Brooklyn
CMJ Day 3 main attractions didn't happen in Manhattan last night... everybody was in Brooklyn. If you are having a showcase during this week, and several more labels are doing the same, the same day and at the same times with more buzzed names than your bands you better have something else to attract more eardrums... like free cover, free food and more importantly... open bar.
Last night the AM Only showcase made me stop by Hiro Ballroom to have the first free beers of the night and meanwhile check out a couple of bands, Foreign Islands and Project Jenny, Project Jan. Foreign Islands were plain boring to me and didn't even bother taking a picture. Sorry. But ProjectJ was a completely different story. I am not gonna lie, I had listened to their debut album XOXOXOXOXO before so I wasn't unfamiliar with the band, but last night the electro-tropical-hip-pop mix that they are impressed me and live made me a new fan. I left that place with one more CD for my collection...
The last song ProjectJ played had a lot of soul in it, and by soul I don't mean the genre but actual soul. ProjectJ are from Brooklyn, and with their great song Brooklyn they reminded me that the rest of my night was across the East River and that I better got going... Simian Mobile Disco was waiting for me.
SMD were excellent, but not as much as I thought they were going to be. I think they are the most original new dance act this year (yes, even over Justice who are just too similar to Daft Punk and I still have Daft Punk so don't need another one) and their debut album makes me move my legs every time I play it on my stereo, but something was missing last night. Maybe I am starting to get tired of seeing so many bands in a short period of time, or maybe not. Simian Mobile had a nice setup on stage with the two guys moving around their machines dynamically, even though one of them had still a collar bone injury... they reminded me a lot of Chemical Brothers during their Block Rockin' Beats era, looking very nerdy while banging their heads... we followed. Highlights of the show for me were a remix of a Go! Team song, It's the Beat, another remix this time of Klaxons, and the spectacular Hustler, arguably the best dance track this year. Anyway, I danced, danced, danced, and danced, because you know why? that's what my daddy's made me...
But the winner of my night was New Young Pony Club, and especially her front girl. She smells like girl power all over. Her name is Tahita Bulmer, my new best front member of a band after James Murphy. She takes the mic, look at you, and before you realize she owns your attention... I didn't see anyone chatting, texting or talking to their neighbors, but just staring at her persona when not joining the masses for some sweaty get togethers. Besides, their drummer is a lady too, an a good one. Oh I almost forgot... the BEST moment of the show was by far when they played tribute to the techno anthem Pump Up the Jam by Technotronic. That shit hadn't sounded so good before.
NYPC released their debut album, Fantastic Playroom, in the States this year and while listening and dancing to Tahita's request I wished they were selling it right there to take it home with me. Unfortunately not. Gotta go to the record store...
The party continued with a DJ set by Simian Mobile Disco (only one of them actually), and I stayed for some good thirty minutes, but I was exhausted... there are still two more days to come, and long ones. [photos of the show]
Links: Stream Project Jenny, Project Jan - XOXOXOXOXO
CMJ Day 3 main attractions didn't happen in Manhattan last night... everybody was in Brooklyn. If you are having a showcase during this week, and several more labels are doing the same, the same day and at the same times with more buzzed names than your bands you better have something else to attract more eardrums... like free cover, free food and more importantly... open bar.
Last night the AM Only showcase made me stop by Hiro Ballroom to have the first free beers of the night and meanwhile check out a couple of bands, Foreign Islands and Project Jenny, Project Jan. Foreign Islands were plain boring to me and didn't even bother taking a picture. Sorry. But ProjectJ was a completely different story. I am not gonna lie, I had listened to their debut album XOXOXOXOXO before so I wasn't unfamiliar with the band, but last night the electro-tropical-hip-pop mix that they are impressed me and live made me a new fan. I left that place with one more CD for my collection...
The last song ProjectJ played had a lot of soul in it, and by soul I don't mean the genre but actual soul. ProjectJ are from Brooklyn, and with their great song Brooklyn they reminded me that the rest of my night was across the East River and that I better got going... Simian Mobile Disco was waiting for me.
SMD were excellent, but not as much as I thought they were going to be. I think they are the most original new dance act this year (yes, even over Justice who are just too similar to Daft Punk and I still have Daft Punk so don't need another one) and their debut album makes me move my legs every time I play it on my stereo, but something was missing last night. Maybe I am starting to get tired of seeing so many bands in a short period of time, or maybe not. Simian Mobile had a nice setup on stage with the two guys moving around their machines dynamically, even though one of them had still a collar bone injury... they reminded me a lot of Chemical Brothers during their Block Rockin' Beats era, looking very nerdy while banging their heads... we followed. Highlights of the show for me were a remix of a Go! Team song, It's the Beat, another remix this time of Klaxons, and the spectacular Hustler, arguably the best dance track this year. Anyway, I danced, danced, danced, and danced, because you know why? that's what my daddy's made me...
But the winner of my night was New Young Pony Club, and especially her front girl. She smells like girl power all over. Her name is Tahita Bulmer, my new best front member of a band after James Murphy. She takes the mic, look at you, and before you realize she owns your attention... I didn't see anyone chatting, texting or talking to their neighbors, but just staring at her persona when not joining the masses for some sweaty get togethers. Besides, their drummer is a lady too, an a good one. Oh I almost forgot... the BEST moment of the show was by far when they played tribute to the techno anthem Pump Up the Jam by Technotronic. That shit hadn't sounded so good before.
NYPC released their debut album, Fantastic Playroom, in the States this year and while listening and dancing to Tahita's request I wished they were selling it right there to take it home with me. Unfortunately not. Gotta go to the record store...
The party continued with a DJ set by Simian Mobile Disco (only one of them actually), and I stayed for some good thirty minutes, but I was exhausted... there are still two more days to come, and long ones. [photos of the show]
Links: Stream Project Jenny, Project Jan - XOXOXOXOXO
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