CMJ came back for its umpteenth year to New York City, Tuesday-to-Saturday, October 13th-17th.
CMJ kick-off showcase @ Pianos
CMJ always really begins on Ludlow Street, as Pianos (QRO venue review) had a kick-off day party with the likes of the wild one-man Cosmo Sheldrake and the indie-jazzy Aussie kids Slum Sociable:
Slum Sociable
Click image for full gallery – Derek Klevitz
Cosmo Sheldrake
Click image for full gallery – Derek Klevitz
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CMJ party @ Cake Shop
Surfbort
Click image for full gallery – Derek Klevitz
Cake Shop (QRO venue review) down the block on Ludlow is the other CMJ starting point, which had the punk-wild Surfbort.
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Sierra Nevada showcase @ Rockwood Music Hall, Stage #2 & #3
Another main haunt at CMJ every year is Rockwood Music Hall (QRO venue review), which has not one, not two, but three stages! On Day One, Sierra Nevada held a showcase that included Son Little, Hooton Tennis Club, Caitlin Mahoney, and Fraser A. Gorman:
Fraser A. Gorman
Click image for full gallery – Deborah Lowery
Caitlin Mahoney
Click image for full gallery – Deborah Lowery
Hooton Tennis Club
Click image for full gallery – Deborah Lowery
Son Little
Click image for full gallery – Derek Klevitz
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CMJ showcase @ The Delancey
The Delancey might be a difficult place to see music, but it always hosts a lot of it at CMJ, such as Arrows of Love, City of the Sun, and Narc Twain on Day One:
Narc Twain
Click image for full gallery – Deborah Lowery
City of the Sun
Click image for full gallery – Deborah Lowery
Arrows of Love
Click image for full gallery – Deborah Lowery
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CMJ showcase @ Bowery Ballroom
For three nights at CMJ, Panda Bear took over Bowery Ballroom (QRO venue review), with PC Worship:
PC Worship
Click image for full gallery – Deborah Lowery
Panda Bear
Click image for full gallery – Deborah Lowery
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BalconyTV showcase @ The Marlin Room at Webster Hall
FEMME
Click image for full gallery – Ted Chase
BalconyTV threw a great showcase that was unfortunately at The Marlin Room at Webster Hall, including powerful female FEMME. Nothing against the space itself, which is actually superior to the downstairs Studio at Webster Hall (QRO venue review), but it has the high drink prices of the more expensive upstairs main room (QRO venue review). [However, your correspondent did luck into a VIP wristband that was found on the floor]
French Horn Rebellion
Click image for full gallery – Ted Chase
Dance! French Horn Rebellion is a large ensemble of musicians, including two from old QRO favorite Savoir Adore (QRO live review). The actual French horn was only brought out for special occasions, but the group also divided the crowd for a dance-off, covered “Don’t You Want Me” lounge-style, and featured guest Catey Shaw.
Mansions On the Moon
Click image for full gallery – Ted Chase
The showcase closed with the alt-pop emo-party of Mansions On the Moon.
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Banners party @ Pianos
Back at Pianos was an evening showcase by Banners that included Mainland and Sizzy Rocket:
Sizzy Rocket
Click image for full gallery – Derek Klevitz
Mainland
Click image for full gallery – Derek Klevitz
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Other notes:
-CMJ 2015 had a new publicist and new HQ, Dream Hotel Downtown on West 16th Street – a little farther from the action than prior years, but a much classier space than the Judson Memorial Church/NYU Kimmel Center. This particularly came to the fore with the press mixer on Day One, which had an ultra-class food spread (of course, your correspondent had eaten just before, at regular CMJ haunt Rosario…), where the head of CMJ talked about their new self-ownership and expanding to year-round action. They also showed a promo clip for HBO’s new series about the music biz in the seventies, Vinyl.
Unfortunately missed:
-Oberhofer (QRO album review) @ Brooklyn Bowl (QRO venue review).
