New York, NY —
Consider CMJ to be a ramping up of a normal week of music in NYC. Rather than have to decide between two intriguing shows on any given night, now you'll have to consider five shows or more, some stuffed with four or more bands worth investigating, scattered all over town, with venues that are dependable on any other week being even more exemplary. Take the phrase "Music Marathon" literally, in that actively attending a week's worth of music requires planning, scheduling, and pacing, with some shows starting in daylight and stretching into the wee hours of the night. Your liver, ears, and feet (not to mention wallet) may not soon forgive you if you don't pick and choose.
Were I an inexhaustible, tireless attendee with a personal taxi, here are a few noteworthy shows that I would hit:
Tuesday: Miles Bejamin Anthony Robinson/ Lykki Li; Ponytail, Phenomenal Handclap Band
Wednesday: Arabian Prince, Edan, Madlib; the Carpark showcase at Le Poisson Rouge; Natalie Portman's Shaved Head
Thursday: Oakley Hall/ Charlie Louvin; Au, Cause Co-Motion, Crystal Stilts; Mission of Burma and Jay Reatard
Friday: Lucaino; White Rainbow, Fastest Rapper Alive contest; Roisin Murphy; Gang Gang Dance
Saturday: High Places, Psychic Paramount; David Banner, Talib Kweli; Lee Scratch Perry
Listen to WNYC’s Soterios Johnson and music critic Andy Beta discuss what shows to see and whether CMJ has the pull it once did.