Noises OFF!

The roster for the No Fun Fest 2008 is up, and it looks good . . . and well rackety.

Projected highlights . . . Tony Conrad is hands down the most legendary and influential performer on the roster. Way, way cool that they got him. . . No surprise that Thurston Moore is on the list. Sorry to see that his wife Kim Gordon is not. She and Boredoms' drummer Yoshimi turned in one of the strongest sets last year. I've always liked what the SY crew do on their own more than their work with the band. . . It's always good to see what James Plotkin is up to. Undoubtedly one of the most inventive guitarists on the planet right now. . . Burning Star Core covers so much ground and disappoints so little it's almost miraculous. Every release is like Christmas morning. . . I almost can't believe that I'm finally going to get to see Illusion of Safety play live. Besides having one of my favorite album titles of all time (Water Seeks It's Own Level), they've carved out an excellent plot of land in the realm of collage and drone for over 25 years.

The performance to which I'm most looking forward? Easy. Werewolf Jerusalem, Richard Ramirez's deep excursions into static. Anything Ramirez puts out under his own name or his gloriously monikered Black Leather Jesus is top notch, but Werewolf Jerusalem resonates the most with me.

The best name of No Fun Fest 2008? This award unquestionably goes to AFTERNOON PENIS. I mean, really. That wasn't even a competition.