I have seen the future of rock 'n roll and their name is FranKo. I was fortunate to catch this hot UK band earlier tonight at the CMJ Big Machine Media showcase at Santos Party House in New York.

Much like SXSW in Austin, Texas, New York City's CMJ began as a music festival. In fact, the film component is a relatively recent addition. The CMJ Music Festival was long known as the place for hot young artists to showcase their work. This remains the case today, as what is now technically known as the CMJ Music Marathon and Film Festival begins for 2009.

My career actually began in the music industry so I regularly made the trek up from Philly to the Big Apple to witness the cutting edge of rock 'n roll. When I heard that the wildly popular UK band FranKo would be making a rare stateside appearance I jumped at the chance to see them live for the first time.

FranKo was brought to my attention in January as a result of my attending the Sundance Film Festival (that's a story for another time). Despite their youth -- two band members are only 17 -- FranKo is not new to the scene. Formed two years ago, these schoolmates have been rocking to packed houses around the UK for quite some time. London area gigs regularly sell out, and they recently played in front of 7000 screaming fans (literally -- I saw the video) at the famed Crystal Palace Bowl, an outdoor venue in South East London. Although I'm thousands of miles away from their tour gigs, thanks to MySpace, YouTube, Facebook, and Twitter, there's been plenty to look at and listen to. They just released a new single (Night Time) on iTunes in advance of their forthcoming album. But being based in the UK has meant little opportunity to see them in the US. So I was excited to finally get the chance to do so.

The four band members -- lead vocalist Tommy, Richard on guitar, bass player Chris, and drummer Beau -- are talented beyond their years. But don't let the boy-next-door look deceive you into thinking this is Jonas territory. FranKo's songs are a fascinating blend of pop and progressive styles, one minute Foo Fighters, another Blur, with shades of classic King Crimson in some of the newer material. With surprisingly polished musicianship and new approach to an increasingly worn-out pop genre, the hybrid produces a bright fresh sound and an experience this veteran concertgoer hasn't seen in a long time. The band played a kickass set that left the crowd wanting more. With five bands on the bill at this record company showcase, each act could only perform a handful of songs. It wasn't the ideal setup but served its purpose. It whetted the appetite and convinced me to mark their next US appearance on my schedule.

I'll be back to write more about the band as time permits. The show was breathtaking, and I've got plenty of pictures to prove it -- which I'll be posting as soon as I can. It was truly a pleasure meeting the guys who, along with manager Chris Craker, were surprisingly humble, polite, and poised, particularly given their ages and status in the music industry back home.

They have another CMJ gig Tuesday night so if you're in the area I highly recommend seeking them out. There may not be another chance soon. Look for them to tour the US in early 2010 with a CD to follow in March.