Were San Francisco’s annual Noise Pop music festival a children’s bedtime story, it would certainly be The Little Engine That Could. Because, every year, Noise Pop, which started out as a little, one-night-only event back in 1993, and has since grown to become a nationally recognized, six-night-long celebration of all things indie, proves once again that, yes indeed, it can.   

This year’s festival, which kicks off on February 26, features more than five-dozen bands, 15 venues, two art exhibitions, five movie nights (and nine films), an afternoon of panel discussions and workshops geared toward independent musicians, and a flea market-style “Pop and Shop” featuring the work of local independent designers.   

Does that sound like too much of a good thing? We totally understand.    

Well, the first thing you have to do is accept that you can’t see it all. Until cloning is approved for humans – we know, scary thought –  you can only catch one show at a time.     

Now you’re asking yourself, “Well then how the heck am I supposed to choose from so many great bands?”

Well, we’ve got you covered. Here’s a little cheat-sheet with a handful of our favorites to help you navigate through this year’s impressive Noise Pop lineup.

• Minipop – with West Indian Girl, Two Sheds and Trophy Fire: Wednesday, Feb. 27, Bottom of the Hill, 1233 17th St. (at Texas); tickets $12, www.bottomofthehill.com.   

The local foursome makes music to space-out to … or develop a crush to. Take your pick. Either one feels pretty darn good. Swirling melodies are liberally iced with frontwoman Tricia Kanne’s whispery vocals, like cute little musical cupcakes, making it impossible not to love this band.    

“Like I Do,” the first single off Minipop’s debut album, A New Hope, is one of the most perfect songs of 2007. When “dream pop” makes it’s way into the encyclopedia (and it will), this band’s picture should be right next to it. Visit www.myspace.com/minipop.
 
• Here, Here – with Blitzen Trapper, Fleet Foxes and Sholi: Thursday, Feb. 28, Bottom of the Hill, 1233 17th St. (at Texas); tickets $12, www.bottomofthehill.com.   

“How can music that’s so carefully structured and beautifully arranged sound so organic and spontaneous?” That was what we asked ourselves the first time we dove into Here, Here’s latest EP, The Boy with an Orange. A few bars into it, we opted to turn off our cell phones and close our IM windows, which never happens, to splash around in Here, Here’s eclectic musical pool. Think “a fully matured Arcade Fire.” We came up for air about a half-hour later, when the boss peaked his head over the cubicle. Don’t you hate when your boss does that?   

The May Fire       Photo: Themayfire.com

Anyway, we were even more surprised when we found out that the album took 10 months to complete. When a band spends that long working on a record, there’s a 20 percent chance that it will be epic, and an 80 percent chance that it will sound tedious and over-produced. Here, Here managed to beat the odds. Guys, I’d consider a trip to Vegas real soon.

• The Rosebuds – with Working for a Nuclear City: Friday, Feb. 29, Mezzanine, 444 Jessie St. (at Mint); tickets $15; www.mezzaninesf.com.    

As much as we love a weepy indie tune, we also love one that makes us sing out loud when it pops up in the shuffle on our iPod, even if we happen to be on MUNI at the time. That happened the other day when “Get Up Get Out,” from The Rosebuds’ latest album Night of the Furies, came on. That song makes us feel good all over. Isn’t it funny how adding a disco drumbeat to the mix can do that?     

And, apparently we’re not the only ones who like to put on The Rosebuds’ album and dance around in our kitchen. Is it a coincidence that they just happen to be playing at Mezzanine, which has a huge dance floor? We think not!  

• The May Fire – with Port O’Brien, Delta Spirit, and What Made Milwaukee Famous: Saturday, March 1, Café Du Nord, 2170 Market St. (at 15th); tickets $10-$12; www.cafedunord.com.   

All you really need to know is that The May Fire totally rules. Just take our word for it. You don’t trust us?  OK, then go to www.myspace.com/themayfire and listen to the song “Red Eye.” Surely, it’s what God (or the higher power of your choice) intended when he (or she) created dance-rock. You’ll see, there won’t be an unsweaty brow in the joint.    

“So, why aren’t these Spanish-speaking rockers famous yet?” you ask. Because life isn’t fair, that’s why.

• She & Him: Sunday, March 2, Great American Music Hall, 859 O’Farrell St. (near Polk); tickets $18-$20; www.gamh.com.   

She & Him is actually Zooey Deschanel and M Ward. She’s the kooky actress who played the sassy cosmetics-counter clerk in The Good Girl (and quite masterfully we might add). He’s the clever tunesmith who made us not hate the blues. The two met when M Ward was working on music for a film that Deschanel starred in.

Here’s the Cliff Notes version of the story: She admitted to being a bedroom musician, he asked to hear some of her stuff, she sent it to him, he was blown away, they ended up in the studio together, and the result was Volume 1, which is being released next month. The End.