International Pop Overthrow kicks off 10th festival
turns 10 today. Light some candles; have some cake; bust out that old Raspberries
record.
Founded in
Los Angeles by promoter David Bash as a
way to celebrate and showcase the strains of power pop that trace their lineage to '60s
and '70s radio, the festival (two weeks-plus of shows at rotating venues, featuring as
many as eight bands a night) once attracted acts to its summertime soirees from all over
the globe. Then Bash turned IPO into something of a franchise -- and now you can get
your annual dose of power pop in places like New York, Chicago, Atlanta, Nashville and
Liverpool. In fact, after the L.A. event ends Aug. 11, IPO moves to San Francisco, then
Seattle, then Vancouver, B.C. It's kind of a traveling road show of power chords.
All of that has watered down the Los Angeles event considerably, turning it into a
much more locals-only affair. There are 21 shows featuring 162 bands this year, and
overall, the venues have gotten smaller (remember when IPO had a night at the El Rey
Theatre?). But there is still a strong pop underground here, and still a healthy number
of fledgling bands that make this sound their starting point (as well as an equal number
of veterans who've made power pop their sonic dwelling).
This year's edition offers a mix of young and old. I'll try to toss out some
recommendations as IPO progresses over the next two weeks; catching at least one IPO
show is almost mandatory, if only because attendees receive a three-CD compilation that
the festival issues every year. Invariably, it contains a handful of gems that'll make
you think, "Why ain't that on the radio?"
This weekend at IPO
Friday: Raucous Anglophiles the Procession and clear-eyed
power-popper Steve Bertrand are the best
picks for tonight's opener at Molly Malone's. The Procession's "Musique
Magnifique" is out on Nude/V2 in the U.K. Bertrand, ex-frontman of the beloved Tories who moved on to front a band called Avion for a while, released a solo
album, "Pain Is a Megaphone," earlier this year -- a record that again shows
his affection for big melodies, soaring choruses and, somewhat regrettably, shiny
production. His live show does not disappoint.
Saturday: The matinee show at Fitzgerald's in Huntington Beach features
vaudevillian popper Jeffrey
Scott, and the evening show boasts tuneful veteran Walter Clevenger playing
an early set and newcomers the New
Fidelity playing late. Clevenger has been making amiable, flannel-shirt pop-rock for
over a decade, and the New Fidelity's "Tiny Slivers" offers a dose of jaunty,
faintly retro pop with teeth.
Sunday: Newcomers the
Monte Vista
evening lineup at the Joint on Pico. And we've written about the Letter Openers, who are as sharp as
their name.
Full IPO schedule (with addresses, times and cover charges) here.
Elsewhere Friday night
The single "Girls Who Play Guitars" has been rooting around in my head
since I got the promo copy of Maximo Park's new
album, "Our Earthly Pleasures" -- the U.K. outfit plays the El Rey tonight
with the Oohlas and Monsters Are Waiting supporting. ... Steve Barton and the Oblivion Click
celebrate the release of their new album, "Flicker of Time," with a show at
the Scene in Glendale. [Full disclosure: Casey Dolan, a Times employee and
occasional contributor to this blog, is the guitarist for Barton, the former frontman of
San Francisco band Translator.] Moris
Tepper also performs. ... Vancouver, B.C.'s, the Awkward Stage brings its wry
pop to El Cid. ... And the Melvins perform
"Lysol and Eggnog" at the Troubadour.
Photo: L.A. Ari Shine performs at this year's International Pop
Overthrow festival at the Cavern Club in Liverpool, England.
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