Yesterday Jason Newman kicked our
CMJ preview (which, by the way, starts today) off with an extensive list of bands worth seeking out on namesake alone. While this is a perfectly reasonable way to plan your week, todays list focuses on those acts that bring both the buzz and the wares to prove it to NYC this week. To the lists!
Baebles CMJ Picks Talent/Buzz Edition
Tuesday, October 16
Dragons of Zynth/Celebration
11:00 p.m., Union Pool, 484 Union Ave., Brooklyn
The Skinny: Both heavily buzzed-about New York bands share the same artsy-meets-straight-ahead guitar rock style in the vein of TV on the Radio and Yeah Yeah Yeahs. (Both bands are produced by TVOTRs David Sitek.) Dragons of Zynth also play Mercury Lounge (217 Houston St.) on Saturday at 9:00 p.m.
Wednesday, October 17
Fools Gold Tour w/A-Trak, Kid Sister, DJ Mehdi, Kavinsky
All night, Hiro Ballroom, 118 Ninth Ave.
The Skinny: This one will definitely via for biggest ratio of hipsters to normies at the festival. Kavinsky and Mehdi rep Ed Banger, the Paris label known primarily for Justice and Uffie. A-Trak is perhaps best known as Kanye Wests touring DJ, but has long been known as one of the worlds top turntablist. And Chicagos Kid Sister rhymes over bouncy, electro-funk that fits in perfectly with her deejaying counterparts.
The Wildbirds
8:00 p.m., The Delancey, 168 Delancey St.
The Skinny: Youre forgiven if you think these guys are Kings of Leon when you first hear them. Really, the only difference is that these guys are from Wisconsin instead of Nashville, but they have Southern dirtbag rock nailed cold. And yes, we mean that in the most complimentary way.
Black Ghosts
11:00 p.m., The Delancey, 168 Delancey St.
The Skinny: UKs Black Ghosts, formed by Simon Lord (The guy who sang the original We Are Your Friends for Simian before Justice flipped it into the anthem of the year), make their U.S. debut at this heavily-anticipated show. Check for their debut EP out later this month.
Robbers on High Street
11:30 p.m., Mercury Lounge, 217 E. Houston St.
The Skinny: It seems that New Yorks ROHS have finally broken out of the Spoon Jr. comparisons with their recently-released
Grand Animals, which melds the unashamed pop of Beatles-era Paul McCartney with the darker, acerbic material of Beatles-era John Lennon. Their live show is still one of the most high-energy rock shows today.
Thursday, October 18
Benzos
7:45 p.m., Blender Theatre at Gramercy, 127 E. 23rd St.
The Skinny: Benzos have been kickin around NYC for a minute now, blending atmospheric downtempo and drum and bass with driving guitar-rock. With a nod to Kid A-era Radiohead, theyre worth getting to the Gramercy early.
Tiny Masters of Today
9:00 p.m., Bowery Ballroom, 6 Delancey St.
The Skinny: For those who loved
School of Rock but think Smoosh is too cute, we present Tiny Masters of Today. Ivan is 13. His sister Ada is 11. And they rock. OK, maybe its age-relative, but they still rock. Do they get drinking wristbands at shows?
Simian Mobile Disco
12:00 a.m., Music Hall of Williamsburg, 66 N. 6th St., Brooklyn
The Skinny: One of the most buzzed-about shows of the festival, Simian Mobile Disco was born from UK rock band Simian and with the release of this years Attack Decay Sustain Release, were successfully able to break from the band that Justice sampled title.
St. Vincent
12:00 a.m., Knitting Factory Main Space, 74 Leonard St.
The Skinny: Singer-songwriter Annie Clarks Marry Me became a blog favorite upon its release earlier this year. We dont know if shell bring her band for this show or go solo (most reviews lean more favorably towards the former), but worth checking out.
Friday, October 19
Drug Rug
7:00 p.m., Bowery Ballroom, 6 Delancey St.
The Skinny: Baeble favorites Drug Rug combine blues, folk and lo-fi sounds that recalls both Elephant 6 and classic 60s & 70s vocalist duos (Everly Brothers, Sonny & Cher, etc.) without those decades sappier moments.
Devin the Dude
10:00 p.m., B. B. Kings, 237 W. 42nd St.
The Skinny:A perenial favorite among the hipster set, the Texas rapper weaves hysterical storytelling with a laid-back, stoner flow. Picture Andre 3000 meeting Too $hort.
Sons & Daughters
12:00 a.m., Bowery Ballroom, 6 Delancey St.
The Skinny: The Scottish band released one of 2005s best albums with
The Repulsion Box, an album full of bar-ready songs about death, murder and love that made many critics Top Albums list. Their second album,
The Exit, comes out next January.
Illinois
12:00 a.m., Midway, 25 Avenue B
The Skinny: Baeble favorites
Illinois update the best of old-school roots rock and Americana with a modern touch. Think a harder-rocking Son Volt over Bob Seger.
Z-Trip
12:30 a.m., Studio B, 259 Banker St.
The Skinny: Bay Area DJ Z-Trip pioneered mash-ups before it even had a name and is known for electrifying, party-friendly sets that incongruously match [random band 1] with [random band 2] and have it all make sense on the dance floor.
AIDS Wolf
1:00 a.m., Knitting Factory Main Space, 74 Leonard St.
The Skinny: A few CMJs back, we walked into the damp, dark basement of New Yorks Lit Lounge to see a bunch of guys playing abrasive, primal rock in the audience (the band is known to immediately ditch the stage to play directly in the crowd.) It was hot, sweaty, disgusting and a beautiful CMJ moment.
Saturday, October 20
Justice
9:00 p.m., Terminal 5, 610 W 56th St
The Skinny: This one probably doesnt need any more hype than its already gotten. The Ed Banger bellwethers have been the hot shit duo du jour and their shows are more raucous parties than actual DJ sets. With an extended family and friends partying behind the decks with them and egging them on, Justice are not the DJs you watch to check their technique. Theyre the DJs you do shots and make out to. -
Jason Newman
