Now into its 3rd decade of existence CMJ Music Marathon has earned a reputation for picking largely unknown acts and ushering them towards imminent success. With 1400 acts playing across 80+ venues in Manhattan and Brooklyn there really is something for everybody.
Here are our personal highlights:
Panama Wedding | Mercury Lounge
After a slew of unofficial daytime shows we ventured into a packed Mercury Lounge to witness what would be the first of several CMJ performances by newcomers Panama Wedding. There was considerable buzz surrounding the NYC band despite the single “All Of The People” being their sole release but the band were not caught unprepared. The band’s short set could have betrayed their lack of material, instead their focussed performance succeeded in showcasing their dreamy laid back sound to a thrilled audience. Naturally the aforementioned “All Of The People” garnered the biggest cheer but Panama Wedding provided numerous highpoints to come away with.
NONONO | Mercury Lounge
Any band making the trip over to to make their North American debut would be forgiven for being a little apprehensive on the night; not NONONO. The Swedish trio kicked off their set and never looked back with frontwoman Stina Wappling taking very little time to win this audience over with her undoubted charm and, crucially, her sultry vocals. As the band peppered their set with newbies and tracks from their debut EP ‘Pumpin Blood‘ they gave each other mischievous looks aiding to the sense that we were witnessing something special on the night. With production duo Astma & Rocwell providing a perfect backdrop for Stina‘s vocals to soar NONONO set the template for female fronted electro-tinged acts that we’d be seeing throughout CMJ this year but despite this only being the first night the trio had already set the bar extremely high.
U.S. Royalty | Rockwood Music Hall
Still buzzing from the previous performances we swiftly moved along to catch Washington, DC‘s U.S. Royalty at the nearby Rockwood Music Hall. I had just DJed with John Thornley in DC but this was a far cry from the mild mannered guy who had spun some excellent tunes a few days earlier. In his place a formidable frontman channelling everyone from Jim Morrison to Steven Tyler to Robert Plant with his ability to scream or serenade, often within the same song. Dressed in fitting outfits that incorporated everything from zebra prints to a feather boa this rock powerhouse stormed through a set heavy on 70’s tinged balls out stadium sized riffs. Rock n Roll is alive and well.
Computer Magic | Studio @ Webster Hall
A late night trip allows us to catch the tail end of Computer Magic‘s set at the Studio at Webster Hall. I’ve been a fan of frontwoman Danielle Johnson‘s (aka Danz) project for a while and after just missing at SXSW I was glad I could make amends. Live her optimistic retro synthpop takes on a new life with the addition of a live wire drummer that gives these tracks a whole new dimension. Meanwhile the petite Danz surveys the venue from over her laptop and keyboard while delivering the sugar sweet melodies that made me come out here in the first place. This was a great way to end the night.
TRACKS:
