Dear CMJ,
You came and went, and kicked my ass in between.
Thank you, CMJ 2005. |
This being my second year attending the College Music Journal’s
Music Marathon, I thought I’d know what to expect. But in
the World of Music, a year is a long time…
Tuesday, September
13th, 2005
It was day before CMJ officially started. As I strolled eastward
on 14th street, a freakishly tall and oddly familiar-looking man
cut across my path into the Guitar Center near Union Square. I
paused slightly, and then continued walking.
A few steps later, it hit me.
Isn’t that the dude from Arcade Fire? Win Butler?
I walked a few more steps, then called my friend and fellow-Cityzener,
Rachel Waxman, to tell her about my chance sighting. Rachel convinced
me to go into Guitar Center and “get tickets for their CMJ
show at Central Park!!!!!!!!!”
I’d like to finish my story by explaining how Win was kind
enough to give me a few tickets to his band’s CMJ performance,
and how I got to watch David Bowie on stage with the band and
screamed along with other lucky fans watching an orgasmic musical
collaboration. Sadly, this was not the case.
I did manage to go up
to Win and introduce myself as a “huge fan of your
band!”, and probably Scare-the-Shit-Out-of-Him. The
fact that I mentioned seeing his band in London without
explaining why I was in London in the first place (studying
abroad) coupled with the fact that I had to sneak into that
show (it was sold out and there were no scalpers around,
what was I to do?) probably did it. But hell, a music fan
is no fan at all if she doesn’t put her heart and
soul into it.
Motion City Soundtrack's Justin
Pierre >>> |
|
Wednesday, September
14th
 |
I didn’t actually
have my CMJ pass until the second day, so I missed out on
most of the inaugural fun. However, I did make it to one
CMJ show on Wednesday night, The Working Title and Motion
City Soundtrack at TriBeCa Rock Club. CMJ is for industry
peeps (insert pretentious laugh) to see emerging bands,
but I’d convinced myself that being badge-less at
the time meant that I was there to Dance. The Working Title’s
set was absolutely fabulous. Their EP is satisfying, their
live show thrilling. I’m eagerly awaiting their full-length
debut on Universal Records (to be released in March of next
year.) Although their set began with thirty minutes of technical
difficulties, The Working Title – Joel Hamilton (vocals),
Adam Pavao (guitar), Ross Taylor (drums), and Chris Ginn
(bass) – managed to Rock-the-Fuck-out. The thought
running through my head during their set: this band’s
getting a special playlist in my iTunes all to themselves.
The Working Title's Joel Hamilton
<<< |
Motion City Soundtrack followed, and their set got me dancing
in the packed-elbow-to-elbow crowd – and that’s saying
something. Motion City Soundtrack is like that bar you can always
count on for a good time, even on a Sunday afternoon.
Check back in for more of Shawna’s
CMJ Music Marathon Coverage here at Cityzen.
