Show Review

The CMJ Music Marathon is one of the most well known and respected festival/conference around if you are heading into the music business. Even if you are just a fan, there is plenty of music to keep you more than content that is spread throughout a five day period. Venues and bars all over New York City hold hundreds of showcases throughout the day and night in which thousands of bands from around the world com to play their set.
This year, I got the pleasure to attend CMJ as a fan and actually have the luxury of being 21+. Note, for all users on here that are not 21, you may still attend CMJ but you will not be able to get into many of the bars as they do card. So I had the pleasure of hopping around from what seemed to be the gigantic city and saw some great showcases. I will be breaking down each day for you and giving you brief descriptions of the bands that I saw. The journey was supposed to begin on Tuesday but the night was a bust due to the fact that the two shows I had set out to see (Mark Ronson DJ Set / The Bronx) were both filled to capacity. So the journey actually begins on Wednesday.

After tons of panels and CMJ day parties that didn’t involve music, I started off the evening with a screening of The Brothers Bloom starring Adrien Brody and Rachel Weisz. Bloom (Brody) is one of two brothers who are the greatest con-men in the world who attempt to swindle Penelope (Weisz). The brothers and their side kick (cleverly named Ying-ling) travel around the world, where Bloom is used by his brother to con the quirky Penelope out of the millions which she inherited. The subtle nuances and lively characters make the film charming and an enjoyable watch. Not to mention the soundtrack fits the film very well.

After the movie, I attempted to see Fujiya and Miyagi at the Mercury Lounge but we had arrived too late. Determined to see some music, I went to The Annex for the Bring on the Brits showcase in which we were successful at getting in. The first band we saw was Radio Luxembourg from the Wales. The four-piece plays power-pop music that fairly resembles of the early Beatles albums and at times Robbie Williams. The band seemed to be on top of their game that night and having never heard them before, they played a fun set that pleased the crowd. They also played a song for anyone that loved cake.

Next up was Dirty Fuzz from London. I wish I had good things to say about the band but the truth is that this had to be one of the worst sets I sat through my entire time at CMJ. The structure of the band reminds me of No Doubt with three people in the back and a front woman, Elida Zulu, who takes complete control of the show. While Zulu has stage presence, the structure of the songs and the lyrics to the music fall beyond short. Just because you “defy authority” and play your music loud does not make you rock and roll.

Finally, the band I had been waiting to see was Friendly Fires from St. Albans. The band recently signed to XL and put out their debut self-titled album which is nothing short of incredible. The band play a nice blend of indie-pop mixed with some shoegaze and experimental style. The sound translates extremely well live as the three-piece turns into a four piece when they have touring guitarist/percussionist Rob Lee join them. While the band uses pre-recorded mixes of certain synth songs such as the main vocal track on “Jump In The Pool”, it makes no difference as the band is constantly doing something. Lead singer Ed Macfarlane’s stage presence is often similar Mick Jagger and at times comparable to Pelle Almqvist of The Hives. The band played a solid set that night including songs such as the previously mentioned “Jump in the Pool”, “White Diamonds”, “On Board”, “Photobooth”, “Skeleton Boy”, and closing off the night with “Ex Lover”. Afterwards, Macfarlane was drenched in sweat as the band bowed and thanked the crowd for an extremely warm welcome. After the set, I had originally planned to attend the Cake Shop to see Women but the night was getting late and I had a packed next day ahead of me.

review by Dave Giumara