I Went to All 11 Days of Noise Pop

For years, my relationship with Noise Pop was a bit piecemeal. I’d buy a ticket for a show or two, catch a couple sets, and go home. But this year, I decided to splurge a bit and go all in on a badge. To make it worth the investment, I committed to going out every single night of the 11-day festival. Since there were many artists I’d never heard of, this meant doing a bit of homework.

I spent the weeks leading up to the festival digging through YouTube clips and Bandcamp pages, actively sifting through the artists, and making my schedule. Some people look at the Noise Pop lineup poster every year and complain, “Where’s the big headliner?” or “I don’t recognize any of these bands.” But that misses the entire point. While other festivals have huge corporate sponsors and mainstream acts that would sell out the Chase Center or Oracle Arena, Noise Pop is more about discovery. It's about trying something new and going to an independent venue you might otherwise never visit.

This year I was solo and went to a different venue almost every night. One evening, I saw a jazz rendition of Kendrick Lamar’s “Meet the Grahams.” The next night I was pulled into a mosh pit at Kilowatt. One night I watched a cinematic soundtrack performance in an old theater, and the next, I witnessed a Gen Z shoegaze revival at Great American Music Hall. And that was only in the first few days. What follows is my recap of the full 11-day experience.

Badge Pickup @ Solful Cannabis

On Thursday afternoon, I walked from The Richmond, across Golden Gate Park, to Solful Cannabis Dispensary on 10th and Irving, where Noise Pop was hosting a badge pickup party. Inside the dispensary, they had a DJ spinning some Motown, and I was greeted by a friendly staff member. She asked what acts I was excited about. I mentioned looking forward to New Jazz Underground, Wisp, and Beats Antique, among others. They checked my ID, handed me my badge, and sent me on my way. They mentioned it was important to arrive within an hour of doors opening for any sold out show, or the badge won't guarantee entry. Good to know.

On the way out, I grabbed a 20-pack of "Joyful and Present" gummies, which were recommended by one of the Solful Cannabis staff. Seemed like the right mood for 11 days of festival going. I hopped on the N Judah down to Van Ness for my first event at SFJAZZ.

New Jazz Underground @ SFJAZZ

My first set of the festival was New Jazz Underground in the Henderson Lab. The group consists of young Juilliard-trained musicians who have recently grabbed attention on YouTube for their jazz renditions of hip-hop classics. For example, here you can see their MF Doom Suite.

I love the Henderson Lab at SFJAZZ, with the glass wall facing the street. You notice people walking by on Franklin Street, peeking in to see what’s happening. It feels like you're in your own world but still connected to the city outside.

The setlist started with original material. One was a song the bassist wrote for his dog's birthday. Another he called "pseudo-Latin vibes," which he traced back to being half Chilean, half Italian. Then they played what they called their “blues suite.” The saxophonist stepped up and sang simple lyrics, something like "blues, how you do" and "not gonna worry no more".

Then they played their viral Kendrick Lamar suite, which you can see on YouTube. In this track they incorporated a Pioneer DJ controller. They transposed the dark "Meet the Grahams" piano riff to sax, while the bassist mixed the original beat with the lyrics of Drake’s "Passion Fruit" underneath. It was fascinating to see how they creatively mashed up two songs from artists on opposite ends of a rap beef. Even though they were classically trained musicians, they weren’t afraid to be modern.

Pains of Being Pure at Heart, Still Ruins @ Rickshaw Stop

Just as the New Jazz Underground set was ending, doors were opening at Rickshaw Stop. I quickly walked down Fell Street to Rickshaw Stop, from an upscale jazz venue to a cozy indie rock bar with $5 Tecates. Since I was there early, I went upstairs for a bit to chill on the couch. I chatted with the guy next to me who said he was stoned on some cookies. I mentioned that the badge pickup was at a cannabis dispensary, so probably everyone was a bit under the influence tonight. I told him about the show at SFJAZZ, helping spread the word of New Jazz Underground to a random dude on the couch.

I headed downstairs to catch Oakland’s Still Ruins, who were one of the openers. I would describe them as a dream pop band with a heavy 80s influence. One song reminded me of The Cure’s "A Forest," and they had a great light show for a non-headliner. I already knew I had made the right decision getting a badge, and it was only day 1.

