Your Guide to CMJ 2004

THE PAYBACKS+HOLLY GOLIGHTLY+THE SIGHTS+THE GREENHORNES+MR. AIRPLANE MAN
Mercury Lounge, 217 East Houston Street, 212.260.4700

Showcasing the finest in three-chord Midwestern rock, this bill offers pre-rock electric blues (Golightly) and garage rock served up powerpop-y (Paybacks), bone-rattlingly heavy (Sights), trance-inducingly powerful (the very fine Mr. Airplane Man), and with a big dollop of '60s blues-psych (Greenhornes). Also: Blanche. At 7. HOARD

PINK MOUNTAINTOPS+SAMARA LUBELSKI+MINUS STORY+BLOOD ON THE WALL+ONEIDA+ELECTROPUTAS
Tonic, 107 Norfolk Street, 212.358.7501

Hometown "Best New Record Label" awardee Social Registry pits freak-folk miscreant Samara Lubelski, experimental jet-set rockers Blood on the Wall, and no-wave post-future daydreamers Electroputas against Jagjaguwar's comatose Pink Mountaintops, noisepop-y Minus Story, and increasingly legendary drones-'n'-moans Brooklynites Oneida. At 8:15. SYLVESTER

PRESIDENTS OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
Maxwell's, 1039 Washington Street, Hoboken, New Jersey, 201.653.1703

This election year heralds Love Everybody, the jiggly, rockin' new album from PUSA—the band with the best acronym in the business. With may-be five or six strings total, the trio can make you want to skip in a field of flowers or body-slam stuffed animals. With United State of Electronica. At 9. FURY

FRIDAYOCTOBER 15

. . . AND YOU WILL KNOW US BY THE TRAIL OF DEAD+AESOP ROCK+MATES OF STATE
Bowery Ballroom, 6 Delancey Street, 212.533.2111

Cute: A billing pairs extreme loudness with extreme wordiness. Trail of Dead make a fine racket out of whisper-screamy vocals and swipes from the Who and Daydream Nation–era Sonic Youth. The entrancing rhymes of Aesop Rock exude a blue-collar persona that complements his phantasmagoric production, and Mates of State spit just-been-kissed emo-pop enthusiasm in twisting harmony. Also: Sunn O))). At 11. HOARD

CAMPER VAN BEETHOVEN+CRACKER
Bowery Ballroom, 6 Delancey Street, 212.533.2111

David Lowery's going to be a busy man tonight: After running through a selection of both old and new (the band recently released New Roman Times, their first new album in over 10 years) Americana-laced indie-rock songs with Camper Van Beethoven, he'll change hats (and maybe guitars) to front Cracker, his even more sarcastic, radio-friendly (at least back in the '90s) rock outfit. Is this what the world needs now? At 6:30. SWITZER

THE DOUBLE+THE EXCEPTER
Knitting Factory Tap Bar, 74 Leonard Street, 212.219.3006

The Double are one of the most exciting and innovative bands around right now. Their songs are odd, edgy, and compelling, and they seem to draw their breath from some alien atmosphere. Comparisons are tough—the best of the Walkmen and Secret Machines is a starting point. Excepter are also psychedelic, experimental, and strange, and they too may be on to something. At 8. SWITZER

THE FAINT
Webster Hall, 125 East 11th Street, 212.353.1600

As the lone disco-synth outfit in Saddle Creek's roster of confessional white dudes with acoustic guitars, the Faint burst out of Omaha with gothy, sexy new wave records (the newest of which is the excellent Wet From Birth) and a brash, ass-shaking live show. With the Good Life and Beep Beep. At 6:30. RABER

THE FALL+COACHWHIPS+PARTS AND LABOR
Northsix, 66 North 6th Street, Brooklyn, 718.599.5103

Mancunian from hell Mark E. Smith and his revolving cast of hired guns never fail to terrify and surprise. During last year's tour, a broken hip couldn't stop the show; Smith scowled from a wheelchair while shaking his fist at the audience and reading Dadaist declamations scrawled on the back of an envelope. Energetic openers Coachwhips and Parts and Labor play stripped-down junkyard rock slathered in distortion. With X27. At 8. DAYAL

THE FEVER+VHS OR BETA+THE BRAVERY+ CONTROLLER.CONTROLLER
Maxwell's, 1039 Washington Street, Hoboken, New Jersey, 201.653.1703

It's a big show for fans of the post-punk revival. The Fever's dancey glam and the Euro-inspired funky grooves of VHS or Beta may be the evening's big draws, but don't miss the Bravery's new millennial take on New Order synthpop or Controller.Controller's tightly wound, female-led, Canadian version of Wire's fractured dance rock. At 9. RABER

Q AND NOT U+EL GUAPO
Knitting Factory Main Space, 74 Leonard Street, 212.219.3006

D.C. punks Q and Not U break the Dischord mold on their new album, Power,by bringing a sexy, Prince-ified funk sense and falsetto vocals to their already angsty guitar squall. Tonight they are joined by their arty labelmates El Guapo. Also: Mary Timony, Decahedron, Channels, Food for Animals, Manhunter. At 7:30. RABER

THE SHIP AND PILOT
Southpaw, 125 Fifth Avenue, Brooklyn, 718.230.0236

Never a man to gig once when he can gig twice, Jon Langford CMJs his Gotham-based touring aggregation—Maimone and Goulding you know, Cook you should meet. Also: Meat Purveyors, the Fandanglers, Carolyn Mark. At 9. CHRISTGAU

SUFJAN STEVENS+NICOLAI DUNGER
Mercury Lounge, 217 East Houston Street, 212.260.4700

Stevens and Dunger are both singer-songwriters who have garnered much critical acclaim, and for good reason. Stevens weaves themes of religion, nationalism, and optimism, while Dunger opts for a blues approach centered around dissecting relationships. Both play with passion that evokes Appalachia within every note. At 7:30. AYERS

TV ON THE RADIO+PINBACK+BATTLES+SALLY TIMMS+WHIRLWIND HEAT+TARA JANE O'NEIL
Irving Plaza, 17 Irving Place, 212.777.6800

CMJ's Touch & Go/Dim Mak showcase foregrounds indie rock's expansion beyond guitar/bass/drum songs (only Pinback and short-winded conceptualists Whirlwind Heat) to loop-based improv (Battles), texturalist groove (TVOTR), curatorial repertory digging for a voice's sake (the Mekons' Timms), etc. At 8. WOLK