The CMJ Music Marathon & Film Festival continues to grow to epic proportions since its debut back in 1980. This year includes over 1,300 artist performances and dozens of cutting-edge films at 80 venues, nightclubs and theaters around New York City. Notable bands include Wild Flag, Neon Indian, Portugal. The Man., Active Child, Weekend and Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr. But it’s the bands you haven’t heard of that give this festival its raison d’ être.

There are also close to 70 panels, seminars and special events to keep things going around the clock. Topics include A&R, Artist Management and Publishing/Licensing as well as anything to do with social media. A CMJ Full Festival Badge costs $495 (with a CMJ Student Full Badge priced at $295) but new this year is a CMJ Show Pass for $149 which allows access to all CMJ Music Marathon Showcases and Film Festival Screenings—based on venue capacity on a first come first serve basis. For those not planning to attend, PopMatters will have a team spreading out across the city to bring the event to life online. More details at cmj.com.

PEARL JAM TWENTY
Director: Cameron Crowe
Cast: Jeff Ament, Stone Gossard, Mike McCready, Eddie Vedder, Matt Cameron, Chris Cornell, Kurt Cobain, Neil Young
Country: USA
 
Documentaries made by non-documentarians can be exhilarating since, new to the form, the filmmakers tend to break old rules and push into interesting territory. But they can also wind up looking something like Pearl Jam Twenty. Confusing (even to this follower of the group), scattered, and unaccountably incomplete (one longtime member of the band is never even mentioned aloud!), this one is for fans only.

July is a big month for the guys from Future Islands. They just finished a US tour, they released a single for their upcoming album, and they’re currently embarking on their third European tour. The band made a stop in Dresden Friday night. It was the band’s second time playing at Beatpol; their last show was this past fall.

Before a packed crowd and without an ounce of jetlag, Future Islands played a handful of new and old songs, including some unreleased material that will be on their next album due out this fall.

The young German pop band In Golden Tears opened the show. When I went backstage to catch up with Future Islands lead singer Samuel T. Herring, I saw him exchanging stories with the German band, their minds not yet tainted by the overwhelming industry. From watching Herring interact with the emerging band, I immediately noticed how much of a storyteller Herring is. The singer uses the same kind of enthusiasm and magnetic interest during his on-stage performances.

It was a chaotic night in Austin as Interactive and Film closed, and the Music portion officially began at the YouTube Welcome party featuring a great lineup of artists including Das Racist.

The biggest news of the night was the surprise performance by Foo Fighters at Stubb’s.  With barely an hour’s notice after they screened their new documentary, they took the stage and delivered an electrifying performance to a capacity crowd.

Elsewhere, Beach Fossils, Surfer Blood, Boxer Rebellion and Psychic TV rocked Austin and ushered in the start of music lover’s heaven.

One other big development: Kanye West has confirmed at the Fader Fort for Saturday, with a rumored appearance by Bon Iver on the books.

Moby is the kind of artist whom, after hearing just one song, you remember from then on.  I heard “Go” back in the ‘90s when it became a club hit while riding in the back seat of a car heading out of New York City late at night.  Watching the lights of the skyline flash by perfectly matched the full throttle energy of the music and I became an instant fan.  After the horrors of 9/11 (which happens to also be the date of Moby’s birthday), I walked into the local record store called Johnny’s in Darien, Connecticut to purchase his CD, 18.  Moby used to work there, passing the time by drawing cartoon-like creations on shopping bags, and now this collection of music would help restore hope in the everyday.  He is a master of soaring melodies that pierce the heart and feed the soul.

During the New Music Seminar, Moby appeared on two panels after playing on stage at the opening night party.  He has recently relocated to the West Coast, so it was easy to drive his Prius from a new home in the Hollywood Hills to this even.  Using self-deprecating wit to get his viewpoint across, Moby clearly stated that success should only be a byproduct from the love of making music. He may say his “Little Idiot” alter-ego drawings are named because he is small and an idiot, but Moby serves as a thoughtful sage in the business. The day after releasing three new songs for free download on Moby.com, he sat down with PopMatters to give an update.