In the spring, we hit Texas. In the fall, we roll down to New York.
After another successful collaborative event at SXSW this past March, Vanyaland will once again team up with Berklee College of Music for another CMJ Music Marathon Showcase together, and Berklee’s ninth New York City party overall. Performing this year, Friday, October 16 at Carroll Place in Greenwich Village, is an eclectic bill of bands and performers ranging from urgent folk to expansive indie-prog to glossy electro-pop, a true reflection of the sounds emanating out of Berklee in 2015.
This year’s lineup features seven up-and-coming artists and bands, all featuring either current Berklee students or alumni: Lili N, Covey, mar | co, Honeysuckle, Oh Malô, You Bred Raptors?, and Eternals.
More information on the showcase, as well as details on each performer, follows below…
Boston and Beyond: Berklee’s CMJ Music Marathon Showcase
Friday, October 16 at Carroll Place
Featuring Lili N, Covey, mar | co, Honeysuckle, Oh Malô, You Bred Raptors?, and Eternals
Boston, MA. September 30, 2015 — Boston and Beyond: Berklee’s CMJ Music Marathon Showcase of alumni and student artists takes place on Friday, October 16, from 8:00 p.m. to 1:00 a.m. at Carroll Place in New York. The show features Lili N, Covey, mar | co, Honeysuckle, Oh Malô, You Bred Raptors?, and Eternals.
The showcase is presented by the Red Room at Cafe 939, Berklee Alumni Affairs, and Heavy Rotation Records (HRR), with media sponsor Vanyaland, which will be live streaming the event at Vanya Radio. Badges for next year’s CMJ Music Marathon, and free copies of HRR’s latest album, Dorm Sessions 10, featuring showcase artist Oh Malô, will be given away at the show.
The showcase (18+) is free for CMJ badge holders and $10 for the general public. Carroll Place is located at 157 Bleecker Street (between Thompson and Sullivan streets), New York, New York. For more information, call 212 260-1700.
CMJ Music Marathon is one of the world’s most important platforms for the discovery of new music, drawing 120,000 people with more than 1,400 performances in more than 80 venues. Berklee has presented many up-and-coming acts at its past CMJ showcases, including Lucius, Nini & Ben (of HAERTS), Elizabeth & the Catapult, Christopher Barnes (Gem Club), Bleu, Julia Easterlin, Shea Rose, and Golden Bloom.
Lili N
Lili N is a Berklee student from Rome, Italy, who worked for several years as a voice-over artist, providing the Italian voice for characters in films such as the Grinch, Lilo & Stitch, and Narnia before coming to Boston to launch her music career. Her progressive, free pop stylings have been recognized by several publications and online magazines. Her newest single, “4U,” is out this fall.
Covey
Covey is an indie folk project fronted by guitarist, vocalist, and Berklee alumnus Tom Freeman that combines raspy, delicate vocals with ambient textures. With influences ranging from Nick Drake to Fleet Foxes to Mumford and Sons, Covey has been featured by BostInno (Song of the Week), Deli Magazine (New England Artist of the Month), and Under the Gun Review. Covey has opened for such artists as Hozier, the Last Bison, High As A Kite, and Gabriel Kahane, and will release its debut EP in 2015.
mar | co
mar | co is a self-described “future pop” duo consisting of Berklee alumni vocalist Marie Lang and producer Alex Coco. Lang is originally from Vienna, Austria where she studied classical piano and jazz singing before she moved to the U.S. in 2012. Coco played electric bass for multiple rock bands during high school in Miami, Florida before he discovered his passion for production. After releasing their first track “Bridges” as part of a class project and finding unexpected success, they decided to form mar | co. The duo combines dark and dreamy vocals with electronic instrumentals and is inspired by artists such as Kaytranada, Lido, George Maple, Major Lazer, Mr. Carmack, and Flume.
Honeysuckle
Honeysuckle is a progressive folk trio which blends older influences and traditional instrumentation with modern effects and inspiration. The trio, which features Berklee alumni Holly McGarry and Chris Bloniarz, and Benjamin Burns—recently embarked on their first tour of the Northwest with the band Harold’s IGA, and can be found frequently playing in the Boston area and surrounding cities in the Northeast. They currently have two releases, Live at Rockwood Music Hall, and their new EP, Arrows. Most recently Honeysuckle was chosen by Converse Rubber Tracks to play at the 2015 Newport Folk Festival. They are currently working on a new full length album slated for release spring 2016.
Oh Malô
Oh Malô (pronounced oh-muh-LOW) present colorful soundscapes through dynamic arrangements with delicate vocals that intertwine with ambient guitars and powerful, aggressive drums. Oh, Malô pulls influence from such bands as Bombay Bicycle Club, Radiohead, Local Natives, Daughter, and Jeff Buckley to create an unpredictable blend of timbres and arrangements. Last year, they released three color-themed EPs, each representing the mental and emotional stages following an intense breakup. The six songs from these EPs will be joined with another six unreleased tracks to complete their debut LP. The band is comprised of Berklee students Brandon Hafetz, Jack McLoughlin, and James Knoerl, and alumnus Jordan Lagana.
You Bred Raptors?
You Bred Raptors? is an instrumental busking band out of New York City with songs crafted with eight-string bass, cello, drums, and two glockenspiels. Known for their heavy, experimental, film-score like sound, the group has played more than 350 shows in the NYC subway system through their involvement in the Music Under New York (MUNY) program. The band has performed with Yoko Ono, composed film scores for Troma Entertainment and PVAF Films, and has received press coverage from WNYC, Good Day New York, The Economist, The Atlantic, Strings Magazine, and Bass Guitar Magazine. The group includes Berklee graduate Eric Castillo.
Eternals
Drawing equally from contemporary greats such as Sparklehorse and Wilco, and classic pop and rock experimentalists, Somerville, MA’s Eternals are the perfect collusion of timeless sounds that recall the restrained prowess of classic American band. They are currently working on their second record at Somerville’s Q Division Studios. The band includes Berklee alumni Stephen Konrads Jaunzemis, Wayne Whittaker, and Eric Bolton.
