So if the rally cry for CMJ 2003 was "Parties and bands, parties and bands!" then 2004 could best be summed up as "Party and band, party and band!". Yes, tis true. I made it to exactly one show and one party during the 4-day Music Marathon. ONE! Now, this is not of my own fault. Sure, other work commitments kept me from the shows until after 11pm (I have to pay the bills somehow, so sue me). Plus, shopping for an upcoming photoshoot kept me busy during most of the day. But that still left plenty of time for post-work shows and of course, the infamous party scene. I wasn't feeling so great though (or am I just getting old?), so I didn't really bother seeking out the shindigs (I had only planned to go to whatever big bash Fader magazine was hosting anyway but they instead did some daytime events). There were still the shows though, and several bands were playing that I really wanted to see. But through a streak of bad luck and bad attitude, I only ended up fulfilling my plan on one night. But what a night it was. Day 1- Wednesday Totally jazzed for the upcoming few days, I make a mid-afternoon trek to the Jacob Javitz Center (CMJ's home base) to pick up my press badge. Now, I know I've been here before, but was it always this BLOODY FAR? Good grief. Between the subway ride and the walk from the train, it's a good 40 minutes. After getting there and picking up my credentials, I catch a few songs from New York's Prosaics who were manning the CMJ Day stage (they're described in the CMJ Festival Guide as "sincere, smart, direct pop music"). But after sifting through my free bag of swag, I decide my hunger may cause me to pass out so I leave to forage for food. Sadly, it was then that I realize that I probably won't make it back to any of the other Day Stage shows I had planned on checking out (specifically, Sondre Lerche) since the Javitz Center is SO BLOODY FAR!
The Fame (Adrienne Cohen)	Later on that night, I head over to Nazi velvet-rope club Plaid to see the Fame at 11:15. There are a large group of hipsters outside smoking when I go to the door guy and girl and ask if they were still letting people in. They tell me yes and "That will be $10". So I show them my badge. They do nothing. "Are we still letting in badges?" the girl asked. Um, yes, I should have told them. The rule is as long as the venue is not at capacity, both badges and paying customers are to be let in. But they refused. "The place is really tight", says the girl. Last time I checked, my body would not take up any more space if I was let in free with my badge or if I paid the $10. They refused to let me in unless I ponied up the dough so I refused to pay and walked away. I can see the Fame another time but this certainly did not put me in a good mood at all. I should have known then that the rest of my week would follow suit.
Day 2- Thursday Clinic, one of my favorite bands, was headlining the Domino Records showcase at Irving Plaza. They're pretty popular so I wasn't so sure if I'd be able to get in or not. But Irving is pretty close and it does hold 700+ people so it wasn't outside the realm of possibility that I'd get in. But you know, things uh, come up. Like when your friends ask you to go out for a drink and uh, one of the guys in attendance is someone you have a crush on. But let's face it, I probably never would have gotten into that Clinic show anyway and it's not like I haven't seen them several times already... Drinking was fun though.