Picked By: Monica Christoffels

Who: M.I.A. featuring Rye Rye

Where: Roseland Theater in Portland, OR

When: Monday, October 18th at 9 p.m.

Cost: $25 – purchase tickets here

Age Restrictions: All Ages

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Picked By: Kelly Montgomery

Who: The Morning Benders (with Twin Sister and Cults)

Where: The Doug Fir Lounge in Portland, OR

When: Tuesday, October 19th at 9 p.m.

Cost: $12 Adv, $15 Day of

Age Restrictions: 21+

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Picked By: Cervante Pope

Who: Sleigh Bells

Where: Detroit Bar in Costa Mesa, CA

When: Tuesday, October 19th at 9 p.m.

Cost: $15

Age Restrictions: 21+

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Picked By: Laurel Johnston

This week marks the beginning of the 2010 CMJ Music Marathon and Film Festival in New York City, beginning Tuesday October 19th and ending Saturday October 23rd. The massive amount of bands playing a plethora of different venues is more than overwhelming, let alone the amazing films that will be featured. As I was perusing the lineup, I tried specifically to seek out bands that I had heard good things about but was not yet entirely familiar with, and strangely enough I found three venues whose lineups piqued my interest. If I was in NYC for CMJ, I’d stick with the three B’s: Bell House, Big Top, and Brooklyn Bowl. 

Some of the highlights at Brooklyn Bowl include a free performance on Tuesday evening by indie/alt group Yo La Tengo at 8pm. On Wednesday, four Brooklyn acts will rule the stage and compete for bragging rights for their hometown. First up is Oberhofer at 8pm, a group whose music will keep you guessing as to the artists’ intentions and influences. Pop/dub/experimental group Keepaway is on at 9pm, and BRAHMS will perform at 10. BRAHMS, though unrelated to the classical composer, creates layered indie dance tunes are sometimes off-kilter but irresistibly catchy. Headlining at Brooklyn Bowl that evening will be Bear Hands, an experimental indie rock group who’s heavy on the jam. 

On Saturday, Big Top will feature Devotchka at 10:15pm, a delightful group from Denver that romps through many styles, all of them extremely easy on the ears. One moment I was reminded of Gogol Bordello‘s haunting folk songs and in the next, a crooning melody like that of Roy Orbison. Opening for Devotchka that evening at 9:30 is the Australian duo Angus & Julia Stone, a group whose brand of breathy acoustic folk will also grace the stage at The Bell House on Friday at 9pm. 

The Bell House will feature music from 8pm until 2am on both Wednesday and Friday. Wednesday night I would be sure to catch female-led Sky Larkin performing at 9:50pm, a group from the UK whose unique take on indie and idol rock keeps them in your ears long after you’ve turned off their record. I was surprised to see them listed with the other groups on the bill, most of which are electronica, dub, or dance. Variety is the spice of life, and the group playing before Sky Larkin at 9:15 helps bridge the gap between indie, dance, and psychedelic. Their name is Sherlock’s Daughter, and their relatively relaxed, sometimes ambient sound is in delightful contrast to Parallels, a futuristic, energetic synth fantasy that will hit the stage at 11:45.  Also pumping up the volume is Canadian duo Woodhands and California’s crunkfunk group Hottub. Both groups will be hitting the audience hard with their unstoppable techno-pop beats when they perform on Friday at 12:30am and 1:30am respectively.  

If you’re in New York City this week, don’t miss this opportunity to be a part of this music, film, and cultural exchange!

Bell House is located at 149 7th Street, and Brooklyn Bowl is located at 61 Wythe Avenue. Both venues are located in Brooklyn, New York. Big Top is located at Damrosch Park, on the southwest corner of the Lincoln Center Plaza at 62nd Street between Columbus and Amsterdam Avenues.Tickets vary in price by venue, and most shows are 18 and up or 21 plus. For more information on the venues or lineup, please click here.