What is CMJ?
What is CMJ?
CMJ: College Media Journal
For 25 years, CMJ Music Marathon has brought together musicians, artists, promoters, journalists and assorted industry professionals for a four-day think tank of concerts and, as of 11 years ago, lectures, films, panels and tutorials. Using Lincoln Center as its throbbing nucleus, CMJ extends its talons into almost a hundred venues, where musicians roll out their blankets and display their wares. It bills itself as the largest event of its kind, helping to launch the careers of Sonic Youth, The Flaming Lips, and scores of other bands that have gone on to weave themselves into America’s collective music unconscious. This year, CMJ will roll into town Wednesday, September 14th to Saturday, September 17th.
Happy Birthday, CMJ, you are almost old enough to rent a car.
CMJ: Cranky Media Journey?
With all that potential for talent and energy, you would expect the writers whose job it is to chronicle the marathon to be teeming with optimism and verve, right? Maybe not. Take this quote from thevillagevoice.com’s coverage of The 2004 CMJ festival, one of this year’s sponsors:
“Why did we do this? The Voice spent more money on beer during the CMJ Music Marathon than we're getting paid to write it up, suffered the flashlight-toting douche bags they call security guards at Irving Plaza and Hammerstein Ballroom, and wasted valuable minutes scanning the names of countless shitty non-hip-hop bands approval-stamped by the shitty College Music Journal.” VillageVoice.com, 2004
Not the most ring-y of endorsements. But sadly, the writer reflects what many music critics believe about The CMJ. Take this mopey insight from last year’s Popmatters coverage:
CMJ is here again, and everyone, including me, seems to be bored.—Popmatters, 2004
Buck up, jaded scenesters. With that kind of spirit, I worry you won’t make it past the second marker of this music marathon. I have to wonder if it is because these journalists spend their time during New York’s launch pad for new talent haunting the more well known venues to catch already well known bands who are already launched. If you’ve seen Bright Eyes 7 times, chances are you will find his live show predicable and disappointing. But if you travel further down the island, to The Cake Shop, Pianos, or Lit you may find yourself pleasantly surprised.
CMJ: Call M(ari)e Jazzed
The Deli Magazine knows that everyone has his/her own reasons for going to CMJ. For some, it is to be discovered, for others it is to discover.
Here’s mine: I remember a black and white picture I saw once of one of the thousands of bands at CMJ that year. Their lead singer Wayne had a doe-eyed face and his hair may have been pink or maroon or yellow. He hadn’t yet picked up his fife, leading a generation of jaded scenesters out of the dessert with animal costumes and ebullient melodies. He was just some dude with funny hair who probably hadn’t showered in days. I wonder who the next Flaming Lips will be. I hope they are one of the bands on my stop this year.
What’s your reason? Let me know at marie@thedelimagazine.com
Signed,
Your exhaustively researching indie pixie
Marie Helene
CMJ: College Media Journal
For 25 years, CMJ Music Marathon has brought together musicians, artists, promoters, journalists and assorted industry professionals for a four-day think tank of concerts and, as of 11 years ago, lectures, films, panels and tutorials. Using Lincoln Center as its throbbing nucleus, CMJ extends its talons into almost a hundred venues, where musicians roll out their blankets and display their wares. It bills itself as the largest event of its kind, helping to launch the careers of Sonic Youth, The Flaming Lips, and scores of other bands that have gone on to weave themselves into America’s collective music unconscious. This year, CMJ will roll into town Wednesday, September 14th to Saturday, September 17th.
Happy Birthday, CMJ, you are almost old enough to rent a car.
CMJ: Cranky Media Journey?
With all that potential for talent and energy, you would expect the writers whose job it is to chronicle the marathon to be teeming with optimism and verve, right? Maybe not. Take this quote from thevillagevoice.com’s coverage of The 2004 CMJ festival, one of this year’s sponsors:
“Why did we do this? The Voice spent more money on beer during the CMJ Music Marathon than we're getting paid to write it up, suffered the flashlight-toting douche bags they call security guards at Irving Plaza and Hammerstein Ballroom, and wasted valuable minutes scanning the names of countless shitty non-hip-hop bands approval-stamped by the shitty College Music Journal.” VillageVoice.com, 2004
Not the most ring-y of endorsements. But sadly, the writer reflects what many music critics believe about The CMJ. Take this mopey insight from last year’s Popmatters coverage:
CMJ is here again, and everyone, including me, seems to be bored.—Popmatters, 2004
Buck up, jaded scenesters. With that kind of spirit, I worry you won’t make it past the second marker of this music marathon. I have to wonder if it is because these journalists spend their time during New York’s launch pad for new talent haunting the more well known venues to catch already well known bands who are already launched. If you’ve seen Bright Eyes 7 times, chances are you will find his live show predicable and disappointing. But if you travel further down the island, to The Cake Shop, Pianos, or Lit you may find yourself pleasantly surprised.
CMJ: Call M(ari)e Jazzed
The Deli Magazine knows that everyone has his/her own reasons for going to CMJ. For some, it is to be discovered, for others it is to discover.
Here’s mine: I remember a black and white picture I saw once of one of the thousands of bands at CMJ that year. Their lead singer Wayne had a doe-eyed face and his hair may have been pink or maroon or yellow. He hadn’t yet picked up his fife, leading a generation of jaded scenesters out of the dessert with animal costumes and ebullient melodies. He was just some dude with funny hair who probably hadn’t showered in days. I wonder who the next Flaming Lips will be. I hope they are one of the bands on my stop this year.
What’s your reason? Let me know at marie@thedelimagazine.com
Signed,
Your exhaustively researching indie pixie
Marie Helene
posted by Marie from the Deli at 9:23 AM
1 Comments:
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