Cal Academy NightLife

On Friday, I stopped by Cal Academy, where Noise Pop was hosting another badge pickup party. Technically I already had my badge, but I figured I would check it out anyway to get the most out of the experience. I walked around and looked at some exhibits, and checked out some local merchants while the first DJ was getting the place warmed up. Then I caught the 33 down to Kilowatt for a night of Latin/psych-punk music.

Tropa Magica, Valley Wolf, Flaco El Jandro @ Kilowatt

Modesto band Valley Wolf opened the show with "Hey Ho Let's Go" energy, then launched into a Spaghetti Western Knights of Cydonia intro before pivoting into punk. The trumpet was the standout here.

Flaco El Jandro was next. They were from Salinas, sang in Spanish, and rocked cowboy hats. They were fun and loose, and mentioned hanging with the other bands. The horn player from Valley Wolf even joined them on stage during one of their songs.

Tropa Magica describes themselves as psych rock with a splash of cumbia. I could hear some Mars Volta influence in their songs. They’d lock into a groove for a while, then gradually drift into outer space. They’d do some extended noodling and slow buildups, before snapping back to the main rhythm. For a long stretch, you could tell they were building towards something. Then around the fourth song something shifted, and the room erupted into a full mosh pit. I got pulled in, bounced around, ended up near the front and jumped into the middle. The crowd had been ready to go wild, they just needed the cue.

Afterward I popped out into the cool Mission air on 16th, strolled by the Roxie and Delirium, then down Valencia. I passed Blondie’s, where everyone was having a totally different kind of night. I caught the 33 back home and rested before next day of the festival.

Devotchka @ Gray Area

After enjoying a bit of SF Beer Week at Richmond Republic, I headed over to Gray Area, which occupies the old Grand Theater building on Mission Street. I took a moment to admire the pink neon sign above the marquee before heading inside.

Inside is a large room with great acoustics, thanks to the restoration work done by Gray Area, a non profit focused on the intersection of art and technology. Before DeVotchKa went on, a group from Albuquerque asked me to take their photo. One of them struck up a conversation, asked if I'd seen DeVotchka before. Such a simple concert question, but it gets the conversation started. Turns out he'd been seeing them for years and was friends with the band. We'd both lived in Portland in the early 2010s and attended MusicfestNW.

DeVotchka's entrance was theatrical. Three members took the stage, but I was expecting more. Then two trumpets sounded from behind the crowd, and the players marched toward the stage through the audience. Everyone turned around. The full five-piece assembled and went straight into "The Winner Is," the central theme from Little Miss Sunshine, with film clips playing on the projection screen behind them.

Later the trumpet players switched to keyboards and drums, and then the accordion. The woman on the right moved from strings to sousaphone to flute. Everyone in the band is a multi-instrumentalist, and everything sounded great acoustically in the old theater.

Before one song, the frontman mentioned that Little Miss Sunshine was something they'd worked hard on, driving to Sundance years ago hoping people would like it. He said not a day has gone by since without someone asking about it. Then he smiled and said they use it to lure people in, and then they're stuck listening to the rest of their music. I’m happy to say the lure worked on me and the crowd because the room was full and the set was wonderful.

On Day 4, I decided to catch an afternoon event at Thee Parkside called Punks for Pups. In the evening I caught the Sunset’s rising Gen Z shoegaze star Wisp at Great American Music Hall. In case you missed it, I wrote about both experiences in the last issue of The Fogline, so I won’t rehash them here.

Joy Formidable @ Swedish American Hall

When I walked into Swedish American Hall, I was surprised to see folding chairs in rows, a stage with cushioned chairs, and even an acoustic guitar. I'd expected a standing-room-only electric rock set and this was clearly something else entirely. The bill was titled “An Evening With Joy Formidable”, and then I realized it was actually a more intimate acoustic set. The venue was beautiful and perfect for this, with dark wood and warm lights.

I shifted modes and ordered a Manhattan from the bar before taking a seat in the 4th row. Surprisingly, I recognized the woman who sat next to me from the previous night at Great American Music Hall. After you go to one of these festivals every night, you start seeing some familiar faces. We chatted about other shows we were seeing that week, the usual festival banter.

