CMJ 2008: Day 2

Bear Hands | Mercury Lounge

We avoided the wicked October winds and camped out at Mercury Lounge for both the early and late shows on Wednesday. Black Month Super Rainbow front-creature Tobacco started by playing the entirety of his excellent debut, “Fucked Up Friends” in complete darkness, less the projections of chopped and screwed ‘80s TV commercials (Teddy Ruxpin!). Brighton’s Fujiya & Miyagi followed with their trademark whispery Krautrock, including an extended closing jam straight from the Stereolab playbook. Following Walter Meego and the CMJ debut of ex-Death From Above 1979er Sebastian Grainger, Brooklyn’s Bear Hands got rowdy with a couple well-timed stage dives to complement their jagged brand of Modest Mouse. Tigercity closed with what they do best—inspiring a fatigued, thinning crowd to dance along with a falsetto frontman. Mission accomplished.