Grandaddy, Superchunk Head Noise Pop Fest

January 19 -- San Francisco's Noise Pop Festival, on its ninth birthday, will feature its biggest party ever.

The six-day fest, Feb. 27 to March 4, will include an expanded lineup — featuring bands such as indie stalwart Superchunk, power-rock act Girls Against Boys, and off-kilter pop quartet Grandaddy — which will force fans to make some tough decisions.

"In the past, we've been somewhat reluctant to do [concurrent shows] so that people wouldn't have to choose," says founder Kevin Arnold. "But as the festival has grown in size and styles, it's made more and more sense."

Arnold co-founded the festival in 1993, and over the years, the annual event has included performances from such independent rock heroes as Modest Mouse, the Flaming Lips, Frank Black and the Catholics, Guided by Voices, the Magnetic Fields, and Bob Mould.

The first few editions needed only one venue, but this year, shows will be held at numerous clubs, including Bimbo's 365, Great American Music Hall, Slim's, Bottom of the Hill, and Café du Nord.

Other acts on the schedule include Northwestern rockers Pedro the Lion and 764-HERO, hometown quartet Creeper Lagoon, jangle-pop collective the Minus 5, and garage rockers the White Stripes. Former Archers of Loaf frontman Eric Bachman will lead his new band, Crooked Fingers, with Beulah, the Fastbacks, Spoon, Bright Eyes, and Los Angeles "rock and soul" quartet the Bellrays all making appearances.

The Noise Pop Film Festival and Noise Pop Educational series will again be a part of the proceedings, and Noise Pop Chicago, which debuted last year, is firming up for a second run — organizers say the spin-off event will run May 9-13.