The “opener” took the stage. I wasn’t familiar with the band’s side projects coming in, but the singer is very recognizable. It became clear the openers were the band's own solo and side projects. The Welsh accents and easy banter made the whole night intimate. After a few days of mosh pits and standing crowds, it was a nice break to sit back and enjoy. Once again, I caught the 33 back, this time from the Castro. We’ve written about how the 33 is one of our favorite bus routes in a previous edition of The Fogline.

rum.gold @ Rickshaw Stop

On Tuesday night, I went back to the Rickshaw Stop. It was nearly empty when I arrived. This was a Popscene event, part of Noise Pop, and probably the most underrated and under-attended set of the festival.

A singer-songwriter named Dana Williams opened. Her songs were very beautiful and intimate, mostly songs about past relationships. The highlight was a story about her first major collaboration with Freddie Gibbs. She didn't fully understand what the title “The Hard” meant at the time. Freddie was rapping about crack, and she sang beautifully over it. The audience laughed.

The room filled up a bit more before rum.gold took the stage. He sat atop a mountain of clothes and sang with an angelic falsetto voice. Moses Sumney is probably the best comparison.

I recognized the songs AM/FM and Blessed from A COLORS SHOW on YouTube. He mentioned he hadn’t toured in three years, which might explain why he’s a bit lesser-known, despite having superstar talent. I hope he comes around again, because this was one of my favorite sets of the festival.

Hot Flash Heat Wave @ Bottom of the Hill

On the seventh night, I decided to stop by Bottom of the Hill, an important stop since this may sadly be the last year to see a show there. I recently went to see Jim Ward of Sparta there, which I wrote about in a previous issue.

The opening band asked the crowd if we had watched Heated Rivalry, a show which I knew nothing about. I chatted with the guy next to me about it in between sets, and turns out he was out of the loop like me. He worked in the music industry and was visiting from New York.

Then the headliner, Hot Flash Heat Wave, came out. I'd first heard about them from a coworker back in 2017. He graduated from UC Davis, where the band got started. The band still looked quite young, which surprised me considering that was nearly 10 years ago. They have a jangly, bright guitar sound. I would say it’s something like Vampire Weekend. Much of the crowd knew the words. They are one of those California bands with a dedicated local fan base, even though they have never become a mainstream national act.

I ducked out a little early. At this point of the festival, I had gone out seven nights straight. I felt like I got the gist of their sound and I knew tomorrow would be a long night at Public Works.

CupcakKe @ Public Works

Eight nights into the festival, I finally went with a friend. When I arrived, the line outside Public Works stretched down the block and it was immediately clear this was a different crowd: not the elder millennial hipsters, not the punk rockers, not the Gen Z shoegazers, and definitely not the seated acoustic crowd in wooden chairs. These were the partiers. They wore fishnets, boots, and wigs. The CupcakKe crowd came specifically to shake their asses and were dressed accordingly.

CupcakKe's set was exactly what was advertised. It was raunchy, filthy, joyful, and completely committed. She delivered songs about oral sex and genitalia with total conviction and a huge grin. This was a set for people who don’t take themselves too seriously.

The crowd interaction was constant. She called people up on stage to dance, passed the mic for a moaning contest, and had a fan lead the rapping on a song from the floor. The line between performer and audience often collapsed entirely.

Afterward, my friend and I walked back down Market toward the Castro, catching up on travel plans and neighborhood happenings. We parted ways at the Castro and I headed home.

Mission Delirium @ Rickshaw Stop

Friday was a departure from the official Noise Pop schedule. Mission Delirium was playing the Rickshaw Stop, and I knew from previous experience this would be a good one. In 2019, I caught them as an opener for Rebirth Brass Band at Mezzanine (RIP). I’m not sure why this show wasn't officially part of the program, even though it fit the criteria.

The opener was Miss Hits, an eight-piece band led by Amanda Magaña, with supporting vocals from Veotis Latchison, a rising vocalist who regularly performs at Madrone Art Bar and The Black Cat. Veotis also had an upcoming set at SFJAZZ on the final night of Noise Pop. Amanda had a beautiful voice, and sang some songs in Spanish. On one song, the keyboardist rapped. They were a great opener for the evening.

By the time Miss Hits finished, I'd already spotted members of Mission Delirium wandering around the bar in their glittery, shiny vests. I talked to a number of people in the crowd, many of whom knew someone in the band. One of my former coworkers was roommates with one of the members.

The members of the band began to stream onto the stage. First a couple of trumpets, then a trombone. Then a woman with a drum, more brass, and more drums. I counted what I thought were ten members and then more kept coming until there were somewhere around twenty people on the Rickshaw Stop stage, which is not a large stage. No wonder everyone knew someone in the band.

