International Pop Overthrow

The International Pop Overthrow is a American-originated music festival devoted to power pop music and related genres. [cite news |title=Pop and Jazz Guide |url=http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9D07E4D9123CF934A35751C1A9679C8B63 |work=The New York Times |date=2001-12-07 |accessdate=2008-08-04] cite news |first=C. E. |last=Hanifin |title=Pop wars: Revolution being fought in Chicago |url=http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=222164 |work=Milwaukee Journal Sentinel |date=2004-04-14 |accessdate=2008-08-04] The festival began in Los Angeles in 1998, and has been held annually in the Los Angeles area since then. In addition, the festival has also held events in other cities such as Boston, Chicago, Liverpool, Nashville, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Seattle, and Vancouver. [cite news |first=Chris |last=Morris |title=Pop combos massing for annual janglefest |url=http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/search/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1002913218 |work=The Hollywood Reporter |date=2006-07-27 |accessdate=2008-08-04]

The IPO began in 1998 when David Bash, school teacher become pop illuminary, thought up a festival to get some of his favorite The Beatles-inspired bands to Los Angeles during a 1 week period. For their efforts the bands would play a 15-minute (20 if Bash personally asked for an encore) showcase at a variety of clubs in Los Angeles. The festival took its name from Material Issue's 1991 album of the same name, and former members of that band have performed at IPO.

The unknowns get to rub shoulders with the re-borns. The 20-something new bands get to share stages with members of past greats like The Smithereens, 20/20, and Shoes. Clubs like Spaceland, El Ray Theater, and The Mint and 100 others host showcases around LA. And one of the advantages of the IPO format is only one venue is scheduled at each time slot. So, if you are a fanatic, you could got to all the showcases.

Since the first date the festival has been very successful at attracting the rabid fans who cannot find their favorite genre of music represented in Triple A or Americana or other radio formats. At one point there was an IPO radio station set up by John McElhenney of Buzzie that featured only bands playing or previously played at IPO.

The International Pop Overthrow festival has gone international and provided David Bash with a full-time job doing what he loves: supporting, promoting and gathering great pop artists. The underground pop press has been very kind to IPO and several bands have broken into the mainstream as a result of the IPO entourage.

And each year Not Lame Recordings puts out a compilation of CDs featuring the bands appearing at the festival.

References

External links

* [http://www.internationalpopoverthrow.com/index.htm Official site]
* [http://www.ocweekly.com/music/music/aural-reports-international-pop-overthrow-brings-world-class-melodies-to-oc/29055/ Interview with David Bash] at OC Weekly