More than 1,000 bands are playing the CMJ Music Marathon this year in NYC, at hundreds of shows from October 19-23. We love the variety, but it can be more than a little overwhelming trying to suss the massive schedule and figure out which bands to catch, and when. That’s where we come in. From the many, we present the select few showcases and artists that we are super stoked for this year.
It goes without saying that the most awesome show will be our own: On Saturday during the day, we (with help from Pop Mondial) host Lower Dens with Braids and Gold Panda and (here’s where we really set ourselves apart) the lovely, practically naked ladies of Storybook Burlesque. Buy an advance ticket to be entered in our raffle (win a gift-bag including vinyl from Ghostly, Antony and the Johnson’s Swanlights book and CD, tickets to Storybook Burlesque’s Bible reenactment on Coney Island, and tons more), and then get ready to enter the following into your iCals.
Oh yeah, AND we’re giving away a buttload (official terminology: 16) of full-festival passes over Twitter this week leading up to CMJ. Make sure you’re following @flavorpill_nyc and @flavorpill_bk for your chance to win!
Tuesday, 10/19
Yo La Tengo
Yo La Tengo 8pm @ Brooklyn Bowl
Boy Crisis w/ Golden Filter 8:30pm @ Highline Ballroom
Iamsound Showcase feat. Salem w/ Superhumanoids, Kisses & Restless People 9pm @ Santos Party House
Learn about Salem in our witch house primer.
Ghetto Metal presents Ninjasonik 9pm @ SOB’s
Greg Dulli w/ Craig Wedren 9:30pm @ Bowery Ballroom
See where other ’90s grunge bands ended up in our Where Are They Now? post.
The Great Escape presents Das Racist w/ Franz Nicolay 10:30pm @ Pianos
Read Das Racist’s defense of hip-hop.
Class Actress w/ Casxio 11:30pm @ Cameo
Duck Down vs. Blacksmith Showcase feat. Jean Grae w/ 9th Wonder & Buckshot, Pharoahe Monch & Pete Rock 11:30pm @ Le Poisson Rouge
Check out Jean Grae’s Memorial Day Mixtape. It still rocks!
SoKo Midnight @ Hiro Ballroom
Wednesday, 10/20
Wavves
New York Press presents Unicycle Loves You w/ Caveman 7pm @ Spike Hill
**Nicky Digital presents Zowie w/ the Suzan, GRVRBBRS & BRAHMS 8pm @ Ella
Listen to BRAHMS on Flavorpill Mixtape Vol XXXI.
Quality Control presents Jah C 8pm @ Southpaw
BMI presents White Belt Yellow Tag w/ Lesands 8pm @ Matchless
Phoenix w/ Dirty Projectors & Wavves 8pm @ Madison Square Garden
Read a review of Wavves’ live show.
The Deli presents Bear Hands w/ BRAHMS, Keepaway & Oberhofer 8:30pm @ Brooklyn Bowl
Listen to Bear Hands on Flavorpill Mixtape Vol IX.
MiniBoone 9pm @ National Underground
Watch a MiniBoone music video on Flavorpill Fix.
Music Dealers presents Hey Champ 10pm @ Knitting Factory
Listen to Hey Champ on Flavorpill Mixtape Vol XXIV.
DFA presents Holy Ghost Midnight @ Bowery Ballroom
Listen to Holy Ghost on Flavorpill Mixtape Vol XIV.
Underwater Peoples/Chapter present Andrew Cedermark w/ La Big Vic Midnight @ Glasslands
I Guess I’m Floating/Lefse present How To Dress Well 1:45am @ The Delancey
Watch a video by How To Dress Well.
Thursday, 10/21
Screaming Females
Carpark presents Deakin (Animal Collective) w/ Ear Pwr, Prince Rama & Dent May 8pm @ Cake Shop
Get a taste of Ear Pwr in our What We’ve Been Listening To roundup.
Audible Treats presents Black Sheep w/ Notlz, Diamond District, Big Pooh & Chip-Fu 7:30pm @ Sullivan Hall
John Vanderslice w/ Extra Lens 8pm @ Mercury Lounge
Read our exclusive interview with John Vanderslice.
