Sonic Youth
Who they are: Velvet Underground torch followers that extended the boundaries of experimental rock. Also, one of the most influential cult bands of the last few decades.
Why they're cool: toured with Nirvana before anyone knew who Nirvana was. Plus, only the best bands have vintage shirts reprinted by Urban Outfitters so hipsters can buy them.
Why they're uncool: contrary to what their name suggests, they're actually pretty old.
Musical connections: friends and fellow cult band Pavement would call the members of Sonic Youth when they weren't home and fill up their answering machine with jam sessions.
Cat Power (aka Chan Marshall)
Who she is: moody, tense indie rock singer-songwriter who took on the alias Cat Power after dropping out of high school and leaving her southern roots for the Big Apple.
Why she's cool: it's highly likely Ms. Marshall will be drunk, which will give everyone in the audience the encouragement to follow along.
Why she's not cool: it's also highly likely Power will freak out and throw a tantrum on stage, as she's known to do.
Musical connections: word on the street has it that Sonic Youth refused to play Fling unless Cat Power was also on the bill and vice versa. Also, she once opened for a pre-WNBA-theme- song-singing Liz Phair.
Citizen Cope (aka Clarence Greenwood)
Who he is: world-conscious, semi-hippie, singer-songwriter with hip hop flare.
Why he's cool: we at Street would never accuse anyone of being a stoner ... but we know how you good citizens would respond to that sort of accusation. And also, he once was on Penn's campus doing press and walked into Qdoba with his guitar to get some food. He likes Qdoba! We already have so much in common.
Why he's uncool: ditto.
Musical connections: Carlos Santana liked Cope's song "Sideways" so much he asked him to record it for his 2003 album, Shaman. Cope later put it on his own sophomore release, The Clarence Greenwood Recordings.
