I reluctantly get up with still not having much sleep. After a few errands, in particular to Best Buy to get a memory card reader, (which I have yet to figure out if it is working) - I meet up with one of my favorite customers, Mike from Wuxtry in Athens, GA. His label, Happy Happy Birthday to Me is having a CMJ showcase later that evening at Public Assembly. But during the day, I meet him at MOMA with his friend Keenan.
I've visited MOMA once before, and was looking forward to revisiting some of my favorite works of modern art, such as Dali's The Persistence of Memory and Picasso's Les Demoiselles d'Avignon
The most exciting featured exhibit was "Century of the Child: Growing By Design 1900-2000." Taken from MOMA's website: "This exhibition and website tracks the confluence of modern design and modern childhood, presenting individual and collective visions for the material world of children - a diverse array of ideas, practitioners and objects illustrates how progressive design has informed the physical, intellectual and emotional development of children..." Or in other words, TOYS! It was inspiring and nostalgic to see so many imaginative toys, designs and playgrounds on display, even though it was a tad disappointing that nothing was allowed to be touched. The best part, there was even pieces of the Pee Wee's Playhouse on display:
While most have asked, Chairy did not make an appearance.
I have dinner w/ Mike and Keenan, and tell them that I will visit them later at the showcase. At this point, I am exhausted, and I think I'm starting to catch a cold. I go back to my lodging and try to take it easy for a while, all the while considering canceling my plans to go back out. With a little help from my hosts, I decide to head back out. It's the last night of CMJ, and my last big night out in New York. It would be tragic if I didn't go out (and I'm sure writing about how I stayed in and grumbled would be a lot less interesting).
I hop the G to the L and head into bustling Williamsburg on a Saturday night. As soon as I head to the street corner where the venue, Public Assembly, was located, I was halted by a line of police blocking the street. I ask one officer what was going on, and he mentioned that the street was closed for the time being, because there was a "capacity issue" at a venue next to where I want to go (apparently Ghostface was there). Seriously?! I came all the way up here to get stopped, and to not know when they were going to open up the street again. I devised a plan to mention I was in a band playing at the venue that didn't have a capacity problem, but before I could tell my fib to the other cop across the street, I noticed he was granting other not attending the ill-fated Ghostface show to enter the block.
As soon as I enter, I am greeted warmly by my friends on the HHBTM label, Orca Team and Tunabunny. I knew I made the right decision of attending, because this was by far my favorite showcase. Orca Team grooved everyone with their arctic-tinged brand of surf-rock
While Tunabunny did their anarchic version of twee-pop. It's sort of hard describe Tunabunny, except for maybe putting Pylon meets Young Marble Giants in a blender.
I hang out w/ my friends for a while, helped them load the van, and did our good-byes, which always takes longer than expected - because it's so great to see old friends and I'm not sure when I'm going to see them again. This trip to New York was outlined with reunions with friends. If there is one thing that I have gained from working in the music industry for the past five years, are the genuine friends I've made in several corners of the world.
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