CMJ 2009 Preview: Five Must-See Bands

Posted on Oct 16th 2009 2:00PM by Dan Reilly
Comments

Next Tuesday, Oct. 20, marks the start of the CMJ Music Marathon, a five-day festival in New York that features over 1200 artists. Unlike most festivals that are held on one site, bands at CMJ will perform at dozens of venues in Manhattan and Brooklyn from noon to the wee hours of the morning, so fans will have to choose their shows -- not to mention their commuting routes -- wisely. To help out, here are our picks for five acts worth seeing at this year's Marathon.

Atlas Sound
Tuesday, Oct. 20, Le Poisson Rouge, 10PM
One of the most anticipated shows at CMJ is the opening night set from Atlas Sound, the side project of Deerhunter's Bradford Cox. His mellow songs are the perfect way to ease into five consecutive days of concerts, especially in the way he somehow manages to make them seem accessible and wildly experimental at the same time. With Deerhunter on hiatus and Atlas Sound releasing its second album, 'Logos,' the day before, this show promises to be a special night. The Selmanaires and Broadcast will also perform.

Saul Williams
Wednesday, Oct.21, Gramercy Theater, 11:15 PM
While CMJ is still dominated by rock bands, there are plenty of rap acts on the lineup this year, including Busta Rhymes, Das Racist and Wu-Tang Clan's U-God. But the most interesting has to be Saul Williams. Even if you only know him from the Nike commercial that featured his song 'List of Demands (Reparations),' the writer/poet/actor/rapper's brand of industrial hip-hop is guaranteed to get you rocking out. Rock fans should take note that Williams' last album, 2007's 'The Inevitable Rise and Liberation of NiggyTardust!' was produced by Nine Inch Nails mastermind Trent Reznor.

Hockey
Thursday, Oct. 22, Mercury Lounge, 11 PM, Doors at 6:30PM
There's a stereotype that fans at New York indie shows usually just stand in one spot, coolly bobbing their heads while sipping PBR, rarely expressing much emotion. Well, if you want to see Big Apple residents let loose, check out new waver rockers Hockey. Touring in support of their debut album, 'Mind Chaos,' this Portland, Ore. group comes off like a punk band with danceable grooves. If that's not enough to get you there, the rest of the lineup features JMB, Alec Ounsworth of Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, Ambulance LTD, Local Natives, Sean Bones and Patrick Watson & the Wooden Arms. This show is simply a can't-miss.

Japandroids
Saturday, Oct 24th, The Bell House, 1AM
The CMJ experience wouldn't be complete without a late-night set. But you have to choose wisely -- checking out some acoustic, shoegaze band when you're ready to fall asleep is never a good idea, so you might as well head to one of Brooklyn's best venues to see Japandroids. The garage rock duo from Vancouver will deliver a hard-hitting set featuring songs from their debut full-length, 'Post-Nothing.' This Polyvinyl showcase also includes sets from Headlights, Motel Motel, a DJ set from Asobi Seksu and more.

Rain Machine
Sunday, Oct. 24, Bowery Ballroom, Midnight (Doors open at 6PM, Saturday)
For many fans, the phrase "side project" conjures the image of a band member getting weird in ways that his normal, popular group won't allow. With TV on the Radio guitarist Kyp Malone's Rain Machine, that is definitely not the case. Malone's soulful voice blends perfectly with the beautiful and at times forceful rock, and even if you're not a TVOTR fan, this is a show worth checking out. Performing earlier in the evening are Sharon Van Etten, Violens, Imaad Wasif, Threes and Nines and Stricken City.