Ah, partying “like a rock star.” Immortalized forever by the likes of Van Halen’s Lost Weekend and the Shop Boyz song of the same name, it involves a few key components: drinking expensive liquor, being around expensive “hot” ladies, and trashing rooms at hotels like the Chelsea, where Sid Vicious’ ladyfriend Nancy Spungen spent her final hours. Or it used to, anyway! Because like so much else in the music industry, the concept of staying in a sweet suite is taking on a slightly unfamiliar shape in the 21st century, one that involves things like yoga, fancy mattresses, and kiddie pools. And those swimming holes are filled with water and meant for actual swimming by actual kids, not Jell-O wrestling.
Forget temporary deafness brought on by feedback and/or too much bass, this is what’s left ringing in our ears after a week’s worth of shows: the nagging question of just who’s left that really cares about CMJ. Even with the blanket coverage by the Times, Pitchfork, and music blogs great and small, press and promoters alike found it harder than ever to drum up interest this year. But can anything be done about it?
And it’s definitely dudes. And they definitely have beards. And they really like Black Kids. Feeling like we still hadn’t hit enough blogger parties this week–yes, we know, CMJ is “not about the bloggers”–we spent the afternoon at R Bar drinking overpriced vodka-based cocktails with the folks who bring you all of your favorite MP3 blogs and the faithful who read them every day for their tastemaking tips. Because nothing says “the future of music” like a slightly depressing red mausoleum/tribute to punk rock’s past, with gilded portraits of CBGB’s stars and, as one band noted, way more stripper poles than they were used to.
With two days left to go at the CMJ Music Marathon and many of the biggest bands scheduled for the weekend, Thursday was, by some estimation, the night where you had to “make your own fun.” But there were definitely hot shows going down if you had the energy to seek them out. (And if you didn’t mind paying an extra cover charge on top of your badge.) Plus: bare boobies!
In addition to individual updates as we hack our way through the hype, long lines, and enough bands to form a small rogue nation, we want to give you an overview of what it’s like to be in the thick of the CMJ Music Marathon. After the jump, we give you the lowdown on day one, when you’re “eased into” the conference process by being herded around by snotty teenagers with indie mullets and clipboards.
Since 1999, goths, industrial fans, and other members of “Dark Alternative Subculture” have descended on Disneyland every August for Bats Day In The Fun Park, which started as a day-long outing to the amusement park and has since evolved into a three-day event that bills itself as “the premier event on the West Coast, if not the world, for the Gothic and Industrial subculture of all ages.” We sent comedy writer Maggie Bandur to this year’s installment; her photos and recollections follow.
