Noise Pop Festival Drops Phase One of Its 2026 Music Lineup
NOISE POP FESTIVAL UNVEILS 2026 LINEUP’S FIRST WAVE
STARRING TORTOISE, CLIPPING, VS SELF, BEATS ANTIQUE, SHANNON SHAW,
THE PAINS OF BEING PURE AT HEART, DEVOTCHKA, THE JOY FORMIDABLE & MORE
Festival Organizers Team Up with KEXP for Exclusive Live Sessions
and Open the Door for Local Band Submissions Now Live
San Francisco’s Iconic Independent Music & Arts Festival Returns Feb. 19–Mar. 1, 2026,
Festival Badges and Tickets are Available Now.
SAN FRANCISCO, CA (October 23, 2025) – Noise Pop Industries proudly unveils the Phase One lineup for the 33rd annual Noise Pop Festival, the Bay Area’s premier celebration of independent music and arts, returning February 19 through March 1, 2026.
For over three decades, Noise Pop Festival has transformed the Bay Area into a citywide playground for music lovers. Once again, fans can look forward to an immersive week of live performances, art exhibitions, film screenings, happy hours, and late-night secret shows, crafting a choose-your-own-adventure experience unlike any other.
This year’s Phase One lineup bridges eras, genres, and continents, spotlighting a bold mix of festival alumni, long-awaited comebacks, and first-time performers.
Highlights of the 2026 edition include Chicago’s experimental instrumental collective Tortoise, who return with their first new studio album in nearly a decade—offering Noise Pop audiences one of the earliest chances to experience their fresh material live. Also joining the lineup is Los Angeles’ sci-fi rap trio clipping. Led by film star Daveed Diggs, marking their long-awaited return to the festival stage since 2017.
Other national standouts include New York indie-pop darlings The Pains of Being Pure at Heart, celebrating the 15th anniversary of their debut album, and Denver’s DeVotchKa, who make a triumphant comeback with an exceptional Little Miss Sunshine tribute performance, 20 years after their last Noise Pop appearance.
Showcasing the Bay Area’s creative spirit are local favorites such as Oakland’s Shannon Shaw, who performs an exclusive KEXP Live session with a surprise roster of special guests. Best known as the powerhouse frontwoman of Shannon and the Clams, Shaw continues her solo ascent following the success of her critically acclaimed debut album last year.
The 2026 roster also shines a spotlight on rising talents and cult favorites, including Vs Self, Summer Salt, Christopher Owens, and the UK’s beloved The Joy Formidable—each adding their distinct sound to this year’s celebration of independent artistry and community.
“Noise Pop has always been about discovery—of new sounds, new spaces, and new ideas,” said Kevin Arnold, Founder of Noise Pop Industries. “Whether you’re catching a favorite band in an intimate venue or stumbling upon your next obsession in a backroom club, that shared spark is what keeps the Bay Area’s music scene alive.”
From longtime favorites to fresh collaborations, this year’s edition builds upon Noise Pop’s legacy of creativity, connection, and discovery. Here’s an early preview of the standout programs defining Noise Pop Festival 2026—with even more announcements on the horizon:
KEXP Live at Noise Pop: Seattle’s legendary radio station returns for another installment of Live on KEXP at Noise Pop after making its Bay Area debut last year. Expect intimate artist performances filmed in Oakland, exclusive fan giveaways, and unexpected cross-city collaborations throughout Noise Pop Festival 2026.
Open Call for Local Artist Submissions: Bay Area musicians are invited to apply for a chance to perform during the festival and earn a featured opening slot at a 2026 Noise Pop concert in partnership with KEXP. Continuing their creative alliance, KEXP and Noise Pop will again select one local artist to record a Live on KEXP session at 25th Street Recording in Oakland during the festival.
The chosen artist will also open KEXP’s Vinelands Live—a special live showcase hosted at a San Francisco venue and broadcast on KEXP 92.7 FM.
This opportunity is open exclusively to artists based in the Bay Area and Northern California. Details and applications are available at www.kexp.org/noisepop.
“We’re so grateful to continue curating this festival into its thirty-third year,” said Jordan Kurland, co-founder of Noise Pop Industries. “It’s always been a labor of love, and after three decades of cultural change in this city, we’re proud to keep creating something that resonates within the arts and culture community.”
Now entering its 33rd year, Noise Pop Festival stands as one of America’s last true independent music festivals and among the longest-running celebrations on the West Coast. It’s a citywide showcase of artists, fans, and venues that highlights the creative heartbeat of the San Francisco Bay Area. For more than a week each year, the festival transforms S.F. into a hub of music, art, and culture, featuring dozens of live shows, gallery exhibits, happy hours, and late-night parties spread across the city’s clubs, theaters, galleries, and pop-up spaces.
Established in 1993 by Noise Pop Industries—the Bay Area’s oldest independent concert promoter—the festival has long served as a launchpad for emerging artists and a pioneer of the multi-venue format that inspired countless festivals across the country. Throughout its history, Noise Pop has hosted early performances by icons such as The White Stripes, Modest Mouse, Yoko Ono, Joanna Newsom, The Flaming Lips, Courtney Barnett, Death Cab for Cutie, St. Vincent, and Grimes, among many others.
Festival Badges and individual show tickets are on sale now at NoisePopFest.com. Each badge grants access to all general admission concerts (subject to capacity) throughout the week, plus exclusive entry to official happy hours, art events, and select community gatherings—available now at the lowest price of the season while supplies last.
The 2026 festival artwork comes from Oakland-based illustrator Emma Atterbury (@emmatterbury), whose bold, skeleton-filled designs have gained national recognition through fine art print collections and pop-up exhibitions across the U.S.
For tickets and the latest updates, visit the official website at www.noisepopfest.com and follow @NoisePop on social media.
NOISE POP FESTIVAL 2026 – EVENT INFORMATION:
Please see below for details on dates, locations, tickets, and talent:
EVENT: Noise Pop Festival
EDITION: 33rd Year (est. 1993)
ORGANIZER: Noise Pop Industries
DATE: Thursday, February 19 through Sunday, March 1, 2026
LOCATION: Multi-Venue, San Francisco Bay Area, California
WEBSITE: www.noisepopfest.com
SOCIAL MEDIA: @NoisePop #NoisePopFestival2026
- 2026 Festival Press Materials
- 2026 Press Credential Application
- Past Festival Photos (2025)Â
- Historical Festival Photos (2013 to 2024)Â
MUSIC LINEUP – PHASE ONE:
- Tortoise
- Clipping
- Vs Self
- Beats Antique
- Shannon Shaw
- The Pains of Being Pure at Heart
- DeVotchka
- Christopher OwensÂ
- Summer Salt
- The Joy FormidableÂ
- Yellow Days
- Phil Manzanera
- Winston Surfshirt
- Hudson Freeman
- The Family Crest
- Rum.Gold
- Jeffrey Lewis & The Voltage
- Jamie Fine
- Glitterer
- Esther Rose
- Playboy Manbaby
- New Jazz Underground
- Cleo Reed
- Hugo De La Lune
- SML
- Veotis Latchison
- Boyscott
- Wabie
- Knumears
- First Day Back
- Living Hour
- Shy Western
- Rhydian Dafydd
- Chime School
- Graham Hunt Prize Horse
- Prize Horse
- And more coming soon!