Twenty-one years past, Kevin Arnold determined to marry 2 of his favorite things concerning San Francisco: its vivacious music scene and its entrepreneurial spirit. He engaged a modest evening of his favorite bands, then lucked out on promoting it. “The initial Noise Pop was extremely formed of as nothing over one night with 5 bands enjoying for 5 greenbacks,” he admits. “I known as it a ‘festival’ a lot of or less as a promoting ploy to form it appear a lot of exciting.” clad Arnold is aware of a way to place along a rocking list. Fans begged for AN encore the subsequent year, ANd an annual event was born. Today, the Noise Pop competition attracts high names in music, art and performance, from musician and Frank Black to comedian-actor David Cross. If you’re in point of entry from Feb. twenty six to March three, then don’t miss this year’s event. Visiting at another time? despite. point of entry rocks year spherical, as these six venues attest.
1. nice yankee MUSIC HALL
Built as a logo of hope and rebirth when the 1906 earthquake planar most of point of entry, the good yankee Music Hall (gamh.com) has served time as a bordello ANd jazz club and survives nowadays as an indie-rock venue. The club, that is that the city’s oldest, options garment rococo balconies, ceiling frescoes and marble columns that ar a lot of opera than music hall, however the amount fittings add a cultured intimacy to the midsize area. opt for the show, however don’t miss the hearty menu of updated bar classics sort of a pulled-pork sandwich with vanilla-ginger slaw, and dish with tzatziki and grilled breadstuff. obtain the $25 prix fixe dinner and you get early admission, which suggests you'll waffle an area Lagunitas ale throughout sound check. Acts springing up in March embrace Mika and Billy general.
2. THE freelance
After scarfing down some delicious fare on Divisadero Street—famed for its philosophy eats—head into this affordably priced club (theindependentsf.com) wherever bands and fans area unit electrified by the intimate house and progressive sound. If you don’t score dignitary balcony seats, arrive early to nab a bench seat within the raised sections on either wall. Tip your server well, as they’re usually the sole person operating the venue (which makes the Independent’s cleanliness one thing of a miracle—no sticky sneakers as you shuffle out for a cab). choose of March’s calendar: Toro y Moi, on day and three.
3. THE CHAPEL
The Mission’s newest concert venue (thechapelsf.com) is equal components neighborhood bar and relaxed concert venue. The beveled glass windows of the 100-year-old former mortuary currently examine a sociable tap house wherever locals flock to observe televised sports and sample French-Mediterranean bar chow. Soaring ceilings within the abutting music area, a former chapel, amplify the quietest acoustic vocalizer, and mezzanine seating puts fans to a small degree nearer to heaven. The wondrous Ducktails and DEity} de Días each perform over the approaching weeks.
4. BOTTOM OF hill
This little Potrero Hill neighborhood bar (bottomofthehill.com) has been a region of Noise Pop nearly since the start, being in its twentieth year as a pageant partner. The kinky venue is plastered with record from concerts past and might hold a large crowd. in contrast to at the most city venues, free street parking is plentiful if you’re driving to a show. With bands on stage seven nights every week, the calendar tends to feature associate eclectic mixture of regional acts and national traveling artists and has enclosed native garage rockers the recent & Onlys and indie-folk significant hitters Fleet Foxes. raise one amongst the unco friendly bartenders for a chilly pint of Anchor Steam to fancy on the out of doors terrace in conjunction with some home-brewed black-bean hommos.
5. THE United States President
The list of acts that have contend this storied venue—from guitar player to Janis Joplin—reads sort of a history book of rock 'n' roll, associated on the mezzanine level there’s an unmissable written record show of psychedelic posters spanning many decades. however the United States President (thefillmore.com) doesn’t simply trade on its past. restive combos from Alt-J to house and Foals go for the stage throughout future number of months.
6. THE SALOON
The T-shirts purchasable at this North Beach dive proclaim that it’s the city’s oldest bar. Regulars area unit probably right that the Saloon, tel: (1-415) 989-7666, was given its laconic name in 1861 as a result of, being the sole tap house in city, it had no got to distinguish itself from the other. These days, the cash-only tap house is best familiar for live jazz and blues. choose the mixed crowd of barflies and youth subculture, and the odd crusader swigging ironically on a Pabst.