X, Bob Mould Slated For Noise Pop Festival
SAN FRANCISCO — Two major figures from the '80s punk scene
will be among the headliners of the eighth annual Noise Pop Festival,
scheduled to be held here the first week in March.
Seminal Los Angeles punk-rockers X, known for such songs as "Johnny Hit
and Run Pauline" (RealAudio
excerpt), will play at Slim's on March 1, and Bob Mould, onetime
singer/guitarist for St. Paul, Minn., trio Hüsker Dü who released
such solo hits as "Megamanic" (RealAudio
excerpt), will be on the bill March 3 at Bimbo's 365 Club, according
to Noise Pop founder Kevin Arnold.
The festival, which launched in 1992 and has been credited with assisting
the careers of such Bay Area bands as Creeper Lagoon, Imperial Teen and
Snowmen, also has already booked Crooked Fingers, the Minders, Oranger
and Limp for shows March 1–5.
"Our idea originally was to secure a few national headliners, and then
use that as an opportunity for local talent," Arnold said. "It's grown
and expanded in reputation, but the formula remains the same."
Noise Pop also is expanding geographically. A Chicago version of the
festival will be held May 11–13.
"Chicago has a great music scene happening now, and we were able to hook
up with some really good people that we trusted to work with out there,"
Arnold said. "The idea is to hopefully expand the entire scope of Noise
Pop, to include more audiences and more artists of all kinds."
In San Francisco, though, organizers of the Poptopia Music Festival, which
began in Los Angeles and expanded to the Bay Area, are charging that Noise
Pop used its influence with bands and venues to squeeze out the competition.
Poptopia has canceled its San Francisco fest. The Feb. 1–6 Los Angeles
version is still on, however.
Poptopia organizers said Noise Pop pressured the Fastbacks, Chixdiggit
and the Groovie Ghoulies, as well as Bay Area clubs, to choose one festival
over the other.
Poptopia's San Francisco planner, Paul Kopf, "felt that his lineup couldn't
be strong enough with the competition the way it was, so he pulled the
plug," Jennifer Tefft, a spokesperson for Poptopia in Los Angeles, said.
"There was no reason why we couldn't have worked together. ... Maybe next
year will be different."
But Arnold said, "None of the disputed bands is even confirmed with us
at this point. [Poptopia] didn't have to cancel."
"We tried to avoid any kind of antagonistic relationship with them, but
some people just weren't happy," Arnold said. "The target [bands] could
have overlapped a little bit, but there was also plenty of difference."
Arnold said he and his Noise Pop partner, Jordan Kurland, have a significant
addition in store for their fest. This year Noise Pop also will include
a film showcase that Arnold said will complement the music.
"We mostly did it because we didn't think there was anything else like
it," Arnold said. "We're looking to present films or documentaries that
feature music or musicians prominently. For example, we're looking at
screening 'X: The Unheard Music,' and maybe having [X singer/bassist]
John Doe there to speak afterward."