The New LoFi

CMJ 2011 (Festival Preview)

CMJ Music Festival is a mind-boggling event with hundreds of artist’s playing across New York City from October 18th to the 22nd. It’s overwhelming (in a good way).

Since it’s humanly impossible to see every single show, I’ve devised a plan… This year my strategy is to split the shows into ‘Must See,’ ‘Buzzed Bands,’ and ‘Haven’t Heard of and/or Seen Live, But Interested.’

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Must See

So if you are a music nut, but you can’t skip out of work and see 10 bands a day, you should at the very least put these artists on your list. I kept scheduling in mind as well and didn’t double book any bands that were playing at the same or similar time, so you could (and SHOULD!) see everyone of these artists.

Tuesday is the kickoff for the festival, and Smokey Robotic happens to be playing an 8:00 show at S.O.B.’s which makes for a great afterwork session. After Smokey Robotic kills it on stage, I can’t think of a better way to wrap up your night then to join Teen Daze on a spaced-out journey into beach inspired LoFi electronic music. Teen Daze has been my sound track for the summer, and you shouldn’t miss the opportunity to see him live (check out the Tour EP if you aren’t familiar).

Wednesday starts a little earlier, and there are a lot more hard choices to make. I’d say that you should put Casio Kids, and Clap Your Hands Say Yeah at the top of your list. Little Racer is another must see. Not only are they a great band, but they are playing at one of my favorite venues on Wednesday night (Spike Hill on Bedford Ave. in Brooklyn). It’s a small venue and a perfect place to get intimate with the band. Then head over to Union Pool to check out Gauntlet Hair. To finish off Wednesday, Mux Mool is a must go-to. We’ve been big fans of his here at TNLF, and I am super excited to get the first opportunity to see him play live.

Thursday has one must see event as far as I’m concerned…. Portugal. The Man. They are playing at Terminal 5, and it should be pretty epic.

Friday was bound to be chock-full O’ must-see’s so this might step on a few people’s toes, but here is what I think you should absolutely make it out to see. Atlas Sound should be your first stop, followed by the super new Canadian chillwave pop band, Purity Ring. Pete Tong plays at Pacha after that… Pete Tong is just a DJ legend and should not be missed. And he will give you a great reason to get the Friday night dance party started. Then you have two choices. Go to Webster Hall and catch The Japanese Popstars or head over to Santos Party House to line-up the French Horn Rebellion followed by Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs. And while I know you might start complaining because you’ve been on your feet all day, patiently listening to all types of music at this point, you must push yourself to make the doors at Mercury Lounge in order to see Drop The Lime. That show is sure to be a banger.

Saturday might not be as crazy as Friday night, but it is still packed with a bunch of great acts. So shovel in those Wheaties and get your ass to Living Room to see some Datarock. After you are all warmed up, take a walk over to Bowery Ballroom to get your fix of Xxxchange. Then it will be time to head over to Brooklyn to hit up Cameo Gallery for the finale of Art vs. Science (the Austrlian electronic band who has been taking over the world). And if you didn’t catch them at Santos Party House, you have a second chance to see T.E.E.D. at Cameo Gallery to end the night.

[audio:https://thenewlofi.com/wp-content/audio/2011/08/077%20Bazooka.mp3,https://thenewlofi.com/wp-content/audio/2011/10/For Paulina.mp3,https://thenewlofi.com/wp-content/audio/2011/10/Casiokids – Fot I Hose.mp3,https://thenewlofi.com/wp-content/audio/2011/10/Clap Your Hands Say Yeah – The Skin Of My Yellow Country Teeth.mp3,https://thenewlofi.com/wp-content/audio/2011/02/little_racer-split_for_the_coast.mp3,https://thenewlofi.com/wp-content/audio/2011/10/Gauntlet Hair – I Was Thinking.mp3,https://thenewlofi.com/wp-content/audio/2011/10/Mux Mool – Lazy Soul.mp3,https://thenewlofi.com/wp-content/audio/2011/10/Portugal The Man – People Say.mp3,https://thenewlofi.com/wp-content/audio/2011/10/Atlas Sound – River Card.mp3,https://thenewlofi.com/wp-content/audio/2011/10/Purity Ring – Lofticries.mp3,https://thenewlofi.com/wp-content/audio/2011/10/Pete Tong – Future Underg.mp3,https://thenewlofi.com/wp-content/audio/2011/10/The Japanese Popstars – Let Go.mp3,https://thenewlofi.com/wp-content/audio/2011/10/French Horn Rebellion – This Moment.mp3,https://thenewlofi.com/wp-content/audio/2011/10/The Suspense is Killing Me.mp3,https://thenewlofi.com/wp-content/audio/2011/10/Datarock – Fa-Fa-Fa.mp3,https://thenewlofi.com/wp-content/audio/2011/10/Santo Gold – LES Artistes – XXXchange Mix.mp3,https://thenewlofi.com/wp-content/audio/2011/10/Art vs Science – Fountain.mp3,https://thenewlofi.com/wp-content/audio/2011/10/Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs – Trouble.mp3|titles=Smokey Robotic – Bazooka,Teen Daze – For Paulina,Casiokids – Fot I Hose,Clap Your Hands Say Yeah – The Skin Of My Yellow Country Teeth,Little Racer – Split For The Coast,Gauntlet Hair – I Was Thinking…,Mux Mool – Lazy Soul,Portugal. The Man – People Say,Atlas Sound – River Card,Purity Ring – Lofticries,Pete Tong – Future Underg,The Japanese Popstars – Let Go,French Horn Rebellion – This Moment,Boy 8-bit – The Suspense is Killing Me (Drop The Lime remix),Datarock – Fa-Fa-Fa,Santo Gold – L.E.S. Artistes (XXXchange Mix),Art vs Science – Fountain,Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs – Trouble]
CMJ 2011 Must See Mix

