San Diegans are very lucky to have so many music festivals. Beginning each spring, music fans have a wide variety of options for their entertainment each weekend, from street fairs to Street Scene. The newest and perhaps most welcome of these events is the aptly titled San Diego Indie Music Fest, held at venues in North Park on March 3. Featuring non-major label acts in all genres, the festival aims to bring the spotlight to artists who are often overlooked by the media. Mixing music with film and spoken word, over the course of the day 75 artists will perform in seven venues, including Claire de Lune, Caffe Calabria and The North Park Theatre.
According to event organizers, there is a dire need for a festival like this.
“The FM airwaves and major media systems are monopolized by big corporate agendas that have little or nothing to do with music and art,” explained Danielle Lo Presti. “They have to do with profit. Period. So what we hear and see nearly everywhere the human eye and ear can be marketed to are the very few bands who are seen as the safest bet to make millions for those corporate entities in charge,” she said. “Meanwhile, there are hundreds of thousands of other bands and artists making outstanding music, taking risks, defying easy classifications, but are overlooked and left to put out their records on their own.”
Lo Presti feels that a collective effort such as this event is the answer.
“The point is, we want to do something real and bold that creates a collective roar that simply cannot be ignored,” she remarked. “There are so many remarkable indie artists making music right now that millions of people would love to support … We’re doing our best to help raise awareness about them and to teach people how to find more and more independent music they can get excited about.”
SDIMF sports an impressive roster of national acts, including ’80s ska/punk hybrid Fishbone, singer-songwriter Michelle Shocked and violin virtuoso Gingger Shankar, but where it really shines is in the wide variety of local acts. San Diego-based performers are thrilled to be included as part of such a major undertaking.
“I plan on wandering around from stage to stage to try to absorb as many artists as I can,” said singer Lindsey Yung. For her, artist-driven festivals like these are the best way to expose an artist to a large audience. “It creates interest in us,” she stated. “With each event, more people are exposed, and, hopefully, word travels fast about the amazing music sitting right under people’s radar.”
Country singer Carol Ames especially likes the non-corporate side of Indie Fest. “Grassroots events like these are important because the music is ‘real,’ not contrived by a businessman at a label trying to make money,” she explained.
Jazz saxophonist Chris Klich, who played at last year’s festival, agrees. “Corporate music is stale and promotes image over artistry,” he said. “Major labels only sign ‘artists’ that reflect the kind of homogenized music they’re already putting out. By the time a new artist is focus-grouped, produced and image-tested, any unique qualities or artistic talent are removed.” Klich intends to support artists at the show with more than his attendance at their performances. “I’ll be bringing plenty of cash to purchase CDs at the event,” he said as he laughed. “I always bring home between eight and 12 discs every year. I never listen to commercial radio anymore.”
Acoustic troubadour Josh D’Amigo is happiest about performing among his peers. “I’m probably more excited about seeing some of the other acts perform than actually performing myself,” he said jokingly. He is also thrilled by the independent nature of the festival. “Without events like this, we may have to endure more years of listening to artists like The Backstreet Boys again. And I’m pretty sure no one wants that,” D’Amigo quipped.
Indie Music Fest takes place Saturday, March 3, at venues throughout North Park. For more information, visit www.sdindiemusicfest. com.