48 Hills hit up the annual Noise Pop festival (February 19-March 1) to sample the indie music feast. Check out our full coverage here.
There is a certain moment in a Sun Ra Arkestra live performance when that mystical big band, active since 1952 and one of the oldest and most influential Black jazz groups in the world, marches through the crowd, serenading everyone with the moving “Lights On a Satellite” arrangement. Adorned in spangled capes, violet cloaks, mesh caps, pyramid hats, and Pharaoh’s headdresses, this mobile musical militia marched that moment up through the crowd at both sold-out February 28 and March 1 shows at The Chapel.
The 33rd Noise Pop Music Festival drew to a close on a most improved year, apparent to attendees, media folks, venues, and bartenders alike. Booking choices were based on city personality and intellect, not cut-and-paste trends designed for gig bills that reach the sky. These 2026 shows challenged and engaged concertgoers. On one specific night, festival goers had to choose between Orcutt Shelly Miller and Tortoise at Great American Music Hall in SF versus Open Mike Eagle and clipping. at the UC Theater in Berkeley. Those are the right type of choices/problems you want from a festival.
But back to these weekend night shows with Sun Ra Arkestra? The confines of The Chapel made it feel as though the Gods walked among us. Very easily, Noise Pop Industries could have opted not to book this historic band, which had just played at SFJAZZ last summer and Great American Music Hall in November 2024 and Summer 2023. But festival organizers made the right choice, trusting the Bay Area’s high musical IQ.
The Chapel became a communal listening station where this 19-member orchestra could spread its magic in a packed and welcoming environment.
According to festival organizers, Noise Pop filled 11 days with 170+ bands, at more than 20 venues and small businesses participating across the Bay Area. This 33rd installation had organizers boasting that it’s one of the largest editions in the festival’s three-decade history.
Noise Pop works best when local independent artists, orgs, venues, and scenes are featured up front, not just in supporting roles; it represents the Bay’s own most unique self. That went through my mind as Cindy played early on in the fest at Rickshaw Stop. Orcutt, Shelly, Miller played a perfect opening slot for Chicago’s Tortoise, and Oakland’s Jay Som came back to the Bay and performed at Grey Area. Two major 2000s indie players, Shannon Shaw and Christopher Owens, were given proper showcases. A run of shows at Bottom of the Hill, before that storied venue closes this year, showed true respect for where Noise Pop came from, and the independent spots that built it.
SF Music Week has latched on, providing free discussions and panels sponsored by the city, and Noise Pop has established a partnership with the Seattle-born, locally satellited KEXP in 2024. Together, they have launched a battle of the bands contest whose winners get the opportunity to record a “Live on KEXP” set and perform a live show for fans at a future venue. SF JAZZ’s Joe Henderson Lab still performed as an incubator and provided an alternative space for avant-garde and non-traditional jazz artists to thrive, including an other worldly four-night sold-out engagement by LA-based future jazz outfit SML during the week.
By guiding people to local brilliance, Noise Pop itself has grown exponentially.
