Music Sumo

Noise Pop celebrates its 20th birthday in 2012, and its lineup once again features the expert curation of fresh-faced artists that we’ve come to expect: Die Antwoord, Bleached, Grimes and oOoOO are among the names that hit the scene recently and started making waves in a hurry. But there’s a hidden story in Noise Pop’s 2012 lineup – a slick tribute, on this notable anniversary, to its rich 20-year history of highlighting these acts on the rise. One need only look to the veterans returning to the festival’s lineup for 2012.

Of course, there’s headliner Flaming Lips, whose “Boombox Experiment” at Noise Pop 1998 provided a glimpse of the band that would establish themselves the kings of psychedelia in the following years. Archers of Loaf played Noise Pop in 1997. Imperial Teen, 1999. Built to Spill, while not technically Noise Pop alums, have been around longer…