Turn it up: Noise Ordinance 4 shines a light on local music

On a comfortable couch in the bright blue A-frame house that serves as the Noise Ordinance headquarters, the three brains behind the popular local music showcase sit surrounded by stacks of boxes filled with CDs, posters and other merchandise. With only a few days remaining before the fourth annual event, they take stock of what coffee shops they’ve already hit with posters, what remains to be done and the amount of buzz around town, which, from the sounds of it, is pretty good.

The three organizers, Ed Midler, Claire Franklin and Katherine Derr, began the event four years ago, as a way to spotlight the local music scene they felt wasn’t getting the recognition it deserved.

“For a small town, there was a lot going on here, musically,” says Franklin. “And it was really good quality, too. So, I just kind of came up with this idea to do a compilation CD, and we started putting the word out.”

Since then, the annual compilation and accompanying live concert has continued to grow and evolve. This year’s compilation includes 36 bands — 22 of which are new to Noise Ordinance, and the three say the event is a great way to create a sense of community in the scene.

“Things can be really spread out and underground here,” says Franklin. “This is a way to bring that all out in the open and give everyone a sampling of everything.”

“It’s also the first chance for a lot of these bands to meet each other,” adds Midler. “A lot of them have gigs on the same nights and can’t see each other play, so this is a night they can all see each other play and realize that they’re part of a bigger scene.”

In a city that’s notoriously difficult for working musicians, the three organizers are happy to be able to provide an outlet to help keep the scene thriving.

“A music scene works best when everyone collaborates,” says Franklin. “If we all support one another, everybody wins.”

If you go:

Noise Ordinance 4 CD Release Party — takes place from 1 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 23 to 1 a.m. Sunday, Nov. 24 at Cock & Bull Pub. Visit the Noise Ordinance website for complete lineup.

Album art by Matthew Stuart Decker