Live4ever @ The CMJ Music Marathon


Fanfarlo

Fanfarlo




Oh CMJ, CMJ, CMJ. I bow my head at you. New York is always full of endless options for a good night out, but come CMJ, the possibilities are truly infinite. The actual marathon, unofficial parties, showcases, and panels are enough to make anyone’s head spin, and boy is my head still spinning!

Both the syndicate and myself started CMJ off a night early, cause you know, five days of nonstop gigging isn’t enough! Held at midtown’s Rebel, the syndicate’s pre-CMJ showcase was the place to be. All three floors of Rebel were packed shortly after doors opened as there were free drinks up until ten, and four, very blogger-friendly bands to see: The Union Line, The Cringe, White Denim, and the band I came to see, Fanfarlo.

Fanfarlo, are without question, one of the buzz bands of this years CMJ. Funnily enough, last year, I saw them in the tiny basement of Fat Baby – amazing what a year can do. Much like Arcade Fire, Fanfarlo seemingly came out of nowhere to much deserved acclaim. This may be because they’re a band that everyone just needs right now. After years of sifting through the absolute crap that comes through as “the next big thing”, Fanfarlo actually make music worthy of everyone’s attention. They make perfectly twee, uplifting, yet at the same time, depressing music. Each song of theirs takes on a different meaning to everyone in the audience – thus making their music so immediate and important. They play musical chairs all through out the night, with almost every member taking up several different instruments through out the course of the evening. Fanfarlo played at least five shows during CMJ, and will be back before the year is up, at Webster Hall – their relentless touring of the States will further solidify their future as the next big thing!

Now, onto the official business…

Tuesday, October 20:

I started off my first true night of CMJ by heading to Piano’s to catch Casper Bangs play a short set upstairs. Unfortunately, nothing really goes as planned with CMJ and hundreds of acts jammed into five short days and nights, makes it nearly impossible for things to run smoothly, so it was understandable that his set started off late. Casper Bangs takes off where Grandaddy left off – making simple, stripped down song/narratives that are so catchy you become instantly hooked.

I left early in order to check out the New Zealand Showcase with Bang Bang Eche at the Red Bull party space sponsored by Sub42 Vodka. The music they make could not be any more different than Casper Bangs’ – it’s loud, in your face, dance-metal – and it’s fucking awesome. The band’s lose and edgy set was more of what CMJ was all about than the well rehearsed set that followed by co-patriots Kingston who looked like they walked out of a “Rock N Roll – one on one” class sponsored by Nickelodeon. Die Die Die on the other hand was less about holding the paparazzi pose and more about jumping into the crowd and causing havoc, always a crowd pleaser. Long live the Kiwis , now if only they knew how to mix a good vodka cocktail…….

Wednesday, October 21:



The following night I decided to stay put at Bowery Ballroom, as the lineup was full of acts I wanted to see.

Freelance Whales

Freelance Whales

First up, and surprisingly on time, were Freelance Whales from Queens. As whales are the new animal-band-name trend, I was truly pleased that they actually lived up to their recorded music live. If any band belonged on the Garden State soundtrack, it’s them, and hopefully that alone describes their sound and feel!

Up next was Findlay Brown, another discovery I made in researching the Brits. His music is orchestrated, romantic, and in its own way, anthemic. His voice and lyrics are just downright beautiful.

Then, the self-professed thorn in Bowery’s night of roses were Tigercity. This band sounds nothing like what they look like, their music is kind of gay, but their look is just the opposite – biker, head banger. Their music is straight out of a roller disco party circa 1970 with hints of VHS or Beta (the band) thrown in for good measure.

Tiger City

Tiger City

The Postelles put the night back on track with their seemingly effortless pop songs. They make it look so easy, and it’s even more impressive when you realize not all of them are legally allowed to drink! They sing songs about girls you wish you were, and if that’s not the recipe for pop music, then I just don’t know what is.

The Pastelles

The Pastelles

Fanfarlo closed off the night for me, I skipped out on Midnight Juggernauts in order to rest up for the rest of CMJ.

Thursday, October 22:

I started Thursday off right by heading to Spin’s rooftop to catch Hockey play their SPINhouse live series. The weather thankfully was beautiful, and the night’s chill was a perfect setting for Portland’s Hockey. With their disturbingly perfect debut album, Mind Chaos, hitting the shelves only two weeks prior to CMJ, Hockey knew they had everyone on the rooftop at their fingertips. Hockey are a dance-rock band channeling Dylan in a non-cliché way. Their shadows were being cast on the wall next to them were huge, foreshadowing, in my opinion, just how big they’re going to be in a few short months.

After their set on the rooftop, Hockey headed slightly uptown to Mercury Lounge, and so did I, to catch them live once more, along with Ambulance LTD. Ambulance, particularly Marcus, have really grown over the years and managed to stretch shoe-gaze to a genre worth exploring. Merc was really packed when Ambulance took the stage, and they just let Marcus’s dreamy vocals take over, as the weather outside was mimicking the music inside.

Friday, October 23:

By the time Friday rolled around, I was already past exhaustion and into a state of delirium, so decided to only check out one show, Goldhawks at Mercury Lounge. The venue had a full night of bands scheduled for the evening, all the way ‘til two in the morning, so I was glad they were the first band of the night! They’re a hard band to categorize, as they are equal parts Americana and Britpop, a combination that is hard to pull off, but Goldhawks come out on the right side making a unique blend of those two distinct genres.

Gold Hawks

Gold Hawks

Saturday, October 24:

Started the day off early by heading to Piano’s to catch Pete & The Pirates play the Brooklyn Vegan day party. My first introduction to this band was nearly three years ago to the date when I saw them open for Darlings of the Splitscreen (a band worth checking out) in London. I remember loving them then and have had the pleasure of seeing them nearly every year since as they’ve played SXSW in previous years as well. They’re a lot like Young Knives, both vocally and musically – with a little 80s pop thrown in for good measure.

I didn’t have anything else I wanted to check out until the evening so I spent my time wandering around dumpling fest. After gorging on said dumplings, I headed to Santos to dance off the weight I had just put on. First up were We Have Band who are just so effortlessly cool, it’s almost annoying! With Kele from Bloc Party like vocals, and Cut Copy like beats, and B52 like fun – We Have Band somehow manage to be a super group with just three people.

Up next, and the band I ended my CMJ with was The Golden Filter. While, without question their music is a dance frenzy, they didn’t have the same charm that We Have Band were able to pull off. The beats were there, but I was unable to give them my full attention as exhaustion caught up with me so I headed out early.

CMJ, for me this year, was an odd mix of twee-pop/mellow music, mixed with dance bands from more than just the UK – a rarity for me. CMJ 09’s lineup was one of the best that I can remember in recent history and I can’t wait for CMJ 10.

Sarah Pesin / photos by Rachel Pesin


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