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Saturday, October 20, 2007
After approximately 45 minutes of the New York obstacle course (sweaty subway blues, fragrant outdoor fish markets, disorientation, and the awkward exchange of “I don’t know what you’re saying to me. I’m sorry I’m ignorant” hand gestures) I finally arrived at the popular Lower East Side club, The Annex, just in time to catch the last night of the CMJ (College Music Journal) Music Marathon and a mild vodka buzz.
With the coincidental competition of next door’s flashy Fader Magazine private party, The Annex’s modestly roped entryway, almost-friendly bouncer, and the curious hand-painted sign indicating that “Scaryville” was just inside, seemed honest and endearing (if not slightly lonely). Industry hipsters may have been raising the roof at Fader, but The Annex’s crowd knew how to keep it real (I’m 90% certain that I saw a man sporting a
dreadlocked beard).
The Fanatic Promotion Showcase began earlier that evening, with performances from Bring Back the Guns and the naughty Clockcleaner. I breezed in for Slim Cessna’s Auto Club’s set: a rollickin’, slightly unintelligible patchwork of good ole boy country and good ole rock n’ roll. Having stepped outside for a short break, some freshly polluted NYC air, perusal of the neighboring Thai take-out menu, and some geeky music chit chat, a few of us rebellious sheep found ourselves separated from the rest of the pack, resulting in the unintentional overlook of frenetic psych-rockers Hopewell. Visit these bands’ websites for more information about upcoming shows.
At the risk of playing “favorites,” I was pleasantly enthused by Brooklyn-based Bryan Scary and The Shredding Tears’s performance. Hamming it up with face paint, unique
historical costumes, grandiose theatrics, and a highly stylized Glam Pop-meets-Rocky Horror musical sideshow, Bryan Scary and band transformed the dark narrow club into a jolly lair of demented fun!
San Francisco natives Wooden Shjips closed the showcase with their brand of blurry gothic psychedelia (I’m attempting to refrain from using the description “stoner music,” but hey, if it looks like a tweaked out duck…). As the headlining act, the band attracted the biggest crowd, a diverse audience of subdued bedheads, oddly formal neo-beatniks, some Asians*, and the obligatory DWFs (Dudes Wearing Flannel). Although there appeared to be no lack of interest in the music, the sudden onset of a droopy-eyed ambience was my cue to bid ‘adieu’ and step back outside into real time.
Bring Back the Guns: www.bringbacktheguns.com
Clockcleaner: www.clockcleaner.net
Slim Cessna’s Auto Club: www.slimcessnasautoclub.com
Hopewell: www.hopewell.tv
Bryan Scary and The Shredding Tears: www.bryanscary.com
Wooden Shjips: www.woodenshjips.com
*For the record, I am Asian and therefore allowed to single out my people.
-Lara
