CMJ 2008: Kickoff Party

Rival Schools

The best way to kick off five days of music, parties and endless drinks? Pre-party! Music promoters/mangers/marketers The Syndicate threw their annual pre-CMJ bash on Monday at Rebel. As usual, the lines were long (an hour-plus to get in), the space crowded, the free drinks quickly gone and the music…well, pretty good, even given the muffled sound in the stage area. The recently reformed Rival Schools drew the largest crowd, and reminded us that, yes, bands did post-hardcore/emo better in 2001 than in 2008. And You Will Know Us By the Trail of Dead, meanwhile, ended their set by passing out parts of the drum kit for audience members to bash. Also on the bill: comedian Robert Kelly and the band Margot and the Nuclear So and So’s, who we missed (see: hour-plus wait to get in).

Interviews by Kirk Miller and Matt Rodbard