Yes, an exhausting handful of days are ahead for the hundreds of bands and artists who've descended upon the five boroughs for music and schmoozing (and yes, some boozing). The Alternate Side took a quick poll of a few "virgin" CMJ bands - and some hardy veterans - and found out the highs (meat on sticks), the lows (electrocution) and what bands are on other artists' "must see" lists.
ANDREW BELLE
What about the CMJ experience makes you happy? "The opportunity to perform multiple shows in a city I really enjoy, but dont get to visit often enough - as well as getting some sort of meat on a stick pretty much anytime I want from the cart vendors outside."
And what are you dreading? "Hauling all our gear to and from Brooklyn before and after we play each day.
Who do you want to see? "Tim Williams and Space Capone."
Andrew Belle's All Those Pretty Lights EP is available now and for his CMJ schedule, check here.
DAN BLACK
"Inexplicably, it's 10 years since I was last in New York, so I am expecting it to be a bit of a jolt. But a wondrous, messy, emotional jolt! Obviously CMJ is world famous now, so I am looking forward to seeing if the reality matches up to the myth. I need to do a bit research on the 'which bands I want see' front. But I am already playing with bands I love at the shows I'm doing: We Have Band are great live, Midnight Juggernauts are very special and I can't wait to see Heartsrevolution."
Dan Black's album ((Un)), which dropped in the UK in July, will finally be released in the States in February. Check out his CMJ schedule here.
THE BLAKES
CMJ highs and lows? "New York has incredible delis and late night bars, [but] the hordes of industry people can be quite obnoxious, the smell of piss, drunken hipsters with coke breath and hangovers."
Who are you excited to see? "Kid Koala, The Purrs, Frightened White Rabbits, Cold Cave, Old Canes, Cheeseburger, Black Kids." (ed. note: We think The Blakes kid a little. Though Frightened White Rabbits should be a band, no?).
The Blakes released their new album Souvenir on October 13. Check out their CMJ schedule here.
BODY LANGUAGE
CMJ high? "The Spotlight!"
CMJ low? "Lack of sleep."
What bands you're eager to see? "Broadcast, School of Seven Bells, VEGA, Best Coast."
Brooklyn's Body Language will be opening for La Roux on October 26. Check out their entire CMJ schedule here.
BRYAN SCARY & THE SHREDDING TEARS
That ultimate CMJ moment? "When you're up there under the lights, and the sweat's shooting off your face like beaded lemmings, and the audience is eating out of your hands, and there's nothing to stop you now! You've hit the big time!"
The worst possible CMJ experience? "Electrocution by microphone."
Your top CMJ pick? "C.B. Savage."
Bryan Scary & The Shredding Tears release their new EP Mad Valentines on October 27. Check out their CMJ schedule here.
LUCAS GUERIN OF CASXIO
“This is our first show in NY. We're ready to show NY our undergarments. I think that NY is a lot like LA in that any given night you can see 10 bands play in 10 different venues, which makes crows pretty cynical… but even the biggest smarty pants music snob can recognize a passionate performance. That's why I still read Pitchfork…sometimes.”
Los Angeles' Casxio have a brand new EP called Seventeen out today, Oct. 20. Check out their CMJ schedule here.
DEAD LEAF ECHO
What you are looking forward to most about playing at CMJ? "Our Tuesday the 20th Showcase at Fontanas, a great lineup with all of our friends."
And dreading? "Traffic with all the extra people in town."
Your top CMJ picks? "Like to see Broadcast and Atlas Sound."
Brooklyn shoegazers Dead Leaf Echo are known for their strong, atmospheric live shows. You can find their CMJ schedule here.
JEFF THE BROTHERHOOD
"We are looking forward to getting famous and getting free food and beer and HANGING OUT with our friends in The Big Apple. We are also looking forward to pushing ourselves mentally and physically to the limit, and drinking a lot of beer. We are NOT looking forward to parking the van in The Big Apple. We would love to see all our friends bands such as: Denney and the Jets, Daniel Pujol, Natural Child, Heavy Cream, Sisters, Screaming Females and some others."
Nashville's JEFF The Brotherhood just released their album Heavy Days last week. You can check out their CMJ schedule here.
STU MCLAMB OF THE LOVE LANGUAGE
"I'm looking forward to having drinks at Enid's with the W-S crew. I'm not looking forward to Wednesday when the $30 I brought runs out. I know I've been talkin' bout how I'm broke a lot recently. But I'm broke."
Chapel Hill's The Love Language just signed to Merge Records, you can catch McLamb's beautiful lo-fi pop here.
VINCENT VENDETTA OF MIDNIGHT JUGGERNAUTS
"CMJ will be great because it's the first time we get a chance to play a lot of our new songs and try out our new set. It's a good place to start the new chapter. Also when we're not playing we also get to check out a bunch of new bands i haven't watched before, and catch up with old friends i haven't seen for a while. Though with so much going on in that week there's always going to be clashes. At some point i'll try catch The Temper Trap, as we did played some of our first shows together."
Midnight Juggernauts released a new single this month, "This New Technology" off of their sophomore album, still untitled and due in 2010. They'll be previewing those fresh tracks at their CMJ shows, which you can find here.
VIA TANIA
"Gosh, I have heard about CMJ for soooooo long , many years and never played at it. It will be nice to finally do something about it. [I'm] dreading carrying gear , catching cabs, all around transport. I got too big a set up for my liking. It's no longer, can I carry a tune with a ukulele? Things expanded though [and] we're playing as a two piece; there are 6 six or so instruments between us. I am looking forward to being really busy in NYC. I wouldn't want it any other way. I think the only band I am going out of my way to see is the El May - a dear old friend who's music I love, and every gig is a new experience."
Via Tania's Moon Sweet Moon is out now on iTunes and other outlets. You can find her entire CMJ schedule here.
