The beloved Noise Pop Festival is right around the corner.
In its 32nd year, the local festival that draws international artists disseminates its love of indie rock, plus electronic, jazz, hip-hop, across the coolest venues in the City. It is an approach that adds economic value to neighborhoods that have defined San Francisco for generations. A high level of organizational acumen is required to pull something like this off.
“Absolutely. Yes, it sure is. So we’re all kind of in crunch time right now, but things are going well. It’s all good over here.” I’m talking with Michelle Swing, CEO of Noise Pop Industries, producer of the Noise Pop Festival.
We both laugh when I say, “I heard the voice go up one little register right there.”
The truth is, Noise Pop has been an unmitigated success, growing in scope year after year, finding ways to expand what a multi-neighborhood festival of independent artists can do. All that coordination requires an agile collaborative effort which can lead to unique payoffs.
This year, the festival is bringing in perhaps one of its biggest names ever, Grammy-winning alternative artist St. Vincent, playing an intimate show at Grace Cathedral. The pared-down performance in the ear-boggling acoustics of the San Francisco landmark is a perfect example of how these folks do it differently.
Noise Pop added the Grace Cathedral as a venue a few years ago, a concert administered by the all-important Great American Music Hall.
“We’re really grateful for our ability to do shows there and to create a really unique experience,” says Swing. “It’s a really special spot with a lot of history.”
Noise Pop started in 1993 with a single show at the Independent on Divisadero. This year, the festival presents more than 60 shows spanning 11 days across 18 different venues, all about celebrating the music, culture and ingenuity of San Francisco.
To make it all happen requires the magic touch of that vital neighborhood entrepreneur, the venue owner.
“It is such a critical part of the festival to have really solid partnerships with these venues around the City,” says Swing. “The local [venues] collaborate with us to do some creative programming.”
Once that Noise Pop name is attached, venues like the Great American Music Hall, August Hall, Bottom of the Hill, the Rickshaw Stop and Gray Area get that extra little recognition for their work all year. It’s reciprocal. All these years on, the participation of the City’s most beloved music venues keeps Noise Pop relevant.
Gray Area is one venue that exemplifies the emphasis on art as a vital social action while also being a viable economic activity. It is a not-for-profit 501(c)3 that not only produces shows but also provides a full battery of educational content, from hands-on training on the Ableton Live digital audio workstation to media literacy courses taught by the McLuhan Institute. This writer was especially impressed with a course on using AI to create art. We can’t run from it, y’all; AI is here.
“The Gray Area folks are fantastic partners,” affirms Swing. “That venue allows us to program really interesting electronic music in a pretty unique venue.”
“There is an incredible independent music community to be cherished and protected here,” she adds.
The whole shebang kicks off on Thursday, Feb. 20, with an opening night reception at CalAcademy, an ethereal evening setting complete with DJ and cocktails, and surely a clandestine live resin gummy there and here. After all, Noise Pop continues to evolve with the times.
Noise Pop Festival runs from Feb. 20 to March 2 at venues throughout San Francisco. Get a Festival Badge now at noisepopfest.com.
