CMJ Music Marathon Loves North Brooklyn

Nowadays, independent music is often associated with North Brooklyn. With the neighborhood quickly becoming the epicenter for emerging musicians in New York, it’s no wonder the CMJ (College Music Journal) Music Marathon crossed the East River into more Brooklyn venues than ever this year.

About 1,100 bands performed at the nearly week-long CMJ Music Marathon, a festival held annually since 1980 designed to showcase new and independent music. Out of the 76 participating venues, CMJ took place in 18 Brooklyn spots, a significant increase from past years, said Vice President of Artists and Events for CMJ Network, Matt McDonald. Last Wednesday, a good crowd of cool young people gathered at the Music Hall of Williamsburg to see two British bands Late of the Pier and The Whip; Long Island-natives As Tall As Lions; Ki:Theory from Virginia; and Nickel Eye which features Nikolai Fraiture of the indie-rock band The Strokes.

McDonald said that when CMJ first started programming events in the area a few years ago, there was a strong preference amongst artists to play Manhattan rather than Williamsburg or Greenpoint because it was understood that fewer people would make the trek to Brooklyn for a show. In the last couple of years, however, all that has changed, and Brooklyn becomes more and more widely known for its own music scene, interest in playing shows there has exponentially increased.

“Some acts now prefer Brooklyn because they know the local fanbase is supportive,” wrote McDonald in an email.

Sean Fitzgerald, the guitarist of As Tall as Lions, a CMJ veteran band, said this year’s CMJ is much better than it has been in previous years, and expressed his excitement at the chance to play in Williamsburg’s Music Hall rather than their usual venues on the Lower East Side.

“[Playing at Williamsburg Music Hall] is a million times better. We sound a lot better here,” said Fitzgerald.

Indeed, this opinion was shared by audience member Larry Ciarallo of Parlophone Records, the label representing Late of the Pier…

“This is a really good venue for musicians, especially with the neighborhood being what it is, [a hotbed of music]” said Ciarallo.

Jaime McDonald, the guitar player of Nickel Eye, came from London to perform at CMJ. He has been to New York several times and said he prefers Brooklyn to Manhattan.

“I especially like Brooklyn,” said McDonald. “It feels like Hackney in East London, where I’m from. It’s such a mix, quiet, yet bustling.”