, features two of the greatest stoner-rappers on today’s scene: the young upstart Devin the Dude, who tends towards hilarious rhymes about weed (and not much else), and the established Del the Funkee Homosapien, whose brilliant Dan the Automator collaboration “Deltron 3030” is one of my all-time favorite hip-hop concept albums. Christopher Cross (8 pm), Devin the Dude (10 pm), Bukue One (11 pm), The Coughee Brothaz, DJ Soulico, Serendipity Project, Del the Funkee Homosapien (11 pm) Alternate #2: If hip-hop's not your thing, but you still want to "indulge" (see previous entry)—one sure bet would be Williamsburg's Luna Lounge, featuring some of the best in modern psychedelic rock. San Francisco's The Warlocks come highly recommended, as their two-drumset, wall of sound interpretation on classic Velvet Underground-style pop songs will melt your brain and leave you wanting more. Ancestors (9 pm), Assemble Head in the Sunburst Sound (10 pm), Blackstrap (11 pm), Warlocks (12 am), Earthless (1 am) - - - Band of Horses headline Bowery Ballroom on Saturday night  Spoon plays Roseland Ballroom with The Ponys  Jeff London and The Progress rock Banjo Jim's on Saturday  Saves The Day plays an acoustic set at Knitting Factory Sure Bet: After a recent relocation from Seattle to South Carolina, and with a new album out ("Cease to Begin") to back up last year's much-loved debut, Band of Horses is set to headline the Bowery Ballroom to close out the festival on Saturday night. With a great lineup including Foals and The Brunettes, all the advance tickets are sold out, but expect a glut of badge holders as Band of Horses is one of the blogosphere's revered indie darlings. Le Loup (9 pm), Foals (10 pm), The Brunettes (11 pm), Band of Horses (12 am) Sure Bet: The question that is begged by this lineup at Roseland Ballroom is: do Spoon and The Ponys even belong in the Marathon? Of all the bands in the festival, these two have probably achieved the most mainstream success—and their new albums, both out this year, should cement that status. But as you would expect, all the tickets have been taken, so you're going to need a festival pass to get in. I'd probably get in line at 6. The Ponys (7:30 pm), Spoon (8:30 pm) Alternate #1: An indie folk extravaganza takes place at a mellow little East Village venue called Banjo Jim's. On the last night of the fest, it should be a nice escape from the sweatier, more crowded venues that most people will frequent. Don't miss Jeff London's set at 8 pm—his newest Hush Records release "The Bane of Progress" is one of the best undiscovered gems of the year. Louisiana Larry (7 pm), Jeff London (8 pm), Drew Isleib (9 pm), Casey Shea (10 pm), John Itkin (11 pm), Bukka Allen (11:45 pm), Mickey Western (12:30 am) Alternate #2: I recommend this Knitting Factory show for no other reason than the fact that Saves The Day was one of my favorite emo bands, way back before that genre became about as hip as the Golden Girls—and they were always incredible live—it makes me wonder what they've evolved into, as they were always a little more creative than most of their peers. And the fact that they're playing an acoustic set this time is very intriguing. With The New Amsterdams and The Color Fred (aka Fred Mascherino of Taking Back Sunday). Colour Revolt (8:30 pm), Anathallo (9:15 pm), The Color Fred (10 pm), The New Amsterdams (10:45 pm), Saves the Day (11:40 pm) |
