CMW Night Two

A typical CMW showcase starts at 8 pm and doesn't end until 4 am. And that's staying in one venue instead of hopping around. My geezer bones can't support that sort of schedule so Friday night, I went to the Horseshoe for the middle section (10pm-1am) that included headliner The Beaches.

shy kids was a large (9 members!) band playing groovy pop that had a 60s vibe. But somebody should tell them there's no money with a band that big, whether touring, merch, or shows. Common Deer had that neo-folk pop Mumford and Sons/Mutineers feel with their violin, cello, and instruments of that ilk. But the vocal exchanges between the male and female leads made for some nice harmonies and contrasts.

The Beaches played straight-up radio-friendly rock. Under other circumstances, one might even venture into the "cock rock" category. But this being an all-female band, it was nice to get some women perspectives on sex, drugs, and rock and roll. Attractive and young, they'll obviously get some eyeballs, as seen by some crowd reactions. Some people dismissed them early on because they also like to do some ironically cheesy seductive stage poses. But in the end, The Beaches rock hard and should win many mainstream fans. The only usual downside to their sets was the contingent of Beaches residents (parents? friends of parents?) who show up. Maybe these fine folks don't go out enough, because they get a little too in-your-face loud and lack the club etiquettes that make several hundred people jammed together a little more pleasant for everybody.