IT’S THE MOST WONDERFUL TIME OF THE YEAR! My favorite music nerd event is happening at Museum of Pop Culture April 26-29, and for the first time in years I get to attend as a pop con fan, and not an employee (I assure you, my #popcon tweets will still be as robust as they were when I worked at MoPOP!).

If you’ve never been, the Pop Conference is a beautiful labyrinth of panels and presentations about music, given by people who know and study everything from what Depeche Mode’s song “Little 15” really means to the psychology of why female fans scream and cry at concerts, and discussions about the Worst. Song. Ever. and what exactly happened to those Mötley Crüe groupies in the ‘80s. I always, ALWAYS learn something new, even about my most favorite bands. Best of all, I always leave with a list of new music to buy after the weekend!

This year’s theme is “What Difference Does It Make? Music & Gender,” and presenters will explore music and gender across many eras and categories including feminism, queer pop, masculinity, black music, genres, futurism, instrumentation, and religion.

The 2018 Conference kicks off with a #MeToo Summit on Thursday, April 26 at 7:15pm  (but don’t miss the panels taking place that day too!), featuring Jackie Fuchs (!!!!), Kiran Gandhi, Megan Jasper, Victoria Ruiz, Francisca Valenzuela, and Paloma McLardy (!!!! !!! !), and moderated by the always engaging Ann Powers. What a line-up! So many kick-ass, amazing women. They’ll be discussing the topic of sexual harassment and activism, artistic expression, and finding one’s voice within today’s #MeToo revelations.

I’d include my picks for panels here, but it almost always shifts last-minute as I tend to see at least three happening at the same time that I have to go to. But that’s where the #PopCon comes in handy — as I can usually catch what I missed on Twitter, plus organize meet-ups with my music-loving frens, or even someone I’ve admired from afar and never met. IT’S THE BEST.

And yeah, there is now a fee to attend Pop Conference, but honestly, guys – it’s only $28. TWENTY-EIGHT DOLLARS FOR A WHOLE CONFERENCE is a bargain! That price includes all four days of panels, the opening summit, and complimentary admission to all galleries in the museum. I mean, COME ON. It’s amazing, and totally totally totally worth it.

So, I’ll see you there, right?!?

Pop Conference 2018 | April 26-29 | Museum of Pop Culture | 325 5th Avenue N Seattle, WA | Pop Con Tickets: $28 GA/$25 MoPOP members