Anyone familiar with The Airing of Grievances (no, we are not talking about Festivus) knows that Titus Andronicus’ Patrick Stickles is not kidding around. At times, he’s a bit tormented, and possibly crazy, but honestly, a very logical, good-hearted and extremely bright young chap. So when the cool kids at VICE decided to throw an irony-fueled, 1994-themed Halloween party at a warehouse in Williamsburg and asked Titus to perform Weezer covers after Bad Brains and Jesus Lizard played, it’s safe to say it was going to be a pretty good night.

Wrong. At least according to Stickles, who wrote a very lengthy rant on the event, which, through his account, was an absolute disaster and a glimpse of a troubled generation. Exactly what you’d expect from a VICE party in a warehouse in Williamsburg on Halloween with free tequila. To be honest, no real “good,” can come from this, save another Doc Marten to the dome courtesy of Jesus Lizard’s David Yow, who always seems to be in tip-top shape. According to Stickles description of the night, Jesus Lizard was hard to enjoy due to swarming Arab Parrot wannabe’s constantly photographing every inch of cocaine/tequila debauchery—the hedonistic, depraved aesthetic that VICE has long championed in its publications, and to some extent, lived themselves for years.

While coke, annoying people, lame security, irresponsible management, phoned-in performances (courtesy of Bad Brains) and complaining from Patrick Stickles is what some people actually go to VICE parties for, the real question is why? Why do we play into this shit? We, the current youth, are a generation constantly advocating change, yet we consistently short change ourselves by playing into these moronic stereotypes, ideas that we are merely over-educated, over-privileged, irony-obsessed idiots desperately hoping to land a picture of us doing blow off one another on a party site. Sure, that sounds fun, but why limit ourselves to this when we could be doing anything, literally ANYTHING, that may, someday, to someone, make a difference. If there is one thing we should learn from the misguidance of our parent’s generation—those who set to change the world, but fell prey to dirty bank loans and scheming investments, preferring quiet comfort to making the world a better place—it’s to not do what we’re doing. If we don’t stop acting like children, we’re always just going to be children.

Stickles closes his note with a few strong words for the youngsters. “Kids, we are blowing it. Everything they say about us is true.”

Take this as a call to arms: Don’t fall into the trappings that so many have fallen into before. It wouldn’t be ironic. It would suck.

In life, the best things are usually the ones you don’t know about, stumble upon and end up enjoying thoroughly. It’s hard to plan. The best things just fall into place. As is the case with music festivals (and CMJ is no exception to this rule) it may be the reason for the phrase. Like SXSW, CMJ is full of unofficial parties, secret shows, and all sorts of RSVP lists that open the doors to epic parties, or parties that could be epic but no one knew about them, and hence, no one showed up. Luckily, we’re going to clear the air for you, and let you in on a few secrets, some choice bands to see, and a few reasons why obtaining an official CMJ badge doesn’t really matter.

Day 1- 10/20

The Pop Tarts Suck Toasted kick off party at Cake Shop tomorrow is a great way to begin the fest. Not only is the blog bringing in Little Girls and Holiday Shores, but also Holiday Shores’ Floridian neighbors Surfer Blood, who’ve been making serious waves, no pun intended, since their trip to NYC almost two months ago. Small Black, Grooms, Sisters, Motel Motel, Dinosaur Feathers, Will Stratton and Seth Kallen round out the Free seven hour show.

Tuesday night there are a lot of options. Between the Underwater Peoples/Olde English Spelling Bee freak fest at Monkeytown and the Best Coast show at Cake Shop, it’s a real tough choice to make, especially since its the first night of the Festival. But if your looking for a way to get into exclusive shows for free, well, there’s an app for that too. It’s called the iPhone app for Going.com and it will get you into the Titus Andronicus, Beach Fossils, Woods, Here We Go Magic show at Webster Hall for free. Sorry BlackBerry users.

Day 2- 10/21

One of the biggest buzz bands in town this week is Best Coast, who’ve been tearing up the Interweb and tape hiss circles since “Sun Was High (So Was I)” hit the Web early this Summer. Throw in hypnagogic allstar Ducktails, NJ riff raff Fluffy Lumbers and the Africa high life riddims of, uh, HIGHLIFE (bka Sleepy Doug Shaw’s groove project, which may or may not feature members of Gang Gang Dance, Ariel Pink’s Haunted Graffiti and White Magic) and this is a show not to be missed. Oh yeah, didnt even mention that Alex Bleeker and the Freaks and Coasting would also be making appearances, at the Group Tightener/Todd P event at Monster Island Basement. Not gonna lie, Wednesdays at the Basement have been the jump off recently.

Day 3- 10/22

Thursday is tough. You’re starting to fade from 48 hours of excess but you must keep trudging through the trenches in order to receive either inevitable enlightenment or utter disillusionment. At this point, they are one in the same. You could rage the free DFA party at Brooklyn Bowl, with Murphy & Mahoney spinning as Special Disco Version, always choice. But I’d skip the party, especially if coming from out of town, to see The Beets, Beach Fossils, the Smith Westerns and more at Don Pedro’s. Cover is only $5 and this is a damn good lineup, and taste of the North Brooklyn scene. Beach Fossils haven’t really played outside the City much, and they are a must see, so do yourself a favor and head to Don Pedro’s. Friends at home will be envious in months when you recount the night.

Another go-to Thursday show in Brooklyn is at the infamous Market Hotel. By now, its become a staple for bands rolling through town to hit the spot above Mr. Kiwi’s and below the JMZ, and this doesn’t change during CMJ as WNYU is throwing a serious rager with Gary War, Eric Copeland of Black Dice, Amen Dunes, Expo ‘77, and Fluffy Lumbers, who are on so many good bills this week it’d be hard to miss them.

