CMJ 08 Wrap-Up

So for me, CMJ kinda blew. Sure Crystal Castles were awesome. I'm a new fan of WhoMadeWho, Bad Veins and Heloise & the Savoir Faire. And Crystal Antlers rocked it all over the city. But my CMJ experience at first got off to a rough start. Then I hit the overwhelming fest for two nights. Friday I felt exhausted. Saturday I planned on going to the After the Jump day party, which was supposed to be at The Yard, then got switched to Market Hotel due to rain, then got cancelled entirely. Not to mention my failed attempt at catching Ebony Bones, who I am enthralled with right now. I call this all alot of bad luck. Whatever, it happens.

I had fun at the shows I got to see, so for what it's worth, here are my highlights from CMJ 08.

CRYSTAL CASTLES (removed by request):(

FUJIYA & MIYAGI


WHOMADEWHO


HELOISE & THE SAVOIR FAIRE


CRYSTAL ANTLERS (re-post)

CMJ 08 Wednesday

-Crystal Antlers at Continental Army Plaza, Brooklyn

I started off Wednesday with a non-CMJ show, part of Todd P's week of free shows at the Continental Army Plaza in Williamsburg. Yes it was outside. Yes it was cold. But that didn't seem to put a damper on Crystal Antlers' ferocious performance. These guys are a loud and gritty, somewhat oversexed, desert rock band from Long Beach CA, whose music may have felt more at home in the grunge era. They sounded really great outside, with the J train passing over the Williamsburg Bridge in the background. It was kind of perfect.



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I headed over to Piano's, intending to catch the Free Yr Radio showcase with Bumblebeez and Chairlift. When I got there I discovered Bumblebeez had been replaced by a band I had never heard of. Since I was there I went in and caught BM Linx, a bass-heavy softcore metal band that had the crowd in a tizzy, but I was really not into it. For me it was like watching a hair band on the Sunset Strip circa 1991. Not my thing.

It got really crowded and I had two hours until Chairlift were scheduled to go on, so I decided to change up my plans. I headed down to the Knitting Factory for the After the Jump showcase.

-Bad Veins

A pleasant surprise was Bad Veins of Cincinnati, Ohio. The duo are comprised of Ben Davis (vocals, guitar, synth) and Sebastian Schultz (drums) and they make dramatic rock music with an electronic backbone. I was really impressed with Davis' captivating performance - utilizing a megaphone to accentuate his complex and soaring vocals. Davis is a true artist and that became clear almost immediately.

-Crystal Antlers

In a funny case of irony, Crystal Antlers were also on the bill at the Knitting Factory. So yes, I unintentionally saw them twice in one night. And they rocked it both times!

-Heloise & the Savoir Faire

Heloise & the Savoir Faire were completely amazing, though the crowd had suddenly dissipated to about fifteen people, most of which were dancing their asses off. Heloise and her collective were high energy, rock 'n' roll fun, with a twist of carnival for flavor. I would really love to see these guys play a packed house. They would so own it.

-all photos by Scot Bowman

Todd P's Midsummer Party at The Yard

-photo by Derek Morris

About two weeks ago I had the privilige of attending Todd P's Midsummer Party at The Yard in Carroll Gardens (Brooklyn). I saw an astounding 15 under the radar bands and got to see John Norris (of MTV fame) up close and personal. The mini-fest was held on the canal bank at The Yard in Brooklyn, featuring amazing performances from Ponytail, Oneida, Titus Andronicus, Shy Child, Vivian Girls, Knyfe Hyts, Crystal Antlers, Abe Vigoda, Telepathe, High Places, and many more!

The scorching day by the canal was barely saved by a cooling breeze that made the heat almost bearable. It turned out to be a fantastic summer day, packed with loads of new talent. Todd P is a hero to Brooklyn right now, constantly providing us with new, cutting edge artists in venues like Market Hotel, Silent Barn, Death By Audio, and Bodega. Here he has captured the essence of what is bubbling under, providing a vastly entertaining day of indie music by the water in Brooklyn.

Ponytail (live at The Yard)


Check out some of my video highlights of Todd P's Midsummer Party below...

Vivian Girls
Crystal Antlers
Telepathe
Ponytail
Shy Child
Titus Andronicus