Tag: brooklyn vegan

CMJ Day 5 in Photos

This morning I gave you my recap of the final day of CMJ, thinking I would not be able to get around to posting photos until earliest tomorrow morning. Well, folks, I was kinda wrong there (alright, technically it’s 12:30am, but I wrote most of this before going to Muse. Just had to add labels). I’ve gotta say, I am really impressed with how on top of things I’ve been this week. The version of me that first started this blog would have just done a very short post at the end of CMJ instead of the daily recaps I ended up doing. I have enjoyed getting more of an opportunity to write about the things I love the most, and only hope I can keep doing it in the long term. So – without further ado – here is the final installment of my continuing coverage of CMJ from this week.

Brooklyn Vegan party @ Public Assembly
Wild Nothing
 Titus Andronicus
 Say hello to an unbelievable crowd
 A Million Years @ Spike Hill
 TJO Presents showcase
Sydney Wayser
 Matt Koziol

Endway

 In Cadeo
 Like Trains and Taxis
 Alyson Greenfield

 Hank and Cupcakes

CMJ Day 5 – The Conclusion

The last day of CMJ for me began with another Brooklyn Vegan party at Public Assembly. Unfortunately I arrived too late for Ted Leo, but I heard the line for that was out the door. Saw Wild Nothing for the second day in a row this week, and they were really good. I knew I liked them from the first time I saw them at Pianos, but I wasn’t sure how much until I heard them here again. After they finished, Titus Andronicus began to set up to play to a very packed house. It’s amazing to me how far they’ve come this year. Between this and headlining Webster Hall, I am very impressed. The band was possibly the biggest draw on the line-up, at least in my opinion. This is why it surprised me when the band was given an incredibly short set of approximately 20 minutes. They weren’t even really given much of a warning, simply told they were done and had to get off the stage. I thought the whole situation could have been handled much better, but I’m just a humble blogger…

I lost my interest in the BV party after the Titus incident, so I didn’t stay for the whole thing as originally planned. Instead, I hung out in Spike Hill for a bit to see this band called A Million Years. I couldn’t stay for their whole set, but what I heard I really liked.

The final act of my CMJ experience was the TJO Present showcase at Bar Matchless. This is the one I mentioned before that my friend was running. The turnout for this one was really good, as was the response from audience members about certain bands. I was the photographer for the evening, so I have a ton of pictures to sort through before I post anything.

Yesterday was a great end to a fantastic week. Pictures from the final day will be posted (hopefully) soon. Tonight I’m going to see Muse at Prudential Center in Newark, NJ, so look for a review of that soon as well.

CMJ Day 4 – feat Brooklyn Vegan & Force Field showcses

Yesterday included a bit of borough hopping between Brooklyn and Manhattan. First up was the Brooklyn Vegan showcase at Public Assembly. This included two rooms of free music and free alcohol (if you like Blue Moon or Firefly). There was also a table selling BV shirts, proceeds of which go towards “Music Has Power” (The Institute for Music and Neurologic Function). Good music + a good cause = good party by the Vegan. There’s another one today that has a sick line-up. Gonna head there first thing today.

One other thing worth noting about that BV party is one of the bands: Shrag. This band was from the UK, which got me thinking about how many bands travel from all over the world (especially places like the UK and New Zealand) just to come to CMJ. I think it’s really cool how this festival gives people a chance to experience music from not just all over the country, but from different parts of the world as well. Because let’s face it, how many of us are going to be visiting New Zealand any time soon?

Next stop was the Impose showcase to catch the band Dark Dark Dark. They were really fun, and had lots of different instruments (including accordion, trumpet, and clarinet). I really enjoyed this band and would definitely want to check them out again.

Final stop for the evening was the Force Field showcase at Pianos. The line-up included Lord Huron, La Sera, Violens, Woven Bones, Wild Nothing, and The So So Glos. I really went to see Violens and So So Glos, but all the bands did a pretty good job (although I definitely enjoyed some more than others). Wild Nothing are playing that Brooklyn Vegan showcase today, in case anyone is interested in checking them out. If you’re looking for a recommendation, consider this it.

One more thought before I bring this one to a close.

You all know how much I enjoy talking about my favorite band, Jukebox the Ghost. Well, I found a great conversations starter for this topic has been the tote bag I bought from their Music Hall show last month. It was because of this bag that I met someone from The Wild Honey Pie and got a great conversation about blogging and the band and music in general. Later that same night I got another comment from someone who knows the guitarist’s sister. So there are two lessons we can take from this: 1) a band’s merch makes for really good promotion and conversation starters, and 2) it is a small little world that Jukebox the Ghost is slowly taking over.

Speaking of promotion – let me take this final opportunity to invite you to Bar Matchless tonight for the TJO Presents showcase, featuring Matt Koziol, Sydney Wayser, F. Stokes, Stuedabakerbrow, Incadeo, Like Trains & Taxis, Alyson Greenfield, and Hank & Cupcakes. It’s going to be a great night, and it’s FREE. Two reasons you should come out and party with us.