Day 4- 10/23

Back to the LES, Friday afternoon at Cake Shop might just be the place to be. The Chouette Promotions party Friday afternoon is stacked with up-and-comers who should already be household names, depending on who you talk to you. Forrest Fire, whose Survival was named #1 album of 2008 by La Blogotheque, headline the afternoon party, which also features soundstress Julianna Barwick, the Sian Alice Group, HIGHLIFE and Theo Angel. A good way to kill Thursday nights hangover while pre-gaming for Friday nights festivities.

As is usually the case with CMJ, Friday night means running around. Everyone is pulling out the stops and the lineups are stacked to the brim with blogworthy, PR pumped bands from all over. However, if your looking to chill in one spot, and devour a cohesive lineup from one of the best labels going, your best bet is to pop over to Cameo Gallery in Williamsburg for the Paw Tracks showcase. It looks a lot like last years lineup, sans Beach House, but a lot has changed since then, with Dent May touring the world and Tickley Feather on the brink of a new release. Throw in Mrs. Avey Tare, aka Kria Brekkan, the freak show that is Exceptor and Drawlings and you’ve got one of the best label showcases of the festival.

Day 5- 10/24

Got really drunk at the Paw Tracks show and fell asleep in the bathroom? All good, as the fellas from Underwater Peoples will be taking over Cameo Gallery starting at 12 noon on Saturday. It’s a brunch show for all the hungover masses still trying to figure out exactly what happened. Fortunately for us, the collective will have bands playing in the front of Lovin’ Cup and in the back room. It’s a gathering of chillers, complete with the seven man Pill Wonder arkestra, Family Portrait, Frat Dad, Alex Bleeker and the Freaks, and yes, Fluffy Lumbers, who, like I said earlier, are on a lot of choice bills this week.

By Saturday night your bones probably ache. That’s cool. You should feel like shit. And the only thing that will cure your ailing limbs is a long ride on the L train to the deepest depths of Brooklyn, to what is easily one of the coolest places in New York. If you think I’m talking about the Silent Barn, well, you’re right. Tuck a few tall boys into your coat and check out the dope lineup Pop Jew has curated for the closing nights festivities. By the end of the night, which features the likes of A Classic Education, a band from Italy which His Clancyness plays in, you’ll be searching the floor for a valium and a few bucks for a cab ride home. And that’s fine. That’s how it should end: aching, ears bleeding.

Titus Andronicus, everybody’s favorite New Jersey post-punk newcomers, will launch a tour in support of its 2008 debut album, The Airing of Grievances, which was reissued early this year by XL. Still, we’d like a new album from them sometime soon.

Tour dates are as follows:
09.02.09 – New York, NY @ Monster Island Basement
09.03.09 – Boston, MA @ Harper’s Ferry
09.04.09 – Montreal, QC @ Il Motore
09.05.09 – Toronto, ON @ Horsehoe Tavern
09.06.09 – Detroit, MI @ Magic Stick
09.07.09 – Chicago, IL @ Bottom Lounge
09.08.09 – St.Louis, MO @ The Firebird
09.09.09 – Iowa City, IA @
Sept. 10 – Bourbon Theater, Lincoln, Neb.
Sept. 11 – Larimer Lounge, Denver
Sept. 16 – Biltmore, Vancouver
Sept. 17 – The Northern, Olympia, Wash.
Sept. 18 – The Funhouse, Seattle
Sept. 19 – Doug Fir Lounge, Portland, Ore.
Sept. 21 – Bottom of the Hill, San Francisco
Sept. 22 – SLO Art Center, San Luis Obispo, Calif.
Sept. 24 – Echo, Los Angeles
Sept. 26 – Modified, Phoenix
Sept. 29 – Fellini Film Lounge, El Paso, Texas
Sept. 30 – Mohawk, Austin
Oct. 1 – Mangos, Houston
Oct. 3 – Bottletree, Birmingham, Al.
Oct. 4 – Hi-Tone, Memphis
Oct. 5 – Pilot Light, Knoxville, Tenn.
Oct. 6 – 529, Atlanta
Oct. 7 – Caledonia Lounge, Athens, Ga.
Oct. 8 – Milestone, Charlotte, N.C.
Oct. 9 – Local 506, Chapel Hill, N.C.
Oct. 10 – The Southern, Charlottesville, Va.
Oct. 11 – Rock and Roll Hotel, Washington, D.C.
Oct. 12 – Talking Head, Baltimore
Oct. 13 – Barbary, Philadelphia
Oct. 14 – Maxwell’s, Hoboken, N.J.
Oct. 15 – Knitting Factory, Brooklyn, N.Y.

Among the initial list of indie rock acts confirmed for this year’s Musicfest Northwest in Portland, Oregon, are freshly reunited emo OGs Sunny Day Real Estate and the Get Up Kids, two bands that couldn’t help but pop out at us from amongst a heap of wussy no-names like Mudhoney, Explosions In The Sky, Bad Brains, Dirty Three, Twilight Sad, Pink Mountaintops, Amazing Baby, Girl Talk, Beach House, Monotonix, Grouper, Titus Andronicus, The Long Winters and fittingly, Pains of Being Pure At Heart. Good heavens! One of the Pacific Northwest’s largest, the Willamette Week-founded festival will be descending on PDX’s many venues for four days and nights starting on September 16. Stay tuned for additional lineup additions and snag your wristbands right here before they’re all gone and you feel silly.

Tripwire all-purpose camera person Maia Stern rolled through the O’Death and Titus Andronicus show at Bowery Ballroom and caught all of the sights, sounds and smells one would expect, with a little crowd love to boot. Here is what she saw.


[Titus Andronicus]

[o'Death]

o’Death
Titus Andronicus