Some friends of mine considered calling their kid Rocktober but alas they didn’t. But I digress. October has been a rocking month. I saw some great bands at CMJ, spending most of my time at Union Pool (because it’s close by and I’m lazy). La Société Expéditionnaire showcase last Wednesday was wonderful. There’s nothing I like more than sitting on a barstool in a cozy venue listening to people with lovely voices playing guitar. Check out all the artists on this label because they’re on to a good thing. I finally fixed the ancient turntable I bought for $40 thinking it was a great deal (after a new cartridge, belt and stylus, turns out it wasn’t!) which meant I could buy vinyl after the show. Oh the joy!

I also really enjoyed Chris Mills on Friday – I only caught the end of his set but Signal/Noise, his last song, was fantastic and made me an immediate fan.

On another note, check out this Bat for Lashes vid, it’s funny:

I just picked up my CMJ badge at the Puck building. Wow, it’s quite a change of scene from the IFP Market. More check-shirts, bangs, and beards for one thing! I’m trying to be all grown up and get over my obsession with boys with guitars but it all came flooding back for a second today. I remembered that I nearly got “ROCK” tattooed in huge Wild West letters on my back not too long ago. Before I chickened out and realized that I was all talk and no trousers. Plus playing guitar hurts my fingers. Wah!

Anyway, CMJ is not just about music, they also have a film festival running alongside the Music Marathon and they are showing a few films I really want to see. Unfortunately I just realized that I missed Todd Haynes’ I’m Not There which screened at 2pm today. NOT VERY CONVENIENT PEOPLE! But there’s more good stuff to come: G.J. Ekternkamp’s Frank & Cindy tonight and then Jonathan Demme’s Jimmy Carter Man From Plains tomorrow. Julien Temple’s Joe Strummer: The Future is Unwritten is playing on Saturday in a CMJ Clash Film Marathon. Check out all the CMJ film info here.

And I’ll be checking out a few music showcases as well of course. When in Rome and all that. I’m excited that there are a bunch of bands I want to see playing in Brooklyn so I don’t even have to move too far to rock out. Maybe I should get that tat after all!