How Come You Never Call (Or Write)- Quiet Parade

Punk As Fuck - Kappa Chow

Soft Spot - Smoke (1)

Desperation Mart - Weekend Dads

Television Zombie - OUTTACONTROLLER

Shadowbabe - Dregs

Peachy Beach - Old & Weird

Past Architect - Dyscontrol

Folds - Paper Beat Scissors

Catch 22 - Take Part

Founded in 1993, the Halifax Pop Explosion has actually been three different events that are now remembered as one long standing event. The original Halifax Pop Explosion, which was operated as private business from 1993–1995, was created as a platform to celebrate Halifax's newfound fame as the "Seattle of the North" and home of Canadian grunge, as well as to promote local bands such as Sloan, Jale, The Super Friendz and Thrush Hermit. "Halifax Pop Explosion" also came to be adopted as the overall name of the Halifax music scene as a whole.

The company that organized the festival went out of business and a new organization launched the "Halifax On Music Festival", which ran successfully but not profitably for four years. The festival did not take place in 2000.

In 2001 a past owner of the Halifax On Music Festival and one of the staff created the not-for-profit Halifax Pop Explosion Association to operate the festival for the good of the music community, abandoning any pretence that the event had long term profitability. The festival name returned to the Halifax Pop Explosion and it has doubled in size since 2001. The Festival has expanded its programming to support other genres within the independent music community as well as the power pop that it is best known for. It now features acts from hip hop and electronica to folk rock and alt-country to punk and hardcore and everything in between. With 180 plus bands in 20 venues all around town over five days the festival exhibits considerable breadth in presenting new music.

Halifax Pop Explosion

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