Here are musician Ken Beasley’s top music picks on the Lower East Side for this weekend:
ANDREW VLADECK – Fri Dec. 9 | 10pm at The Living Room
 Andrew Vladeck
The last time we highlighted songwriter/banjo-picker extraordinaire Andrew Vladeck, he was performing as part of The Lo-Down’s CMJ showcase back in October. He’s back on the Lower East Side tomorrow, at the Living Room, and he’ll be followed by another great band (of which he is a regular member), Balthrop, Alabama. Formed by brother/sister team Pascal and Lauren Balthrop, Balthrop, Alabama offers up super-fun tunes, with left-of-center themes, and accompanies them with live illustratons. FREE//154 Ludlow St.

 Desert Sharks, winner of our CMJ Open Call Contest 2011 - photo by thelodownny.com
It was a fun night at Fontana’s on Tuesday. We kicked off the CMJ Music Festival with a Lower East Side-centric event featuring four very talented bands. Here are some shots from the evening.

 Andrew Vladeck at the Mercury Lounge. Photo by Brett Deutsch.
The Lo-Down’s CMJ Music Showcase is only four days away. We hope you’ll join us Tuesday night at Fontana’s for a great night of performances from bands with Lower East Side ties. Among the musicians taking part: indie folk/rock artist Andrew Vladeck.
Even if you don’t know his music, you know Andrew’s famous family. His great-grandfather, Baruch Charney Vladeck, was a towering figure in Lower East Side politics — and a leader of the American Socialist Party (the Vladeck Houses are named for him).

 Saadi, "Bad Seeds" (The Soundmen Remix); Redbud Records.
We’re getting excited for The Lo-Down’s CMJ Showcase at Fontana’s October 18th — and you’re all invited! We’ll be kicking off the annual music festival with a great Lower East Side-centric evening curated by Ken Beasley, TLD’s music editor. One of the things we’re passionate about is supporting this neighborhood’s amazing creative community. Our CMJ Showcase is a great opportunity to celebrate their artistic contributions. Here’s the lineup:
Just this week, IFC called LES resident Boshra al Saadi an “indie electro goddess.” A CMJ veteran, this Syrian-born singer-songwriter has been part of the downtown music scene for 15 years — since she was 17. The eccentric, experimental artist says her diverse influences include: Bob Dylan, classic 80′s synth pop, traditional Arabic music, punk rock, Nigerian music and Brian Eno. Check out Saadi’s new video – “Bad Seeds” (The Soundmen Remix).

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