It was our best intention to open our CMJ onslaught with a European twist, making our way to Cake Shop to hang with some Amsterdam-dwellers at the Subbacultcha/Pukekos/Viva Radio showcase, and especially to check out the amazing Moi Non Plus.  However, this wasn’t fated to be, since it wasn’t yet ten p.m., and our badges were no longer valid at the door.  “$8 or bust”, said the girl manning the clipboard, or she should have.  That’s what we get for trying to stroll into too small of a space, midway through such a strong, first night lineup.

Instead of crying into our coffees, we ran off to Santos Party House, which was the next best thing (and turned out to be for the best).  This bigger space was more than happy to have two more badge bodies to add to the festivities churning within the Panache/NY Night Train-hosted, vast, two-floor palace of madness.

We arrived in time to hear the last songs of the heady electro Dinowalrus, who drove a stake right through the early part of the night.  We were so impressed, we bought their 7″.

Upstairs, we came upon Harlem (“we’re the Ports Attacks”?), a surfery Beatles trio not from Harlem, but Austin, armed with one of the biggest bass drums we’ve seen.  It really looked like a cartoon, and matched the vibe of these happy, harmonizing pranksters who are now on Matador Records.  Towards the end of the set, they mixed up their lo-fi, 60′s affair and made it even more fun when the drummer became the singer/guitarist and the singer/guitarist moved back to show him up on  drums.

As Harlem was packing up, Flexions were filling up the basement with a wordless, prog rock film score intro and a super tight set that at its high points, was pure David Lynch, with desert wandering guitar and controlled dissonance, all making us wish we were wearing our 60′s platinum wigs.

Nottingham, UK’s Lovvers were on the main stage next. From all the buzz they’ve gotten and the jokes about their double v’s, we thought they’d have a lot of fans. Their sound check proved dull as sound checks are, but singer Shaun Hencher’s haircut was not.  It was one of those so bad, it’s good Cooper Temple Clause kind of cuts, let’s call it anti-hipster English.  (It’s basically a short mullet, and the worst haircut of Eastern Europe ten years ago).

As soon as Lovvers kicked into their set, the room filled up fast with a colorful array of fans, from silver-skirted girls to metalheads and dads.  One guy yelled, “You are the best/worst cover band I ever saw.”  Lovvers’ fuzzy, Flipperesque vibe reminded us of Black Lips, if only they died and went to UK heaven.

Golden Triangle (perhaps named after one of Asia’s illicit, opium-heavy areas), turned the big room into a certifiable dance frenzy.  “There’s a party in my pants” should be their catch phrase, though “We play birthday parties” is pretty perfect too, since they turn on a room (and cause boys to take off their shirts) instantly, with their garage-glam, surf-punk sparkle and shine.  This frollicking six-piece, fronted by the two lovely ladies known as Vashti Windish and Carly Rabalais, are a cure for the blues. Ignoring our dead camera battery, we danced with roller skate man, Mr. hot pants and heels, Skeleton Boy, and everyone else. (GT photo by Sebastian Mlynarski)

Meanwhile, The Stalkers, downstairs, had their own rage on, churning out their punchy, Ramones-styled, ramshackle rock jammed with solos, glorious choruses and their own rapt audience ready to break down the walls. (Madeline Virbasius-Walsh/photos by Zabatay)

While all this was happening, a few of us were at Fontana’s to catch an early Young Boys set. From the Reid brothers hair-do, to the black clothes and dark shades, these Young Boys could be considered a Jesus and Mary Chain rip-off if not for the fact that had a few of their own clever tricks.

With guitar, bass, pre-recorded drum tracks and a tamborine player, the Young Boys calmed us with droning, fuzz-layered songs backed with melodic basslines.  It was topped with a catchiness reminiscent of those Scottish, shoegazing fuzz gods. (Tear-n Tan/Young Boys photos, including top, by Tear-n Tan)

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