Jefe
aka Johnny Chiba's CMJ
2010 PhotoJournal Experiential
The 30th year of the annual
CMJ Music & Film Marathon. Thousands of folks from bands,
fans, record labels and media from around the globe converge on NYC for a
week-long
festival of music showcases, sponsored parties, films, biz panels and more.
Having worked as CMJ Indie Sales Samurai for 6 years, this was my
first Marathon
NOT working for the company in years; yet I felt compelled to write about
what I saw,
for the love of new music, new bands, and new experientials.
Denied a press pass(!), I went through personal channels to garner a badge.
Thank you Ms. Bruna, Baskin Robin, Prez Bobby and his hairy Reverence
Moose!
Read the following observations
by Jon
Pareles of the
New York Times,
Chart
Attack, Brooklyn
Vegan, for a fuller-fledged comprehension of
the massive fest that IS CMJ Music & Film Marathon 2010.
Italicized descriptions
c/o CMJ2010 Festival Guide
Click thumbnails for big pics
CMJ TUESDAY - 10.19.10
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STREET
CHANT @ Le Poisson Rouge
Caffeinated post-punk
soundtrack to New Zealand slam dance revolution
A three-piece from New Zealand,
2 girls (guitar/bass) and 1 guy on drums
(thought he was a girl) make a sweet noise, tight and right like a Conchord
Flight,
these kiwis knew how to rock. The lead singer mentioned one song being a number
one
in Zealand, which I thought to be a tongue-in-cheek lie, but the song turned
out to be
fantastic, filled with harmonies and dirty feedback. I loved it. The chap
next to me
told me the band's name was Street Cunts, which I found amusing.
post-chant: gave a listen to the Street Chant cd, and was
thoroughly impressed by the tuneage.
An excellent post-punky amalgam of SonicYouth-esque primordial plunking, the
gal vocal
at times sounds like a guy, except where the sweet songs belie the womanly
indie shoegazer inside.
have I heard these songs before?... mebbe in a dream, a chanting dream from
the streets of Zoo Nealand!
on my way to Ludlow street
(and Katz's Deli),
I came across a photoshoot in progress. who is this band,
who are these girls, what are their names and numbers? thanks.
DINOWALRUS
@ Cake Shop
Cosmic ecstacy noise
from a trio boasting Titus Andronicus' guitarist
Went to see AUDACITY at Panache
showcase at the Shop of Cake,
but it turns out they did not show up! Bummer! According to Michelle of Panache
the band figured it wasn't worth the trip. The audacity! Saw the end of Dinowalrus
set,
featuring some feedbacky guitar (guitarist Pete plays with Tito Andronico),
and before I knew it, set was over! Damn you Audacity!
CITY
RIOTS @ Piano's
Synth-inflected guitar
rock with hummable pop melodies
Watched a few songs from this Australian
band of tall men, and
enjoyed what I heard. One tune in particular was very
CLASH-y, with a full-on Mick Jonesy guitar riff that wouldn't quit.
Live, this band sounds a lot fresher and rocking than studio tracks
heard on myspace that sounded kinda tame (not lame!) in comparison.
CMJ WEDNESDAY - 10.20.10
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PRINCE
RAMA (of AYODHYA)@ Cake Shop
Robuts
tribal krishnadelia full of epic drumming and chanting
Although I did not get
a picture of this Brooklyn-cum-Universal Love trio,
their publicity pics and album covers say it all about their Krishnadelic
psychotropic
chanting grooves and drumming tunes. Quite interesting. I almost bought a
CD that
was garnished with jewels, but needed to save cash for a Katz's deli sandwich...
damn karma!
Animated Prince Rama
cd's c/o Chiba... click 'em!
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Architecture
of Utopia |
Princely
Pawtracks cd |
Animated
Rama Rama |
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Rabid and fervent disarray controlled with electronic nausea and grinding guitars
Part of the Terrorbird (Promotion) Showcase, if there was one artist
I was going to see at CMJ this year, it was Marnie Stern. I had recently
discovered and reviewed her latest record, after blissfully ignoring her previous releases,
and I was a huge fan. Marnie and her crew are a happy bunch, making vagina and penis
jokes, and basically having a sophomoric time in between complex rhythmic songs.
Turns out Marnie has a Vagina Monoblog (VaJamming) where she talks about
touring, cooking, eating, and having a tight vajeen you can play raquetball against.
Nice! I should have this review up on testicle.com! Back to the show, Marnie initially
had some problems with her guitar effects box ("I said box" Marnie cawed), and after some more
jokes about penis, "I Dream of Va-Jeanie" and getting laid, the band put on a decent show,
filled with selections from the recently-released Marnie Stern cd. Marn's ability to play / tap guitar
and sing is interesting, and drummer Zack "Hella" Hill is utterly amazing live. What chops!!
I particularly liked the song "For Ash" and the dynamic "Build Her Confidence".
As fragile and tough Marnie Stern seems, her destiny is to be the Queen of Peen (in the Vajeen).
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Funky Italian jam band turns cinematic inspirations into psychedelic grooves
Not knowing what to expect
gave me no expectations, and once again CMJ Festival Guide came through
with an apt description of a great instrumental band from Italy, whose music
is a soundtrack to an
italian horror film you haven't yet seen. Excellent players all, the guitar,
bass and keyboard/flute/sax
performed together as one. At one point, all donned ski masks for a song,
and the keyboardist, acting
as group spokesman in broken english, explained they were good/bad guys. I
didn't understand most of
what he said, but they were grateful to be at CMJ, and they rocked. They also
have song in upcoming
Bruce Willis film "Red." Ciao!
