brooklyn's motel motel is the last band from nyctaper's cmj showcase and i definitely saved the best for last. this was the second time that i'd seen motel motel and the send time that i've shot them. not only are they wildly talented musicians who make really good music, they are nice and generous guys. i hope i get to see them play again soon.

to see the rest of my photos, click here.

k

omaha's thunder power played nyctaper's cmj showcase and i can honestly say i've never heard anything like them. they were very, very good. this band incorporated nearly every genre of popular music while still managing to sound completely original. not an easy feat.

to see the rest of my photos, click here.

k

peasant, aka damien nicholas derose, played a lovely set of gorgeous songs at nyctaper's cmj showcase.  every song told a story and every story was just beautiful. after his set, we talked for a little bit and i told him that while his singing style reminded me of damien rice (who i love), i found peasant a more compelling performer with better songs. check him out, you won't be disappointed.

you can see the rest of my photos here.

k

blood warrior also played nyctaper's cmj showcase and were great. blood warrior counts o'death's greg jamie as a member and their music is every bit as good. their set of folk music rocked and i would see them play again in a heartbeat.

you can see the rest of my photos here.

k

brooklyn's the loom also played nyctaper's cmj showcase at bruar falls and let me tell you - I LOVE THIS BAND. they make music that feels like it was made just for my ears. nyctaper says it better than i can...

To say that The Loom’s performance was a revelation would be to understate the significance of this unit. They combine musical talent, strong writing, and an abundant amount of band camaraderie into an intense amalgam.

click here to see the rest of my photos.

k

brooklyn's emanuel and the fear played nyctaper's cmj showcase in october and their set was worth seeing not just for the music, but the sheer mechanics of watching all 11 members squeeze onto that tiny stage. :) seriously, they were awesome. their music was part classical, part indie pop, and part something else that was all their own. they were so inventive, i just loved watching them play.

you can see the rest of my photos here.

merry christmas, friends!!!

k

when i got to bruar falls the morning of the showcase, unicycle loves you was there setting up as they were going on at noon and the first band to play that day. it was just them and me in the bar and it was fascinating to get a behind-the-scenes view as they set up and warmed up. nyctaper describes this chicago band's sound as "psychadelic garage rock" and that's a pretty fair assessment though i would be remiss not to mention that their songs have incredible hooks, great lyrics, and awesome harmonies. they were not only talented, but extremely nice. i talked to the band after the show and can't say enough about how friendly they are. hopefully this great band who has been featured in spin and filter magazines will get signed soon. 

setlist:

1 - magnetic horses
2 - highway robbery
3 - golden girls
4 - gateway drugs
5 - justine

download nyctaper's recording here. and see the rest of my photos here.

k

kittens ablaze closed out nyctaper's cmj showcase at bruar falls and they were FANTASTIC. i read a review of them that said kittens ablaze sound like "ra ra riot meets cursive" which is not a bad way at all to describe their sound. the orchestrations were intense yet playful and their energy was some of the best i've seen. combine that with a drummer who sings lead and a cellist who plays like it's a guitar and you have kittens ablaze - clever and passionate indie rock. they blew me away and i can't wait to see them again.

setlist:

1 - strobelight
2 - this machine is dying
3 - gloom doom buttercups
4 - rabbit is a livewire
5 - hotel room
6 - evangeline
7 - branches
8 - wandering song

download the recording NOW at nyctaper and see the rest of my photos here.

k

on thursday, i spent a very valuable vacation day to photograph nyctaper's cmj showcase at bruar falls in williamsburg. and i am so glad that i did. i spent one of the best days i can remember taking pictures, hearing some really great bands (dan has EXCELLENT taste), chatting with musicians and other photographers, and drinking beer. it was really amazing. there were 8 bands (listed above) and i took about 1700 photos, so you won't see any photo posts until monday - lots and lots of editing to do. and dan recorded all of the awesome performances, so stay tuned for photos and links to download the recordings.

k