Critical 5 concerts in NYC this week: CMJ edition, Oct. 15-21 (News)
With the CMJ Festival taking over New York City this week, we're giving you the most essential quick peek into the array of bands delivering stellar shows nearly 24-7 across this concrete landscape.
Though, if you're ready to really dive in to an overwhelming sea of information, you can catch out the full list of shows by clicking here.
The Bowery this week is featuring some pretty important acts, including Tuesdays performance by Mountain Goats at 8pm (we recently sat down with John Darnielle for our Critical Questions and discussed his thoughts on the drudges of life, and his new record Transcendental Youth). Thursday (10/18) at 10pm you can catch MS MR whose self-released dance-single "Hurricane," and the accompanying video, gave them an online reputation. On Saturday/Sunday (10/20-10/21) at 7:30/8:00pm Wild Nothing, who recently released their sophomore album Nocturne, will bring their dreamscape sound to the venue.
Head over to Le Poisson Rouge (LPR) this week to bask in the dim glow and up close sound of some amazing acts, including Tuesday nights New Zealand showcase featuring the witty, moody, and mellow music of Lawrence Arabia at 6:30pm and New Zealand outfit, Popstrangers at 7pm who resemble early Radiohead. Wednesday check out Flying Lotus, who has become a namesake in himself, gaining more acclaim with each record and becoming deemed as the creator of a whole new music idealology with a genre that blends hip hop and R&B with mellow experimental electronic sounds.
Webster Hall will be host to some amazing indie/pop bands this week with three great gigs happening in the Marlin Room Wednesday: the Generationals are performing at 10:15pm and are an upbeat indie outfit that if you haven't heard yet, you should spend the time delving into them (they're a bit of a homage to 90's pop), and were also featured in the Farrelly brothers' film Hall Pass. If you can manage to keep yourself awake and raging you can also catch the upbeat, disco-rock project Avan Lava at 12:30am... regardless the show is sure to jolt you back to life anyways, as they typically feature outrageous laser lights and dance numbers. They will be followed by the vocal-oriented garage-pop group The Click Clack Boom at 1:15am. Webster Hall will also feature French Horn Rebellion Saturday at 10pm, who are a pair of brothers with a DJ dance-set that they pump up with a twist of horns and brass over their weighty beats.
Telekinesis is soley comprised of Michael Lerner, but regardless of what he likes to be called the music he?s been creating lately is only becoming more important, catchy and addictive. Part of Merge Records CMJ showcase (which they haven't had since 2008) you can catch Telekinesis' indie rock sound at Mercury Lounge this Wednesday with the garage-greats Reigning Sound. The Australian four-piece electro-pop band, Strange Talk, will also be preforming Wednesday to help promote their new single "Cast Away."
This week at Terminal 5, The Walkmen, who manage to still rank amongst the top in the indie, post-punk market with their indelible moods, will be performing with the fuzzy sounds of dream-noise-pop band Dum Dum Girls.
Related Entries: Critical Questions: John Darnielle of The Mountain Goats, End of Daze, Flying Lotus?s snazzy new video all about bots and beats, Video of the Day: The Walkmen get surreal
