The annual CMJ Music Marathon starts tomorrow, woah! But don’t sweat it, we’ve been done our homework so you don’t have to, finally getting around to listening to a ton of new and upcoming bands, and marking our calendars for what we think are the festivals must see sets.
First things first. Even the most ameteur festival-goer knows it’s important to prioritize your sets (in order of what you simply cannot miss), because if you want to get into see that new hot band, but don’t show up till just before they take the stage, you’re probably not going to get in, even if you end up waiting, you’re probably going home disappointed.
We’ve done you a solid here and made rather epic list, organized by date, and separated by official and unofficial CMJ events. For some of the unofficial events you may have to shell out for cover, but trust us, it’ll be worth it.
We’re always down to support bands we already know and love who are playing the festival like The Walkmen, Dum Dum Girls, Wild Nothing, Humans, Flying Lotus, GZA, Ghostface Killah, The Presets, Death Grips and YACHT, but this being our very first CMJ, we’re making a point to head out and experience new music, at the finest ‘discovery’ festival in North America.
In preparation for the festival we’re loving the CMJ Preview Radio stream on NPR and CMJ’s official mixtape.
Take a look below at what we think are the best showcases and sets happening at this years festival.
OFFICIAL CMJ SHOWCASES & SHOWS
Ongoing:
Ace Hotel Presents: Notes From the Underground, Ace Hotel, 20 West 29th St, NYC
DJ sets by Beggars Group, Mom + Pop, Frenchkiss Records, Modular Recordings and Third Man
More info
KEXP live CMJ Broadcast, CMJ Union, Union Square Ballroom (free event)
Daughter, High Highs, Cody ChesnuTT, Paul Banks, Hey Marseilles, DIIV, Little Green Cars, Poor Moon, Line & Circle, Wild Nothing, Kishi Bashi, & The Antlers
More info
Tuesday October 16th:
NPR Music & WNYC’s Soundcheck CMJ Showcase, Le Poisson Rouge, 158 Bleecker, NYC
Flying Lotus, Death Grips, & Buke & Gass
More info
Terrible Records CMJ Party, Glasslands 289 Kent, Brooklyn
LE1F, True, Kirin J Callinan, Regal Degal
More info
WFUV and The Alternate Side Official CMJ Showcase at the Living Room, 154 Ludlow, NYC
Savoir Adore, Indians, Little Green Cars, & Wax Poetic
Oh My Rockness Official CMJ 2012 Show at Cameo Gallery, 93 North 6th St, Williamsburg
Chrome Canyon, Metz, Roomrunner, Moon King, Mood Rings, Heavenly Beat
More info
Lefse Records Showcase, Pianos, 158 Ludlow, NYC
Mister Lies, Psychic Twin, Cemeteries, Mean Lady, Levek, Cuckoo Chaos, Field Mouse, Teen Daze, Way Yes
More info
Wednesday October 17th:
Stereogum & Popgun CMJ Showcase, Glasslands 289 Kent, Brooklyn
Dum Dum Girls, Guards, Savages, Icona Pop (DJ Set), Port St. Willow, & IO ECHO
More info
Ghostly International & Cascine Showcase, Le Baron, 32 Mulberry, NYC
Jensen Sportag, Michna, Chad Valley, Choir of Young Believers, Erika Spring, Selebrities, & Rush Midnight
More info
Surprise Attack! & Pinnacle Entertainment Showcase, Marlin Room at Webster Hall, 125 East 11th St. NYC (from 2:45pm)
Cultfever, Edelweiss, Wild International, The Danvilles, Joywave, Luke Rathborne, American Royalty, Country Mice, Turf War, Life and Time, Hounds Below, Local H, Lazyeyes, Generationals, The Suzan, Filligar, Avan Lava, & The Click Clack Boom
More info
The Windish Agency CMJ Showcase at Mercury Lounge, 217 East Houston, NYC
Doldrums, Strange Talk, Hundred Waters, Duologue, Mozart’s Sister, High Highs, Diana
More info
Braids, Team Spirit, Solid Gold, Jon Derosa, Bowery Riots, Zulu Pearls
More info
Noisey CMJ 2012 Showcase, Santos Party House, 96 Lafayette, NYC
Acid Alumni, Flatbush Zombies, Childred of the Night, Bodegabamz, Underachievers, & Haleekmaul
Thursday October 18th:
MNDR CAA CMJ Showcase, Bowery Ballroom, 6 Delancey, NYC
Sky Ferreira, IO Echo, Gabriel Bruce, Deap Valley, MSMR
More info
Extension Music’s About To Break CMJ Showcase, The Cake Shop, 152 Ludlow, NYC
Immanu El, Foreign Fields, Hugh Bob & The Hustle, & SUNBEARS!
