CMJ Preview: Part 3, Saturday

SATURDAY
Deli Showcase number two at Public Assembly! I am definitely checking this out, to see Semi-Precious Weapons, The Orion Experience and The Gay Blades. As many of you know, I wrote the cover story for the latest edition of The Deli, featuring SPW, and totally fell in love with these raunchy, crude dudes and their masculine yet glam punk rock. They're original and crazy, and totally let loose in their high heels and leather vests with insane sexual energy and intense punk tunes. They go on early, at 8 pm, because later in the night they're playing the Perez Hilton showcase. Ooooooh! It's by invite only and I don't think I'm invited. Anyway, The Orion Experience is a pop/rock indie band with bubbly refrains and a ska flair, and The Gay Blades, as mentioned in the last entry, are sassy and loud. Doors are at 7 pm, it's $10, and the last band, Boyskout, goes on at 1:45 in the morn. Info here.

The aforementioned Vivian Girls are playing at Bowery, with Crystal Antlers and A Place to Bury Strangers. This is gonna be an awesome show, blending VG's punky sound with the Antler's aggressive electro rock and finishing with A Place to Bury Strangers' totally psychedelic, dark tunes. All three bands are playing shows during the week, but the combo of these three is killer.

If you're looking for some daytime fun, Union Pool is hosting an early show with Cordero, a group I've recently fallen in love with. Ani Cordero fronts this salsa-rooted, indie rock latin band, singing Spanish lyrics in her sultry, sexy voice while playing guitar and wearing some beautiful and crazy dress. They have an awesome, full percussion section and just came out with a new album called "De Donde Eres." Show is $10 and starts at 12 pm, with Cordero starting at 4:20.

The one and only, well-loved Akudama boys will be playing their chilled-out but still upbeat, instrumental driven rock at the Bowery Poetry Club. Show starts at 8:15 with Julius C and costs $8 in advance, or $10 day of. If you haven't seen these boys, go! Not only are they totally adorable but they also make great music. Admire them here, but beware that their catchy tune, "Dishes," will be pleasantly stuck in your head all day.

Almost as cool as the George Clinton show is Blue Note's Saturday night performance with Otis Grove. Otis Grove?!? When I think of CMJ, I think of shitty indie rock with some awesome gems and now, hip hop and maybe a little metal. Never do I think, oh, maybe I'll see Otis Grove! Sometimes I wish I weren't an after school teacher and actually made money. The show's expensive, but Blue Note is historic and Otis Grove is, well, Otis Grove. He goes on at 12:30 a.m. and will probably play that ridiculous song called "Pimp Juice." Check out Blue Note's full schedule here.

To continue in this vein of funky music, Lee "Scratch" Perry is headlining Santos Party House! I'm dying to see this man play... maybe I'll head over after The Deli show since he doesn't go on until 1:30 a.m. For those of you who don't know his glory, Scratch is 72 years old from Jamaica, one of the originators of dub reggae. His music has modernized slightly as the times have changed yet still maintains the authentic, real vibe it always had. He's completely chilled out and still a dynamic performer in his older years. Now he lives in Switzerland but plays in the States a few times a year. Doors and pricing on Santos site here.

Though not a part of CMJ, this bizarre percussion group called Electric Junkyard Gamelan will be playing for free at Zebulon in Williamsburg. Using the word "unique" doesn't do these guys justice at all. They've created an entire percussive orchestra out of plant pots, saw blades, rubber bands, household utensils, lard churners and other unrecognizables. They have every child's dream, a drumset made out of pots and pans and buckets, and have also managed to create their own electronic instrument. Comprising young through middle aged men and women, Electric Junkyard Gamelan loosely bases their songs on the traditional Balinese style of Gamelan but also adds in original material, including hip hop and rock-n-roll. I saw them play at the Salvador Dali exhibit at the MOMA and their surreal appearance and sound fit in perfectly. They are truly incredible, like nothing out there. I honestly feel like words can't describe them well enough, like the only thing that would honor their originality would be the creation of an entirely new word. So... they are babalooney.

Honorable mentions: The Delta Spirit at Red Bull Space. Bell playing a DJ set at Pianos, followed by DJ Pumpkin Patch (also every kid's dream, to grow up and called yourself DJ Pumpkin Patch). Nightmare of You, an upbeat, delicious pop band from BK, playing at The Greenpoint Legion Hall. Violens at Love. And The XYZ Affair at the beloved Cake Shop.

ENJOY AND ROCK OUT!!!!!