• Smokey Robotic – Bazooka
• Teen Daze – For Paulina
• Casiokids – Fot I Hose
• Clap Your Hands Say Yeah – The Skin Of My Yellow Country Teeth
• Little Racer – Split For The Coast
• Gauntlet Hair – I Was Thinking…
• Mux Mool – Lazy Soul
• Portugal. The Man – People Say
• Atlas Sound – River Card
• Purity Ring – Lofticries
• Pete Tong – Future Underg
• The Japanese Popstars – Let Go
• French Horn Rebellion – This Moment
• Boy 8-bit – The Suspense is Killing Me (Drop The Lime remix)
• Datarock – Fa-Fa-Fa
• Santo Gold – L.E.S. Artistes (XXXchange Mix)
• Art vs Science – Magic Fountain
• Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs – Trouble

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Buzzed Bands

If you are feeling really ambitious, or if you have a job but you can take off most of this week, OR if you are a trustafarian hipster that doesn’t have a job and you can afford to watch 15 shows a day, you should also check out these bands that have been getting a lot of buzz.

The Death Set are going to be ripping up Webster Hall on Tuesday and it should be intense. We did a little write up on them back in June and have been following them ever since. They have a great mixture of electronic and rock sound that is filled with a lot of energy and totally killer when you see them live.

ELKS is another band that will rip it up rock style, and I feel like I see their name pop up every day on the web some where or another. They are playing a show at Union Pool which will be a totally rad place to see a rock show.

Then you have the bands that are getting a lot of buzz on the web… and everyone is TALKING ABOUT THEM! Gotye, for instance, came on to the scene with their emotionally charged music video, and CMJ is going to give a lot of people the first opportunity to see them live.

CSS, Gang Gang Dance, Neon Indian… the list below is a short compilation of all the bands that are getting a lot of hype.

[audio:https://thenewlofi.com/wp-content/audio/2011/10/The Death Set – Slap Slap Slap Pound Up Down Snap.mp3,https://thenewlofi.com/wp-content/audio/2011/10/Braids -Lemonade.mp3,https://thenewlofi.com/wp-content/audio/2011/10/We Are Augustines – Chapel Song.mp3,https://thenewlofi.com/wp-content/audio/2011/10/Lemonade – The Place Where You Belong Shai Cover.mp3,https://thenewlofi.com/wp-content/audio/2011/10/Yuksek – Off The Wall.mp3,https://thenewlofi.com/wp-content/audio/2011/10/Neon Indian – Polish Girl.mp3,https://thenewlofi.com/wp-content/audio/2011/10/ELKS – White Fang Learns to Hate.mp3,https://thenewlofi.com/wp-content/audio/2011/10/States – Can’t Explain.mp3,https://thenewlofi.com/wp-content/audio/2011/10/Lord Huron – Mighty.mp3,https://thenewlofi.com/wp-content/audio/2011/09/SLS/04 Somebody That I Used To Know.mp3,https://thenewlofi.com/wp-content/audio/2011/10/CSS – Hits Me Like A Rock.mp3,https://thenewlofi.com/wp-content/audio/2011/10/Gang Gang Dance – Mindkilla.mp3|titles=The Death Set – Slap Slap Slap Pound Up Down Snap,Braids – Lemonade,We Are Augustines – Chapel Song,Lemonade – The Place Where You Belong (Shai Cover),Yuksek – Off The Wall,Neon Indian – Polish Girl,ELKS – White Fang Learns to Hate,States – Can’t Explain,Lord Huron – Mighty,Gotye – Somebody That I Used To Know,CSS – Hits Me Like A Rock]
CMJ 2011 Buzzed Bands Mix

• The Death Set – Slap Slap Slap Pound Up Down Snap
• BRAIDS – Lemonade
• We Are Augustines – Chapel Song
• Lemonade – The Place Where You Belong (Shai Cover)
• Yuksek – Off The Wall
• Neon Indian
• ELKS – White Fang Learns to Hate
• States – Can’t Explain
• Lord Huron – Mighty
• Gotye – Someone I Used To Know
• CSS – Hits Me Like A Rock
• Gang Gang Dance – Mindkilla

Interested

And here are a few bands that I’ve never actually seen live, or really heard about until recently, but would def. be worth checking out.

• Class Actress – Keep You
• Active Child – Hanging On
• Zola Jesus – Night
• Revolver – Get Around TownO
• Mexicans With Guns – Dame Lo
• Sunglasses – Whiplash
• Wild International – Creeks
• Blue Hawaii – Blue Gowns

For a full schedule of the 2011 festival, Visit CMJ’s website for the full schedule and line-up.