CMJaywalking

>> What was to see in NYC

by RUPERT BOTTENBERG

Didn't catch the New Deal in New York while I was down for the CMJ music fest (got a good excuse--read on), but I did catch some other interesting stuff over the weekend of Oct. 19-22.

Public Enemy's Chuck D delivered the opening address, cementing his rep as a straight shooter. Baseball fever was gripping the Big Apple that weekend, so he used that as a springboard, lamenting the lack of an equivalent structure in the music world. This led to his all-consuming interest of the moment, music on the Internet, and he put the matter in perspective like nobody has yet.

One neat surprise was Toronto act Fembots, a gamble on my part that paid off. Honestly, I didn't know whether to laugh or cry. On the one hand,you got sorrowful laments in an alt.country vein, with violin and musical saw. On the other,you got a semi-successful party-balloon solo, old Superman tape loops and a vocal cameo from Teddy Ruxpin. Teddy Ruxpin!

Caught Montreal's own the Dears, opening a Grand Magistery label showcase (a label they're not on--what?!) to rousing applause. Also on the bill was funny Frenchman Toog and gentle mood-popsters the Stars. The latter, now Montreal-based, also did a live radio broadcast which I was fortunate enough to attend. Watch for an early-December show at Quartier Latin. Toog, for his part, wore a pseudo-bondage outfit, fooled around with a mini-theremin and sang a funny little song about Hitler, the failed postcard artist. Is he in fact opening for the Dears on Nov. 23?

Enjoyed afternoon sets from art-school stoners Broadcast (in town this week), noteworthy Welsh pop-rockers Astrid and U.K. drum & bass act Future Loop Foundation. FLF brought a dose of levity to an all-too-frequently humourless genre--MC D-Flava scored a nosebleed for his headspin efforts and oversized, apocalyptic go-go dancers freaked the crowd. Fun. A show here sometime?

The big payoff (and my excuse for passing on the New Deal) was the Antibalas Afrobeat Orchestra, whom some may know as the Daktaris. A 13-member ensemble, they brought on the authentic African funk with spirit--leader Martin Antibalas referred to Fela Kuti as his "spiritual godfather," and it showed. They will play here, if I have to drive down in my parents' car and sneak them all up in the trunk.