Multiple venues
October 19-23
Full Festival Badge: $495; CMJ Play Pass: $149
Individual tickets available
www.cmj2010.com
CMJ offers the opportunity to check out more than just up-and-coming bands from the small towns of Ohio, Georgia, Texas, and across the United States; the festival also includes several international showcases featuring new bands from all around the world that music fans probably wouldn’t get the chance to see otherwise, and certainly not all together in one evening. The durably chic Hiro Ballroom will be hosting the two-night France Rocks NYC showcases — of course, would you expect a French band to be seen in a less-than-chic venue? On Tuesday, the Rodeo, the Bewitched Hands on the Top of Our Hands, Emilie Simon, Revolver, and Soko play the Bureauexport Party, followed by Thursday’s Social Club Party with Mustang, the Aikiu, Pilooski, Yuksek & Brodinsky (aka the Krays), and Mikix the Cat, hailing from Paris, Bordeaux, Nice, and other hotspots Française. The French showcase at Hiro in 2008 was more than worthwhile; it’s hard to go wrong with French Europop, so we’re looking forward to these as well.
The annual Oh Canada event takes place Tuesday night at Fontana’s, with free admission, free Bloody Caesars, and free beer — oh yeah, there will also be performances by in-Flight Safety, Whaletooth, Freedom or Death, Gobble Gobble, and Kidstreet, hosted by Alan Cross. New Zealand was a CMJ darling in 2008, spurred by the popularity of the HBO series Flight of the Conchords, about a slacker folk duo trying to make it in New York City. Although Rhys Darby won’t be on hand as he was when we checked out the talent-packed New Zealand showcase at the Delancey two years ago, Tuesday night’s lineup at (le) poisson rouge should still be a Kiwi lover’s delight, with Lawrence Arabia, Street Chant, Ruby Frost, Kids of 88, Zowie, and Electric Wire Hustle, with complimentary 42Below cocktails.
Israel Unlimited is presenting the Sound Exchange Showcase Wednesday night at Drom, with Onili, Sagol 59, Hybrid Lava, Carusella, Tamar Eisenman, Izabo, and Ivri Lider taking the stage. A bit of the Blarney comes to CMJ on Thursday night as Windings, James Vincent McMorrow, Autumn Owls, and the Cast of Cheers lead the Music from Ireland showcase into the Bowery Poetry Club. Japan’s Boom Boom Satellites are at the electro showcase headlined by legend Gary Numan (“Cars”!) at the Best Buy Theater (formerly the Nokia) on Saturday, along with Brooklyn’s Rasputina; the other Japanese band at the fest, Sparky Quano, will be at Googie’s Lounge on Friday, with Germany’s Mark Mulholland, Brooklyn’s Danny Ross, the American duo the Winterlings, and Louisville’s Mark Geary. Saturday night is Swedish night at the Backstage Bar, with Raymond & Maria (who will also be playing Googie’s Lounge on Wednesday), Moto Boy, and the suspiciously faux-Irish-sounding O’Spada, with DJ sets and an afterparty by the Swede Beat and Taken by Trees. In addition, the Stockholm folk group First Aid Kit will be at the Delancey on Thursday and the Rockwood Music Hall on Friday.