CMJ 2006 went out with a bang for the partygoers at the New York 2 London (NY2LON) event Saturday (Nov. 4) night at Northsix in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, sponsored by SPIN.com, Wired Set, +1, Coors Light, Barfly and others. Openers the Heights fired up energy levels with thickly-layered riffs and knee-jerking stage presence, and the Phoenix Foundation kept things light-hearted with goofy banter and prog-rock flourishes. Illinois delivered rollicking melodies with a mix of banjo and boisterous clap-alongs, interacting with a delighted crowd. Oh No! Oh My!’s driving beats and boyish intensity paved the way for a smooth performance by the sunshiny crowd-pleasers the Little Ones.
As the Silversun Pickups took the stage at 2 A.M., everyone bid farewell to CMJ ’06 alongside the band’s throbbing and dramatic pulses, cheering as Brian Aubert declared, “This is our favorite show of this whole CMJ bullshit.” Meanwhile, backstage over Blue Moon beer and a few smokes, Illinois frontman Chris Archibald expressed his approval of the CMJ scene. “[The music scene] used to be so territorial,” Archibald told SPIN.com. “Now it’s all about the love. That shit didn’t used happen. I mean, look around! We’re all just having a good time together.” STORY BY TRICIA SUMMERS / PHOTOS BY JAY CHEN
We asked: Now that CMJ’s over, which showcase got your highest rating? COMMENT