Kristen Schaal and Friends 8pm @ Skirball Center
Schaal was one of our 10 Comedians You Should Follow on Twitter.
Eisley w/ Christie Dupree 8pm @ Gramercy Theatre
Green Room presents Neutral Uke Hotel 9pm @ Cameo
Learn about Neutral Uke Hotel (songs from In the Aeroplane over the Sea on ukulele).
Moodswing 360 presents Neon Hitch 9:30pm @ Santos Party House (downstairs)
Brooklyn Vegan presents Screaming Females w/ the Blow 9:30pm @ Music Hall of Williamsburg
See a live performance by Screaming Females on Flavorpill Fix.
Radical Dads 10pm @ Union Hall
Frank 151 presents Rocky Business w/ Christian Rich & GZA 10:30pm @ Le Poisson Rouge
Calibro 35 11pm @ Nublu
Music from Ireland presents Autumn Owls 12:30am @ Bowery Poetry Club
Yep Rock presents Jukebox the Ghost 12:40am @ Bowery Electric
Jukebox the Ghost released one of our most-anticipated albums of September.
Friday, 10/22
Dean & Britta
Dean & Britta’s 13 Most Beautiful 8pm @ Skirball Center
Learn more about Dean & Britta’s 13 Most Beautiful project from the Daily Dose
Last Friday presents Tamaryn w/ Frankie Rose & the Outs 9pm @ Coco66
Bust Magazine Showcase feat. Big Freedia w/ Javelin & DJ Rusty Lazer 9:30pm @ Southpaw
Windish presents Shy Child w/ Lower Dens, Dominique Unique Young & Designer Drugs… 10pm @ The Studio at Webster Hall
Chain Gang of 1974 10:30pm @ Cameo
Ghostface Killah 10:30pm @ BB King’s
NUE presents Shinobi Ninja 10:30pm @ Sullivan Hall
Smoke Fairies 10:45pm @ The Living Room
Paradigm presents Nada Surf w/ Francis and the Lights & Dale Earnhardt Jr Jr 11pm @ Mercury Lounge
Check out Francis and the Lights on Flavorpill Mixtape Vol XXVIII.
Nicodemus presents Pomegranates w/ +/- 11pm @ Rock Shop
High Road presents Dean Wareham plays Galaxie 500 Midnight @ Bowery Ballroom
Oya & FILTER present Oh Land w/ Snowden Midnight @ Public Assembly
For a preview of Oh Land, check out Flavorpill Mixtape Vol. XXXVIII.
Forcefield presents the So So Glos w/ Violens 11pm @ Pianos
Saturday, 10/23
Gold Panda
**Flavorpill & Pop Mondial present Lower Dens w/ Braids, Gold Panda & Storybook Burlesque 2-7pm @ Southpaw
I Rock I Roll & NachosNY present Philadelphia Grand Jury w/ Red Wire Black Wire & more 12-5pm @ The Delancey
Windish Agency presents School of Seven Bells w/ Cults, Big Freedia, Bikini & Asobi Seksu 7pm @ Santos Party House
Learn about Big Freedia in our sissy bounce primer.
BBG/BV Metal presents Inter Ama 8pm @ Union Pool
The Tony Castles w/ Oberhofer 8pm @ Cameo
VFW presents Neon Indian 8pm @ Bowery Ballroom
Read the Unabridged Tale of Neon Indian.
UNKLE 8:45pm @ Webster Hall
Learn more about UNKLE in the Daily Dose.
NME presents the Knocks w/ Marnie Stern and Cerebral Ballzy 9pm @ The Delancey
Check out Cerebral Ballzy in Episode 4 of Flavorpill Fix.
**FIXED presents Making Time w/ Holy Ghost!, Matthew Dear, Crocodiles, Javelin, Jamaica & Kisses 9pm @ Public Assembly
BigPicture Media presents Cubic Zirconia 10pm @ 8 Bond Street
Panache presents Ty Segall w/ AIDS Wolf Midnight @ Knitting Factory
**denotes unofficial showcase