CMJ 2013: Holy Esque, Gang Of Youths, Ghost Beach + More Keep the Party Going – Exclusive Photos

To New Yorkers, CMJ is the place to go to discover the hottest new bands. In Hamburg, music fans rely on the annual two-day bash known Reeperbahn Festival. So wouldn’t it make perfect sense to combine the two? For the first time ever, Reeperbahn Fest has come to CMJ to help spearhead the search for new musical talent by putting on their very own showcase at the Cake Shop on Friday night (Oct. 18).

One of the first acts of the evening was Glasgow’s Holy Esque, who we picked as one of our 5 U.K. acts to see at CMJ 2013. Despite facing quite a few technical glitches throughout their set -- they were good sports and decided to get a few rounds of shots in while the amps were repaired -- they proved our anticipation correct.

The showcase also featured Australia’s Gang Of Youths, one of CMJ’s most buzzed-about acts. (Some of the comments have been more positive than others, but still, they get people talking). It’s hard to fit five guys with as much stage presence as they have onto the tiny Cake Shop stage, but they made it work very well. The showcase also saw performances from Stockholm indie-pop trio Like Swimming, North Carolina-based dream-pop duo Eros And the Eschaton and London psychedelic pop outfit Vadoinmessico.

Over at the Westway (or the “ironic-hipster strip joint," as it’s been referred to), All Things Gold curated a lineup featuring the likes of Stockholm’s infectiously cheerful pop act Nonono, Australian synth-poppers Strange Talk and their fellow Australian Betty Who, the voice behind the pop banger ‘Somebody Loves You.' She was later invited back onstage to join the evening’s closers, the Brooklyn "tropical grit-pop" band Ghost Beach, who brought one of the biggest dance parties CMJ has seen. It seemed fitting for a venue that features a bust-shaped disco ball.

Check Out More Exclusive Photos of Day 4 of CMJ 2013