Soon there were horns pointing in every direction and a wall of brass and percussion. They mentioned just coming back from Mardi Gras in New Orleans and wanting to bring some of that Southern energy home. Later in the set they talked about playing music from around the world, including music of oppressed peoples. Toward the end of the set, they came out and played on the floor in the crowd, as they often do. It gets the people going.

Beats Antique @ UC Theatre

I took BART to Berkeley on Saturday night. While downtown was full of students, the UC Theatre crowd was surprisingly the opposite. It was mostly Gen X Berkeley, the kind of people that have been going to shows like this for decades.

The opener was listed as House of Tarot. I didn't know what to expect, but what unfolded was a full theatrical production. Somewhere around fifteen performers cycling through elaborate costume changes and choreography. Leading it was Zoe Jakes herself, dancer and co-founder of Beats Antique. The opening “scene” had Zoe in an enormous white ceremonial gown, with dancers around her.

Then there were black feathers and cabaret, then knee high socks. Then a figure with a giant mask walking the stage alone. By the time House of Tarot finished I had already decided this was the best night of the festival.

While waiting for Beats Antique, the woman next to me was sneakily pouring rum from a flask she'd snuck in. She noticed me noticing and laughing, and offered me some. I took it and we chatted for a bit between sets. She mentioned she’d come down from Santa Rosa just for this show. And here I was thinking I had made a great effort by crossing over from SF solo. 

Twenty minutes later Zoe was back on stage with Beats Antique. The string player had a collection of instruments that looked hundreds of years old, yet they were all plugged into a contemporary live set. 

The set was all bangers. You could feel the decades of craft in it: the tight transitions, the synchronization of dance and drums and strings, music fused from every corner of the world. Everyone on stage was equally impressive, and yet you couldn't take your eyes off Zoe. The dance was hypnotizing, and there was a certain respect for how long she had been working on this project.

She took the mic a couple of times. She thanked the UC Theatre for being a nonprofit and for providing a place where her dancers could perform and be paid. She mentioned that getting a crowd to show up for a dance performance like this is never guaranteed. "Otherwise we'd be dancing in an empty room," she said. "Which we would probably do, but it's more fun with a crowd."

She also said that “it's important for everyone in the room to get their art out there. That the world needs it more than ever”.

Sun Ra Arkestra @ The Chapel

Sunday was the final night of the festival, and I was happy to have made it all the way through in one piece. After dozens of beers, cocktails, and conversations, I had reached the end. One final ride on the 33 down to The Chapel in The Mission. I arrived early and got in line outside. I noticed a few members of the band on Valencia Street, smoking a few cigarettes before the set.

When I got inside, I ordered a bourbon and headed to the front. There were dozens of instruments set up, waiting for the Arkestra.

I chatted with the guy next to me, who was also flying solo. We exchanged a few music recommendations before Sun Ra Arkestra started. They entered the stage with their shiny, otherworldly costumes. There wore a mix of Egyptian and cosmic themes and headpieces.

Then they started to play. Their music is a bit hard to explain, like jazz transmissions from outer space. At some point the lights changed and tiny white dots scattered across the walls like a planetarium. Above the crowd there was a moon on the ceiling that the band acknowledged by saying “The moon is out.” They told me to “listen to the cosmos.” I decided that was a great note to end the festival on.

In a way, listening to the cosmos is exactly what this entire 11-day run was all about. I didn’t know exactly what to expect, I just trusted the journey.

So, was the badge splurge actually worth it? Absolutely. When you consider that individual show tickets run anywhere from $30 to $70 for the individual events, dropping roughly $250 on the badge paid for itself pretty quickly given the sheer volume of venues and sets I packed in.

But beyond the math, the real value was in the discovery and the unexpected connections. Sometimes the badge was a great icebreaker. People wearing it were committed for the long haul. It made it incredibly easy to strike up a conversation at the bar, ask what bands people had seen or were planning to catch, and instantly tap into this temporary, floating community of music lovers crossing paths all over the city.

Having experienced the full festival without knowing many of the bands going in, I’ve realized that next year I don’t even need to wait for the lineup poster. I know I can confidently buy the discounted early-bird badge completely blind. As long as you appreciate a wide variety of genres and are open to stepping into a new venue to try something different every night, you can trust that it will all work out nicely. You just have to show up, do a little homework, and let the cosmos guide you.