CMJ THURSDAY - 10.21.10
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HOT
PANDA @ FONTANA'S
High
energy indie rock with accordian and spacey hooks
Yet
another band I caught by accident, waiting to see Croatian punk rockers Overflow
at Pirate promotion
pre-party at Fontana's. Hot Panda were Hottt!, from Canada (or Panada),
very indie, with a keyboard player whose loopy effects colored the band quirky.
He also doubled on guitar, and was one of the best players I heard all CMJ,
very
muscley tone and feedback with dissonant lead lines... reminded me of a Fripp-ish,
Manzanara guitar. The singer/guitarist had a good humorous wit, the female
bass player played
trumpet, and the drummer rocked as hard as her tom toms were large. All good!
Oh Panada!
OVERFLOW
@ FONTANA'S
Croatian punk rock
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Punk Rockers from the
land of Croat and goat. Surprised there wasn't a packed house full of Croats
watching this awesome rocking band, but it WAS a last minute fill-in for Pirate
showcase!
Nevertheless, Overflow played a compelling set of punk rawkishness, led by
a highly charismatic singer.
I was hoping they'd sing in Croatian (well, they did a slow folkish ditty
for a minute in their home language), but
they punkrocked the way of the Epitaph/Fat Wreck roster... very tight, skilled,
fun to watch, and bolstered by the
effervescent lead presence of the wide-mouthed singer, are quite entertaining!
Croat on the Hudson! Lalalalala!
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Solid indie rock that manages to balance its known roots with something otherworldly
Another band I'd never heard until sitting down with the CMJ Guidebook,
slogging thru myspace pages, and thinking how interesting their music sounded.
They did not disappoint live. Although from Brooklyn, the guitar players are
from Germany and India respectively, with a couple 'Mericans rounding
out the Khmer. Thanks for the pizza Musebox!
JAILL
@ The Studio @ Webster Halll
Psychedelic good times in an introspective world
Here I thought this talked-about band would be playing
upstairs in the nice big room,
but NOOOooo, JAILL is downstairs in "the studio" at Webster Halll,
which might as welll
be helll, or jaill... a very indie group with lead mustache and bald head
front and center,
I just could not get into them... way too gay for my homophobic taste (I kid).
I should have known from the CMJ Guide description.
PS: if the band is really gay, I apologize.
CMJ
FRIDAY - 10.22.10
Went
to the panel SO YOU WANT TO BE A MUSIC BLOGGER, WHO CARES?
Enjoyed Nasty
Little Man publicist Steve Martin, viral artist Mikey of Blackbird
Blackbird;
Interesting views from Hype Machine's
Dev, Perpetual Matthew of Fluxblog,
and Veronica of
Strangers In Stereo/Creamteam.tv
talk about blogging, writing, blogging and being a loser, I mean, writer.
PS: I half-snickered aloud reading Blackbird2 CMJ Guide description:
Pixelated fairies serenade a hazy trip through a techno forest with sweetly
dusted melodies
then it was time for the annual Pirate party, back at dinky old Fontana's
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Gypsy punks armed with horns and strings want you to dance
If Ricky Ricardo fronted Beirut with Salmon Rushdie on violin and accordian, this is what you'd get.
Only kidding, I loved Devotchka, and loved their promo airline vodka bottle (DeVodka?) even more.
Gypsy-esque guitar, crooning vocals, string accompaniment (including the excellent
female stand-up bass player, or was that a cello? hello?) Good vibe, good band!
wide angle Devotchka
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see Wednesday description
above. more peen and vajeen jokes from
the Marnie Stern Power Joke Trio, the band seemed even tighter (in the vajeen)
than their previous appearance, no doubt from the 18 shows in 4 days at CMJ.
The band played quite well, and I could not help but key on Zack Hill on drums
again,
the man is amazing!! Marnie's guitar playing was especially grand, but too
short a set!
The laughing band hopped in their stretch limo and headed to Brooklyn Bowl
for another afternoon
appearance, but I'd had enough guitar vagina to fill me up for this CMJ...
CMJ SATURDAY - 10.23.10
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Crawling slowcore metal downtuned towards destruction.
Heaviness abounds the Batillus boat, led by the long blonde dreadlocked
singer, who also played ambient effects to create THAT mood.
Major riffage from a riff heavy brooklyn batillus
"Über-slow, beyond-atmospheric [...] blackened doom." - Revolver
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Psychelic garage rock with echoey vocals and ethereal harmonies.
Another Panache band, these guys are like garage rock on crack and weed.
I enjoyed listening to their myspace tracks, and live, at AAM's annual fest,
the band was having a party onstage. A good sense of humor and rocking
pervaded the Music Hall, these guys are the shit.
PS: I did not like how the "Music Hall" of Williamsburg restructured
the club so half of the club is now a bar with tables, and the other half is
a much smaller live venue... should be the "Music Hole of Williamsburg."
Better to Ty one on, I guess! Heyyo!
YET ANOTHER CMJ MARATHON
CUM AND GONE!
A Propulsion Production
PO Box 1582 . Cooper Station
New York City . NY . 10276