Freenoise Fest Says “No” to CMJ

New York-based label Freenoise is celebrating 10 years of its WFMU-ready online catalog with the appropriately titled Freenoise Fest. Taking place October 24 at Williamsburg's Death by Audio, the fest harbors motivations more nefarious than you might think.

You see, Freenoise Fest goes down the same weekend as the colo$$al CMJ Music Marathon. As such, Freenoise Fest says "NO" to CMJ, asking patrons to "experience authentic underground music."

The lineup reads like the greatest band names you've never came up with:

Cock E.S.P.

The White Mice

Twodeadsluts Onegoodfuck

Laundryroom Squelchers

Suffering Bastard

Tusco Terror

Sauce Party

Sanguine Piss

Radio Shock

Future Blondes

U Can Unlearn Guitar

WRONG

Don't know Cock E.S.P. too well? Missed the White Mice LPs that came out on Load? What about the fuzziness of Laundryroom Squelchers? No prob, Bob, because Freenoise offers archives of many of these acts here. Try before you buy!

Although the following does not necessarily represent the views of Tiny Mix Tapes, I will say I understand the reasons why an Anti-CMJ festival would manifest, similar to other opposite-and-equal reaction festivals like Austin's Fuck By Fuck You. I had a crumby time when I went to CMJ in 2005. It's hard to see a lot of music you want to see, both due to the difficulty in traversing about NYC as well as the many CMJ badge cut-offs at most clubs and venues. More tellingly, I saw a Clear Channel booth in the exhibit hall, the most obvious point of reference for all that is not quite right in the world of so-called independent music.

Actually, it's entirely possible to see more music at Freenoise than the entire CMJ Music Marathon combined -- and for a whole lot less money (albeit with less free ASCAP frisbees and stuff). So, keep October 24 open, and just so you know, I'll still totally accept a CMJ press badge if anyone wants to send me one.

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