CMJ 2014 – Day Two Recap

QRO was all over the place, but still couldn’t make everything, on Day Two of CMJ 2014....
CMJ

CMJ 2014 - Day Two Recap

Another year, another CMJ. New York’s multi-venue music industry festival has had its ups and downs, but in 2014 seems to be on an upswing, with a slew of big shows to go with the millions of struggling bands at tiny places, Tuesday-to-Saturday, October 21st to 25th:

 

 

Never Better party @ Arlene’s Grocery

PAWS

PAWS

Click image for full gallery – Donald Lee

 

Lee Bains III & The Glory Fire

Lee Bains III & The Glory Fire

Click image for full gallery – Donald Lee

 

PINS

PINS

Click image for full gallery – Donald Lee

 

Tweens

Tweens

Click image for full gallery – Donald Lee

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Deli Mag showcase @ Rockwood Music Hall, Stage 2

The Family Crest

The Family Crest

Click image for full gallery – Bashira Webb

 

Sons of an Illustrious Father

Sons of an Illustrious Father

Click image for full gallery – Bashira Webb

 

She Keeps Bees

She Keeps Bees

Click image for full gallery – Bashira Webb

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Canadian Blast showcase @ Hotel Chantelle

HIGHS

HIGHS

Click image for full gallery – Derek Klevitz

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Old Flame Records showcase @ Pianos (Upstairs)

Dead Stars

Dead Stars

Click image for full gallery – Derek Klevitz

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CMJ showcase @ DROM

Sophie Hanlon

Sophie Hanlon

Click image for full gallery – Donald Lee

 

Native America

Native America

Click image for full gallery – Donald Lee

 

Turtle Giant

Turtle Giant

Click image for full gallery – Donald Lee

 

Be Forest

Be Forest

Click image for full gallery – Donald Lee

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Force Field PR showcase @ Cake Shop

Itasca

Itasca

Click image for full gallery – Derek Klevitz

 

CYMBALS

CYMBALS

Click image for full gallery – Bashira Webb

 

White Reaper

White Reaper

Click image for full gallery – Derek Klevitz

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CMJ showcase @ Terminal 5

Luxley

Luxley

Click image for full gallery – Ken Grand-Pierre

 

Milo Greene

Milo Greene

Click image for full gallery – Ken Grand-Pierre

 

Bombay Bicycle Club

Bombay Bicycle Club

Click image for full gallery – Ken Grand-Pierre

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Tijuana Gift Shop showcase @ Bowery Electric

Faded Paper Figures

Faded Paper Figures

Click image for full gallery – Ted Chase

PR firm Tijuana Gift Shop took over Bowery Electric, with the big draw being Faded Paper Figures. The group played to a packed space, displaying some smooth, relaxed indietronica, also with some strum elements, akin to Savoir Adore

 

Wormburner

Wormburner

Click image for full gallery – Ted Chase

After some MTA runaround (see below), was back at Bowery Electric for Wormburner. The place admittedly wasn’t as packed, probably because Wormburner’s sound isn’t as flavor of this month – they’re honest-to-god focused on guitars (of course, broke a string and had to borrow a Stratocaster)…

Playing off their recently released new album, Pleasant Living In Planned Communities, Wormburner began with single “Today Might Be Our Day” (QRO review), which might have been better as a big close – but instead they ended with a well received cover of Cult’s “(She Sells) Sanctuary”.

 

JPNGRLS

JPNGRLS

Click image for full gallery – Ted Chase

Might have missed the Osaka females Shonen Knife (see below), but caught JPNGRLS. This jaded New Yorker enjoyed how the (actually) boys (actually) from Vancouver were psyched to be playing in the Big Apple for the first time. Their wild party-rock (that included on-stage push-ups) was also slightly emo, but that element can actually cut nicely any over-party.

 

Concord America

Concord America

Click image for full gallery – Ted Chase

Closing out the showcase was Concord America, a garage party-rock trio.

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SESAC showcase @ The Delancey

TOPS

TOPS

Click image for full gallery – Derek Klevitz

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Crack In the Road/Grungecake Mag/Oleh! showcase @ Pianos

Tei Shi

Tei Shi

Click image for full gallery – Derek Klevitz

 

Oyinda

Oyinda

Click image for full gallery – Derek Klevitz

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Deli Mag showcase @ Rockwood Music Hall, Stage 1

Invisible Familiars

Invisible Familiars

Click image for full gallery – Bashira Webb

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Other notes:

-Attempted to go from Bowery Electric to Knitting Factory for Shonen Knife (see below) via the M train at Broadway/Lafayette, only to discover too late that of course it wasn’t running there after nine PM for the first three nights of CMJ.

 

Unfortunately missed:

-Twin Peaks (QRO photos), Happyness, and The Wytches (QRO photos) @ Glasslands (QRO venue review), 8:45 PM – 11:15 PM.

-Gringo Star (QRO spotlight on), The Dig (QRO live review), and Ages and Ages (QRO photos) @ Niagara, 9:15 PM – 12:00 AM.

-Shonen Knife (QRO spotlight on) @ Knitting Factory (QRO venue review), 10:00 PM – 10:55 PM.

-Girlpool and Caveman (QRO album review) @ Baby’s All Right (QRO venue review), 11:10 PM – 1:00 AM.

-Cold War Kids (QRO live review) @ Rough Trade NYC (QRO venue review), 11:30 PM – 12:30 AM.

-MiniBoone (QRO live review) @ Rock Shop (QRO venue review), 12:00 AM – 1:00 AM. Too far and too late on the rainy night.

-Ravens & Chimes (QRO album review) @ Fontana’s (QRO venue review), 12:00 AM – 1:00 AM.

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