Portishead @ PNE Forum, Vancouver, October 24, 2011

 

I've always just liked Portishead.  They were never a life-changing band for me, they just had a few songs over the years that I quite enjoyed.  Despite the cost and atrocious venue, I suppose I bought the ticket because even after all this time (17 years?! eeks ...) they still held my interest.  Sour Times sounds just as good today as it did when I first heard it in 1994.  And well, live, they really are very good.  I mean good enough that I enjoyed myself despite the awfulness of the venue.  It must be magical to see them in a concert hall or somewhere that didn't used to be a barn.  Maybe I've been missing out on not listening to them that much, I'm just glad I took the opportunity to see them live, they were definitely worth it.

The Lighthouse & The Whaler, The Living Room, CMJ, October 21, 2011

I can't remember where but I stumbled across The Lighthouse & The Whaler earlier this year and fell instantly in love with their debut album, not realising that it was almost 2 years old.  I was really pleased when they were announced for CMJ and they became a must see.  To say I came away impressed, is an understatement ... I came away thinking that they should be huge.  That whatever it is that a band has that makes them great live, these guys have it.  They didn't play any songs I knew (!) and played songs from their new album (which from the preview will probably be a 2012 favourite) and just basically blew me away.  One of my favourite sets of CMJ and a highlight of 2011.

Now Now @ Pianos, CMJ, October 21, 2011

I would have put Now, Now on the list of bands I never expected to see had I not made the decision to go SXSW and CMJ, and really, that's why I like those festivals.  You get a chance to see alot of bands who wouldn't normally pass through your town, well at least not Vancouver.  I'd discovered Now, Now about a year before and couldn't fit them into my SXSW schedule so was pretty happy when they played CMJ.  I liked them alot.  They're young, but their songs are catchy and they play well together.  They have a great stage presence and sounded fantastic.  A band, I hope, on the way up.

Wild Palms @ Spike Hill, CMJ, October 20, 2011

 

Oh wow, they were good.  They had troubles and you could tell they were getting a bit frustrated but it didn't matter ... they were wonderful.  I'm so glad I got a chance to see them play ... I hope it won't be the last time.  This band needs to be discovered.  And soon.

We Were Promised Jetpacks @ The Knitting Factory, CMJ, October 20, 2011

One of the reasons I ended up going to Monolith was because We Were Promised Jetpacks were playing.  I'd discovered them earlier that summer and became a big fan instantly.  I didn't think I'd get a chance to see them for a while so I got on the plane to Colorado.  I ended up seeing them in Chicago about a month later as well.  They finally made their Vancouver debut in February 2010 so, funnily enough, I went from not thinking I'd get a chance to see them to seeing them 3 times in about 6 months.  They're wonderful live so I was pleased at my luck.  And so I found myself in New York having not seen them for 18 months when they announced a show for Brooklyn Vegan during CMJ ... the first song they played was "It's Thunder & Lightning" off their first album, and damn, was it good to hear that played live again.  I'd missed them.  They played the set as a threesome announcing that they wanted a holiday in New York before they started touring and this was the only way to do it.  They were loose and relaxed and they sounded great.

k.flay @ Tammany Hall, CMJ, October 19, 2011

There are about 2000 bands that played SXSW this year, so even if I tried, I wouldn't have been able to come close to seeing anywhere close to more than 5% of the bands (and I didn't really try).  Given that, it's inevitable that bands will be discovered in the weeks and months (and sometimes years) following the festival.  I think I discovered k.flay about a week after I got home and that well, frankly hurt.  To add insult to injury, I found out she'd already played Vancouver (in October 2010) so when she was announced for a one-off show in New York during CMJ, I wasn't going to miss out.  Accompanied by her macbook and a drummer, her live show was very entertaining, although hard to take photos as I don't think she stood still the entire set.

Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, Ace Hotel, CMJ, October 19, 2011

I bought the first Clap Your Hands Say Yeah album at Amoeba Records in San Francisco on my way to Vancouver.  I can't remember why since I was travelling at the time and hadn't actually heard it but I'd been reading about it and took a chance that it might be good.  I fell in love with it.  It was the soundtrack to my first few months living in Vancouver.  I really liked their second album and think the third is fantastic as well.  Sadly they only played Vancouver once before I moved here (with The National in a tiny venue) so when they announced the Ace Hotel show as part of the KEXP sessions they instantly became a must see.  They didn't disappoint.  They were outstanding.

The Duke Spirit, Puma Store, CMJ, October 19, 2011

CMJ is not as big or as crazy as SXSW, so for the most part, shows tend to be in the established venues in Manhattan and Brooklyn.  Every once in a while though, you get a show in a .... shoe store?  In the afternoon ... Perhaps not the best venue to see a band but sometimes you have to make do and The Duke Spirit were professionals and put on a very entertaining set.

We Are Augustines, Ace Hotel, CMJ, October 19, 2011

I'd actually never heard of them but was in the Ace Hotel getting a coffee at Stumptown.  I didn't get to see the whole set but enjoyed what I did.  They sounded great but almost as important, they looked like they were having a blast.  The smile on the lead singer's face was infectious.  I found out later he used to be in Pela, who I discovered just before they broke up and never got a chance to see.  Luckily I didn't miss out on We Are Augustines as well.

Exitmusic @ The Delancey, CMJ, October 18, 2011

Bands like Exitmusic are why I like SXSW and why I wanted to go to CMJ ... I'd discovered them a few months before (falling in love with their single 'The Sea') and knew that the chances of them playing Vancouver within the next 6 months or so were pretty slim.  I'm happy I got to see them in a pretty small venue before their album comes out and while it's all new and exciting for them.  I got to catch a band on the way up and based on the performance I saw,  I have every reason to believe they'll start to get alot more recognition and alot more fans.  I liked them alot.