More info
Captured Tracks CMJ Showcase, Music Hall of Williamsburg 66 North 6th Street
DIIV, Mac DeMarco, Thieves Like Us, Dignan Porch
More info
Force Field PR & Hipster Runoff Showcase, Glasslands, 289 Kent, Brooklyn
Generationals, Dent May, Andrew Cedermark, Levek, & GANGI (early show)
More info
Carpark Records & Paw Tracks Showcase at Cameo Gallery, 93 North 6th St, Williamsburg
Adventure, Dog Bite, Popstrangers, Dent May, Young Magic, Prince Rama
More info
A Heart is A Spade & Old Flame Records Showcase at Pianos, 158 Ludlow, NYC
Fantasy Rainbow, Your Youth, Lost Boy ?, You Won’t, Turf War, Mean Creek, Twin Tigers, Dinowalrus
More info
Neon Gold, National Anthem, & Chess Club Showcase Santos Party House, 96 Lafayette, NYC
Icona Pop, Sky Ferreira, Jjamz, Capital Cities, Morning Parade, Blondefire, Strange Talk, Pacific Air, Citizens!, Jinja Safari, Lovelife, Gabriel Burce, and Busy Living
More info
The Windish Agency CMJ Showcase at Pianos, 158 Ludlow, NYC
Flume, American Royalty, Labyrinth Ear, The Luyas, Ape School, Opossom, Duologue, Moon King
More info
The Wild Honey Pie & Lip Sync CMJ Showcase, Bar Matchless, 577 Manhattan Ave, Brooklyn
Bodylanguage, High Highs, Opossom, Donora, Devin, The Echo Friendly, & Night Panther
Friday October 19th:
The Windish Agency CMJ Showcase at Brooklyn Bowl, 61 Wythe Ave, Brooklyn
Penguin Prison DJ set, Icona Pop, Born Ruffians, Free Energy, Chad Valley, Flume
More info
Panache Booking Showcase at Public Assembly, North 6th St, Brooklyn
Twerps, Turbo Fruits, Dent May, Mac Demarco, The Paperhead, Violent Bullshit, Vockah Redu, Xray Eyeballs, Dignan Porch, Gap Dream, & Levek
More info
Presets & YACHT double header at Terminal 5, NYC
Saturday October 20th:
Theophilus London, Gramercy Theater, 127 East 23rd, NYC
TL, King Chip, Travi$ Scott, & Phoney PPL
More info
The Windish Agency CMJ Showcase at Gramercy Theater, 127 East 23rd, NYC
Com Truise, Poolside, Bonde Do Role
More info
Cosigns Presented by Consequence of Sound at Public Assembly, North 6th St, Brooklyn
Free Energy, Delicate Steve, Hundred Waters, The So So Glos, & Conveyor
More info
CMJ UNOFFICIAL SHOWCASES & PARTIES
Thursday October 18th:
Yours Truly, Gorilla vs. Bear, & Forest Family at 285 Kent, Brooklyn.
Kilo Kish, D I A N A, Ryan Hemsworth, Flume, TOPS, ForteBowie, Sam Flax, & Empress Of
More info
The Wild Honey Pie and Lip Sync Music Present The Beehive, Bar Matchless, 557 Manhattan Ave Brooklyn
Night Panther, The Echo Friendly, Donora, Devin, High Highs, Opossom, Body Language
More info
MySocialist.com & Domino Street CMJ Day Party, Public Assembly, 70 North 6th St, Brooklyn
The Intelligence, Roomrunner, Wild Yaks, Royal Baths (1pm onwards)
Friday October 19th:
Pitchfork x Topman, Villian, 48 North 3rd Street, Brooklyn
Death Grips, DIIV, Joey Bada$$, Metz, Holy Other, Merchandise, Daughn Gibson, Le1f, Hundred Waters, and Angel Haze
More info
Brooklyn Vegan Day Party, Public Assembly, 70 North 6th St, Brooklyn
Band to be announced (Friday and Saturday from noon to 6pm)
Kanine Records CMJ Showcase, Cameo Gallery, 93 Notrh 6th, Williamsburg (daytime event)
Valleys, Beach Day, Bleeding Rainbow, Eternal Summers, Zambri, Moon King, Suburban Living, and DJ’s Patrick (Chairlift), Thomas (Surfer Blood), Allen Blickle (Baroness), OJ (Xray Eyeballs)
Saturday October 20th:
Pitchfork and MoMA PS1, VW Performance Dome at MoMA PS1, 22-25 Jackson Ave, Queens
Andy Stott, Chairlift, Doldrums
More info
Moscot Music Unofficial CMJ Party, Moscot Gallery, 118 Orchard St, NYC (daytime event)
Ambassadors, Dent May, & ARMS
More info
Pop Montreal’s Seriously Important and Great Band Party, Cameo Gallery, 96 North 6th, Brooklyn
Goose Hut, Mozart’s Sister, Blue Hawaii, Solar Year, Valleys, & C T Z N S H P (noon to 6:15pm)
More info
Pitchfork’s Show No Mercy, at 285 Kent
Car Bomb, Batillus, Pyrrhon, Primitive Weapons, Theologian, and special guests
More info