Baby’s first CMJ

First, I know this post is wayyyy overdue. CMJ ended three weeks ago, but I’ve spent those three weeks catching up on real life and uh, going to even more shows because I’m a freak, and writing a lot (for things slightly more important than my blog). The next couple of weeks are super slow on the show front though, and I’m really not complaining.

Anyway, I survived my first CMJ! Hooray! It was a crazy, crazy week, but ultimately a lot of fun and a great experience. I went in not having a badge, so I just planned ahead and got on lists for the non-free shows I wanted to go to…and then all of a sudden I found myself with a badge, but didn’t really end up needing it! My apartment was pretty much a hotel: Four friends stayed here for almost the whole week, and the fellow Michiganders in the awesome band Frontier Ruckus (five band members + two significant others) were here for three nights. One night we had I think 15 people sleeping here including my roommates and me. That is probably never happening again.

Throughout the week I was doing daily write-ups and photos for Under the Radar‘s Web site, and I also covered a panel for PompOnline.com (Web site for Pomp & Circumstance magazine) and did an interview for Heeb, which hasn’t run yet. So uh, I was pretty busy.

Stuff I wrote that week:

PRE-CMJ: The Syndicate/Rachael Ray’s The Feedback party + PHOTOS (The Union Line, Fanfarlo, White Denim [pictured])

DAY ONE: Sneak Attack day party/BrooklynVegan showcase + PHOTOS (Laura Marling, The Antlers, Love Language, Think About Life, Javelin, Walter Schreifels Band, Nathaniel Rateliff and the Wheel [pictured])

DAY TWO: Mumford & Sons, Twenty Seven Media showcase, ABC News Amplified showcase + PHOTOS (Sleigh Bells, Phantogram [pictured], Mumford & Sons, Computer Perfection)

Life Lessons from Andrew W.K. (writeup about Andrew W.K.’s CMJ lecture/presentation)

DAY THREE: Quite Scientific Records showcase + PHOTOS (Lightning Love, Chris Bathgate, Frontier Ruckus [pictured])

DAY FOUR: self-titled magazine and Pop Mart Media showcase, Green Label Sound party + PHOTOS (Delorean, Holly Miranda [pictured], Cymbals Eat Guitars, Miles Benjamin Anthony Robinson, Amazing Baby, Chromeo)

DAY FIVE AAM Showcase/day party + PHOTOS (Dum Dum Girls [pictured], Headlights, the Dutchess and the Duke, Lightspeed Champion)

Artists I think you should check out NOW:

- Sleigh Bells: I know they hardly have any songs and have probably been a bit over-hyped… but whoa, Alexis Krauss (the singing and dancing half of the band, pictured above) is my new hero.

- Delorean: Freaking awesome dancey music from Spain. Would’ve liked to see a longer set and be in a setting where I didn’t have to take photos and notes because I would have much rather been dancing!

- Mumford & Sons: Gorgeous and fun British folk. Their debut LP is already out in the UK and they’re signed to Glassnote Records for the U.S. release.

- Laura Marling: I adore Laura Marling. She’s 19 years old and blows my mind. She was my No. 1 artist I was looking forward to seeing all week and did not disappoint (also British folk). So charming, such a beautiful voice, great lyrics, just love her. She has an album coming out sometime next year and I’m sooo excited to hear it.

- The Antlers: It honestly took me a little while to get into the Antlers, even though I’ve had their record, Hospice (Frenchkiss), forever, but seeing them live definitely helped that. “Bear” is absolutely one of my favorite songs of the year and live it was phenomenal.

A few others: Dum Dum Girls, Nathaniel Rateliff and the Wheel, The Union Line