{Big Shot Showcase @ The Mercury Lounge}
The Mercury Lounge is one of my favorite venues in New York: cozy, great acoustics, and conveniently located right down the block from Katz's Deli. I sat on one of the vinyl benches towards the side on Thursday night and gazed at the sequin-covered mic on stage. Uh oh.
- {The Vettes}
The Vettes are from New Orleans, where the blonde bombshell lead singer/boys with fauxhawks/overabundance of cheesy synth riffs thing must be something new, because I was assaulted with all three MTV must-haves when this band took the stage. I stared at the lead singer's onesie (jumpsuit? I don't know) and mused that I hadn't even seen my own asscheeks that much in a week. She seemed confused that the skeptical crowd of 20 wasn't going along with her Madison Square Garden-style stage theatrics, which included running her hands up and down the chest of the bassist and getting cozy with her (sequined!!!) microphone stand, remarking, "Wow, what's up, New York? Don't get all crazy now..." A peeved audience member yelled back "WELCOME TO NEW YORK!" She kept the smile pasted on and said, "This next song's called ‘Murder at the Disco.’" I realized I had entered my own personal version of hell and walked out. Sorry, Pela (who were on at 12 AM). I'll get you next time.
This is what my Hades looks and sounds like:
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{The Organic Entertainment Showcase @ Club Midway}
- {A BIG YES... and a small no}
After that, I obviously needed to go to Rehab. The Organic Entertainment showcase was in full swing by the time I showed up, and Brooklyn-based A BIG YES... and a small no were playing. Fast-talking lead singer Kevin Kendrick squeezed lyrics in between nice ‘n’ easy pop melodies, aided by a Gibson guitar and a vibraphone. Cocking his head knowingly, he sang, "I think Kool & the Gang was right." About what, I never found out. What seemed to be a charming set unfortunately segued into reggae beats and began to border on lounge, and the band's seams began to show as the drummer dropped a beat here and there; live weaknesses became apparent. It's not atrocious, but it's enough so's I noticed. Also, backup vocalist Moira Meltzer-Cohen, who left the stage mid-set, could have been well-employed to shake things up as Kendrick's voice started to grow monotonous. Still, I gave their MySpace a quick peek that night, and they hold up quite well on record... just don't expect your mind to be blown. Jesus That Looks Terrible On You is out on Thorough Left.
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{Friendly Fire Showcase @ Pianos}
- {Faunts}
I knew something better had to be going on somewhere else, so I quickly scanned my CMJ program guide and headed over to Pianos for the Friendly Fire showcase. I arrived just as Canadians Faunts were setting up. From the looks of their gear, it seems as though I've stumbled upon a more machine-friendly group of artists, with a laptop, several synthesizers, and some drum add-ons littering the stage. Faunts initially reminded me of a sleepier New Order, though the "sleepy" part began to melt away as the set went on. The more electricity they injected into their music, the more detailed its beauty became. When the drummer abandoned his kit and joined the rest in a line, each using both hands on different instruments to coax more sound out of them, a veritable wave of shoegaze washed over us and echoed in the small room for a good 30 seconds. Took me by surprise, they did. Faunt are currently mixing a new album, due to come out January 2009 on Friendly Fire and will feature guests like Shout Out Out Out, Cadence Weapon, and Mark Templeton, according to their website.
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- {Bell}
Brooklyn-based Bell (or Olga Bell) took the stage with her drummer, and I marveled at the sheer volume of equipment being lugged on stage, wondering who was going to play it all. A classically trained pianist, Bell whipped out a keytar and fired up the samples and synths, egged on by drummer Jason Nazary, who had a few interesting apparatuses tacked onto his kit as well. Sending her voice through effects pedals almost wasn't necessary, as it is magnificently full and soul-shattering all on its own. Not that I minded the sensation of sitting in a long, marble hallway as her voice bounced around the room, only to harmonize with itself and fade into the distance. It's rare to find an artist who can put one on sensory overload, but Bell succeeded admirably.
I wanted to feel like the set was lighthearted, but her voice cuts to the bone. I was reminded of the one and only Björk and had a laugh when I discovered a cover of "It's Oh So Quiet" on Bell's MySpace later in the evening. Simply gorgeous, and any other time, I would have been content to end my night there. Bell's self-released, self-titled EP is available on iTunes.
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- {The Assholes of CMJ 2008}
I would like to take a moment to give out my one and only superlative award of the week: The Assholes of CMJ 2008! Said assholes would be an incumbent band that shall remain nameless, who felt it was necessary to boot audience members from their comfortable stool perches, use the stools to set up their DJ equipment, and generally cause a commotion in the FRONT of the crowd. The crowd that was WATCHING BELL, because her SET WAS GOING ON THE WHOLE TIME. Common courtesy aside, if your gear doesn't fit on the stage, you officially have too much shit. Jesus H.
Congratulations! You win a pony.
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{Big Fat Cat Showcase @ Banjo Jim's}
- {Skidmore Fountain}
I headed deep into Alphabet City to Banjo Jim's for the Big Fat Cat showcase to catch Skidmore Fountain. Based in Brooklyn, not only did they look incredibly dapper and keep their set wound tighter than a tick, their brand of pop, which runs the gamut from classical to funk-inspired, was highlighted by the absence of a bassist. Why? Well, when you've got a crack cellist like Topu Lyo, who needs one? Lyu also used his instrument for its intended melodic purpose, driving along the theme of "Asylum," the single that lead singer Randy Bergida demanded everyone take home for free in CD form.
Bergida has one of the cleanest, most earnest voices I've ever heard, one that neatly skirts generic pop vocals by harmonizing with guitarist Steven Cohen. Dylan Wissing is what happens when you harness a freight train to a drum kit, and the band never had the chance to step out of line once during the set. Their full-length album, Break, is available in iTunes, Rhapsody, and CD Baby from Triple R Records.
