Invade Rome Makes CMJ 2009 Their Next Conquest

POSTED:: October 21, 2009

FILED UNDER:: Interviews

The CMJ Music Marathon. It has so much of New York wrapped around it, that sometimes it’s easy to forget the other cities in between, far and wide, who are generously sharing their hometown bands for this week of college radio hoopla and showcases. Milwaukee is one of those cities.

This week, CMJ sees locals such as the Elusive ParallelogramsCodebreakerInvade RomeTom Vollman and distant-cousin bands Headlights (Nick Sanborn of Decibully plays bass for the Illinois-based outfit) and Casino Versus Japan (Erik Kowalski, a former Milwaukee resident and Atomic Records employee now lives in Kentucky).

WMSE got the chance to catch up with drummer Justin Krol of Invade Rome before the band hit the road, getting an insider perspective on how a local band jumps into one of the biggest music bashes on the East Coast.

Is this your first shot at CMJ?

Yes.

How did you get the hook-up? Do you have to apply to play at CMJ, or do they contact you?

Our publicity firm, Whitesmith Entertainment, was able to place us on their CMJ showcase. After the initial CMJ schedule was released, we were asked to play a couple of additional CMJ events, parties, etc. So, we are going to make a full week of it.

Do you get anything included? Travel expenses, etc.? How are you getting there?

Good question. I know that it is sort of like SXSW where we’ll probably get some swag bags, but I am pretty sure that our badges are like our ‘payment’, which is fine. I would rather be able to get into tons of shows than walk away with like $150, you know? Or maybe not…haha. We are driving because we were originally going to play a weeks’ worth of dates, prior, but they were canceled because the other band had a better opportunity in the UK. Too late, now to buy plane tickets…and Midwest just had the awesome $59 sale to La Guardia. Timing has never been our thing.

Have you played any other music festivals recently?

We just played the Forward Music Festival in Madison not too long ago — very fun. In terms of industry-driven festivals like CMJ, we have played the last three SXSW festivals in Austin, and we are already booked for this year’s as well.

Where are you playing and with whom?

We are playing the small room in Webster Hall and at a newer club called Crash Mansion along with Family of the Year and some of the members of the Trachtenburg Family Slideshow Players. Brian Viglione from the Dresden Dolls has a new band that we are also looking forward to playing with.

What are some of the bands you’re excited to see?

We are hoping to get a little work on our next album done while we are out there, so I am not sure what kind of time we’ll have, but from what I have seen on the schedules so far, I will probably go to see P***** JeansSurfer BloodA Place to Bury Strangers and the Depreciation Guild. I have also heard rumors about late night Les Savy FavObitsand Raveonettes‘ shows. Mark me down for that.

POSTED BY:: Erin Wolf

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