Metal, Punk, R&B or Hip Hop: It's All At the CMJ Music Festival

OMG! It’s CMJ in NYC!
Translation: Wow! The CMJ Music Marathon and Film Festival takes over New York City this week as more than 1,200 bands perform at more than 75 venues across the city. Movies have their place as well, including the premiere of The Messenger, starring Woody Harrelson.
If you’re used to wandering barefoot across fields in some rural locale to hear the latest cutting-edge bands at a festival, you’ll be happy-–or not--to hear that the farthest you’ll have to go is a subway ride. Never heard of the CMJ festival? In the past, it has famously showcased Green Day, U2, REM and the Killers, among others, before they were mega-names. This year, ‘90s pop rock takes center stage (Why? Not sure) with Vertical Horizon and Spin Doctors’ front man Chris Barron putting in appearances. Not cutting-edge enough for you? Well, you can always check out Tribute Wars, an all-metal tribute to Michael Jackson and The Bee Gees.
The festival runs through Saturday, October 24; before then, you can hear Jersey punk band the Screaming Females at the Mercury Lounge (217 E. Houston Street on October 21, and FYI, only one female is in the band); and the CMJ Showcase at S.O.B.’s (204 Varick Street) on October 22; it features new-wave, R&B and hip-hop acts.
More information can be found at cmj.com.