Paul Collins and The Beat at SXSW 2007 - more photos photo by Jaime Butler - Staff Photographer

It may not be SXSW but many of the bands slated to appear at the upcoming Wild Weekend Power Pop Festival have appeared at SXSW and some of the bands are coming to Austin on August 29th and 30th from as far away as Spain to perform. From bands that pioneered the genre such as Paul Collin's Beat and 20/20 to the younger set that keep the sound alive today like The Ugly Beats and The Boss Martians, there will be lots of bands representing several eras of the genre. I remember owning The Beat and 20/20's debuts on vinyl back in the 80's and I saw The Beat open for The Jam at the Dillo circa 1980 or so.

For those not familiar withe genre called "Power Pop" imagine a sound that combines the sticky sweetness of a Beatles pop melody with the harder driving edge of The Ramones and you have it. From Wikipedia:

Power pop (or powerpop) is a popular musical genre that draws its inspiration from 1960s British and American pop and rock music. It typically incorporates a combination of musical devices such as strong melodies, crisp vocal harmonies, economical arrangements, and prominent guitar riffs. Instrumental solos are usually kept to a minimum, and blues elements are largely downplayed.

We are hoping to get invited to cover the show so stay tuned.

Here is the schedule for the Wild Weekend Power Pop Festival:

Thursday, August 28th Official Festival Pre-Party at Beerland: DJ Sue (Fuzz Club) DJ Mike Hooker (Ready Steady Go!) DJ Novelas (Albuquerque, NM) Treehouse Radio DJ's (Emily and Hydro) Angel Von Ripper (ATX) Plus very special guests! $5

Friday, August 29th Night Show at Mohawk (All Ages): Paul Collins' Beat Pointed Sticks Nikki Corvette Ugly Beats Black & Whites Electric Shadows $25 Day Show at Beerland (21+): Grand Champeen Power Chords Prima Donna The Pleasure Kills The Red Hearts FREE!

Saturday, August 30th Night Show at Mohawk (All Ages): The Boys 20/20 Boss Martians Tranzmitors Cute Lepers Gentleman Jesse And His Men Baby Shakes $25 Day Show at Beerland (21+): Poor People Luxury Sweets Greatest Hits Beach Patrol Avenue Rose FREE!

For more information on how to attend Austin's Wild Weekend Power Pop Festival or to buy advance tickets check out their MySpace at http://www.myspace.com/wildweekendaustin