Sonic Youth To Perform At ATP NY

Sonic Youth have accepted an invitation from curator Stephen Malkmus to perform at All Tomorrow's Parties New York in September 2003, although festival director Barry Hogan notes they still "need to talk dollars and cents."

"Stephen is a brilliant guy and I'm a huge admirer of what he does," wrote Sonic Youth guitarist/writer/singer Lee Ranaldo in an email to Neumu. "He'll bring that very eclectic and wry sensibility that is totally 'him' to his choices."

Spoon will be asked to play New York as well, according to Hogan. About 40 artists are expected to perform during the multi-day event that will take place in September 2003. "Malkmus is a big folkie, and digs things like Fairport Convention," Hogan said. "He likes things like Love, [Bob] Dylan and [Captain] Beefheart, but his taste is pretty varied and he played me some new bands like Dead Meadow who I think are signing to Matador. They sound like Bardo Pond meets [Black] Sabbath, and I think Michael [Gibbons] from Bardo Pond discovered them. They were the shit, and I hope we can get them to play ATP NY."

Sonic Youth curated the first ATP Los Angeles in April 2002. The band, which includes founders Kim Gordon, Thurston Moore, Steve Shelley and Ranaldo, plus new member/multi-instrumentalist Jim O'Rourke, released its 16th album, Murray Street, on June 25 on Geffen Records [see Neumu contributing editor Jenny Tatone's review of Murray Street ].

Ranaldo said Sonic Youth had a ball curating the L.A. fest. "It was more a matter of it being fun than being challenging. We made up the list, but Barry Hogan did all the legwork, contacting artists to see who was interested, etc. All we had to do, really, was hammer out our dream list." His advice to Malkmus? "Go for your dream list and try and make it happen."

Hogan, who handpicks curators, carries out an enormous amount of legwork. "We have a no-asshole policy with ATP," Hogan explained with his usual candor. "I have decided, what's the point of picking bands and artists or whomever to curate ATP if they are total dicks to deal with? None of the previous curators have been dicks."

The Malkmus-led band Pavement had been one of Hogan's early choices, both to curate and play, "but they split up shortly after we started doing this [hosting ATP]," Hogan explained. "After meeting Stephen at ATP LA, I was taken by how good his set was and we really got on with him. So we invited him, and I feel proud of the choice as he has made some of my favorite records, and his list is very different in some respects to any other ATPs, but inspiring all the same."

ATP New York will actually be held in nearby Asbury Park, N.J., in what Hogan calls "two gorgeous spaces under the same roof," the Convention Center and Paramount Theatre. Approximating the holiday atmosphere that is a celebrated aspect of the original English event, New York ticket-holders will flow freely between the two halls or visit the surrounding beach. Buses will run fest-goers to and from Manhattan.

Simpsons founder Matt Groening is curating next year's L.A. event (June 19-22, 2003; venue unannounced). No acts have been announced yet, but Hogan did confirm that Yo La Tengo have been invited. "Matt has a passion for music and will select a great lineup," Hogan said. Approximately 40 acts will play ATP LA.

About 30 acts total will play the Autechre-curated ATP UK, to be held April 4-6, 2003 at the fest's traditional location at Camber Sands Holiday Centre in Sussex, England, about one hour south of London, near the seashore. Coil, SND, Venetian Snares and Sluta Leta were added last week. Acts already anchoring the lineup included Aphex Twin, The Fall, Jim O'Rourke, Russell Haswell, Push Button Objects, Cannibal Ox, Sonic Sum, EL-P, Pita and Hecker. Four DJs have been added, including DJ Baby Ford, DJ Mark Broom, DJ Andrea Parker and DJ Req. Additional acts are still being booked.

With an ATP in the United Kingdom and two in the United States, Hogan is carrying the torch for quality in popular music around the globe. Ambitious though he may seem, he's concerned about maintaining the high quality and groovy ambience that have marked the ATP fests thus far. "I'd be quite happy just to do ATP in the UK and U.S.," he said, "But I will take each project as it comes."

He says he won't expand at the risk of cheapening the "handmade" quality of the festivals. Regarding a possible Japan event, he has some concerns. "I am wondering: if we do too many ATPs, will it dilute the original one? I want to be involved and hands-on with each one — otherwise it will become like Burger King and become a franchise, which would be so lame."

Despite his concerns, the indie fest is about exploring worlds and music unknown, seemingly for Hogan as much as for fest-goers. "I'd like to do one somewhere crazy like Sicily, because I have never been," he said.

Organizing the events has its downside. "Its amazing how many fuck-heads from my past are now trying to schmooze me because they think they can be involved," Hogan said.

But hosting the crème de la crème of contemporary music fests is not without its satisfactions. "What is inspiring is to get the projects right," he said. "It's [also] inspiring to be developing each lineup, since each is a challenge."

For updated news on all three festivals check the newly redesigned ATP Web site. — Jillian Steinberger [Monday, July 29, 2002]