Where to Play at CMJ

Photo: Clockwise from top left: David Torch (Marnie Stern); Courtesy of Oberhofer; Dylan Max/d-m-a-x.com (Magic Bullets); Courtesy of Das Racist

Allo Darlin’
Kenny’s Castaways; 10/21 at 8 p.m.; 157 Bleecker St., nr. Thompson St.; 917-475-1323
After making a minor stir during NYC Popfest in May, Elizabeth Morris’s band is back to demonstrate that indie-pop can be enthusiastic without being childish. Added bonus: ukuleles!

Penguin Prison
Public Assembly; 10/21 at 11 p.m.; 70 N. 6th St., nr. Wythe Ave., Williamsburg; 718-384-4586
Chris Glover has sung in a gospel choir with Alicia Keys, worked with Q-Tip and Holy Ghost!, and turned out scads of pop remixes. In this curiously named new project, Glover marries his disco-ready vocals with intelligent, bubbly beats guaranteed to get you moving.

Sky Larkin
The Delancey; 10/21 at 8 p.m.; 168 Delancey St., nr. Clinton St.; 212-254-9920
Sky Larkin has played CMJ for three years running, which practically makes them lifers. Keep your eye on front woman Katie Harkin, who manages to make her one guitar sound like many.

Two Door Cinema Club
Webster Hall; 10/21 at 7 p.m.; 125 E. 11th St., nr. Third Ave.; 212-353-1600
The buzziest thing out of Northern Ireland since Snow Patrol, this foursome practices anthemic, dance-ready electro-rock with an edge—owing to their use of live drums rather than a drum machine.

Freddie Gibbs
Glasslands Gallery; 10/22 at 7 p.m.; 49 S. 2nd St., 289 Kent Ave., nr. S. 1st St., Williamsburg; 718- 599-1450
The Gary, Indiana, native has jail time, a failed Interscope deal, and multiple mixtapes under his belt. Expect a tight show in the tradition of gangsta rap, replete with dense, rapid-fire storytelling.

Magic Bullets
Bruar Falls; 10/22 at 4 p.m.; 245 Grand St., nr. Roebling St., Williamsburg; 347-529-6610
Magic Bullets’ energetic single “Lying Around” might have just missed 2010 Song of Summer status, but the band’s gleeful, eighties-inspired sound plays like Adderall for the ears.

Jon Hopkins
Webster Hall; 10/22 at 7 p.m.; 125 E. 11th St., nr. Third Ave.; 212-353-1600
U.K. electronic artist Jon Hopkins has worked with the likes of Brian Eno, Herbie Hancock, and David Holmes. He’ll bring his moody ambiance, heavy bass, and classical-piano noise to Webster Hall, with electronic perennials Four Tet.

Oberhofer
Glasslands Gallery; 10/22 at 7 p.m.; 49 S. 2nd St., 289 Kent Ave., nr. S. 1st St., Williamsburg; 718- 599-1450
Fronted by 20-year-old Washington-native Brad Oberhofer, this band has ambitiously committed to eight shows for CMJ. Expect tight pop hooks, yelping vocals, and even a glockenspiel.

Tamaryn
Coco 66; 10/22 at 9 p.m.; 66 Greenpoint Ave., nr. Franklin St.; 718-389-7392
The West Coast duo of singer Tamaryn and producer Rex John Shelverton recently released their gothic and melodic debut album, which sounds like drowning yourself in sweet shimmery reverb.

Photo: Courtesy of Lower Dens

Lower Dens
Bowery Ballroom; 10/23 at 4 p.m.; 6 Delancey St., nr. Bowery; 212-533-2111
This band, from former solo folk artist Jana Hunter, traffics in a dreamy sound that’s defiantly pretty. The last of their eleven (!) CMJ shows.

Ty Segall
Knitting Factory; 10/23 at 9 p.m.; 361 Metropolitan Ave., at Havemeyer St. ; 347-529-6696
From San Francisco’s heady garage scene, Ty Segall smudges his bratty 60s tunes with hazy fuzz and in-the-red volume. It doesn’t mask the handclap-worthy catchiness, though.

Tried and True:

Phoenix
Madison Square Garden; 10/20 at 8 p.m.; 4 Penn Plz., nr. 31st St.; 212-465-6741
A tickets-only stadium show with Dirty Projectors and Wavves.

Photo: Courtesy of Surfer Blood

Surfer Blood
Webster Hall; 10/20 at 7 p.m.; 125 E. 11th St., nr. Third Ave.; 212-353-1600
One of the “breakouts” from last year’s CMJ, the Florida indie-rockers are back to show the newbies how it’s done, this time on tour with the Drums.

Marnie Stern
Santos Party House; 10/20 at 7 p.m.; 96 Lafayette St., nr. Walker St.; 212-584-5492
The guitar virtuoso is playing no fewer than seven CMJ gigs. In this showcase produced by Stereogum, her cohorts include Wild Nothing, DOM, and Apache Beat.

Das Racist
Santos Party House; 10/21 at 7 p.m.; 96 Lafayette St., nr. Walker St.; 212-584-5492
The Brooklyn rap trio that first gained fame as an Internet curio bring their quick, sharp, and funny rhymes to the live stage.

GZA
(Le) Poisson Rouge; 10/21 at 10:30 p.m.; 158 Bleecker St., nr. Thompson St.; 212-505-3474
The Wu-Tang member may be a New Yorker, but his shows are becoming increasingly rare.

Ghostface Killah
B.B. King Blues Club & Grill; 10/22 at 10:30 p.m.; 237 W. 42nd St., nr. Seventh Ave.; 212-997-4144
Because he is a legend, and because of this album cover.

Helmet
Gramercy Theater; 10/23 at 7 p.m.; 127 E. 23rd St., nr. Lexington Ave.; 212-614-6932
This guitar-heavy proto-metal quartet sprung from the New York underground scene and is now on tour for their independently released seventh album, Seeing Eye Dog.

Note: Times and locations are all subject to change, so check CMJ’s Official Website before heading out.

More Fest-ivities
CMJ’s not just for music, there are film and comedy too! Tickle your funny bone at Fat Baby on the 20th with Baratunde Thurston and Hari Kondabolu, or Comix on the 21st for a lineup including Anthony Jeselnik and Hannibal Buress. There’s a film festival, too, and you can buy single passes for access to premieres. Check out the full roster here.

Offline Festival
Running from October 21 through 23 at Brooklyn Bowl, Pitchfork’s Offline is pretty much a mini-CMJ, all in one place and for a $10 flat fee per day. The lineup includes both the established, like TV on the Radio mastermind Dave Sitek and Animal Collective’s Avey Tare, and the up-and coming, like the sprawling, opera-trained Zola Jesus. Tickets available at OfflineFestival.com

Where to Play at CMJ