Friends of Noise

Name

Friends of Noise

Legal name

Friends of Noise

Website

https://friendsofnoise.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Youth Music Education

NAICS

Other Sound Recording Industries (512290), Sound Recording Studios (51224)

akta.pro primary industry

Beatmakers & Track Production (MPAIAHAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Music Production, Recording & Audio Engineering (EDAMANAH), Group Music Classes & Ensembles (Band, Orchestra, Choir) (EDAMANAC)

Keywords

• Youth music education
• All-ages concerts
• Nonprofit venue operations
• Live sound engineering training
• Community music programming

Headquarters

HQ city

Portland, OR

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Revenue model

1. Season Pass Subscriptions: Annual and monthly subscription program providing exclusive access to 3 free concerts per month, member-only events, merchandise discounts, and early workshop registration.
2. Event Ticket Sales: Revenue from concert tickets ranging from free (donation-based) to $5-$23 per event, with service fees added.
3. Merchandise Sales: Sale of branded merchandise including t-shirts ($25) and artist support merchandise through the SWAG store.
4. Corporate Sponsorships: Corporate sponsorship program for The Off Beat venue and Season Pass program, offering branding benefits and community engagement.
5. Talent and Sound Services: Paid work opportunities for youth sound engineers and performers providing services for local non-profits and companies.
6. Donations: Tax-deductible donations through credit card, Cash App, and Venmo platforms supporting youth programming.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Friends of Noise operates The Off Beat, a 400-capacity all-ages music venue and workforce development center in Portland, Oregon, hosting alcohol-free concerts and providing professional sound equipment, staging, lights, and crew. The organization runs youth-focused music education and workforce programs including sound engineering training (Sound Squad Supreme), artist development (Rose City Rising), a weekly youth DJ radio show on XRAY.fm, and an annual battle-of-the-bands competition (Band Slam). It also provides paid talent and sound engineering services to external clients through FoN Talent & Sound Services.

Product overview

Friends of Noise is a non-profit organization that operates as a single unified platform centered around youth music education and all-ages concerts in Portland, Oregon. The core offering is The Off Beat, an all-ages music venue and workforce development center, complemented by the Off Beat Season Pass membership program providing exclusive concert access. Additional products include FoN Talent & Sound Services (professional entertainment for external events), Sound Squad Supreme (paid sound engineering training for teens), Rose City Rising (intergenerational recording project), and FoN Presents on XRAY FM (youth-hosted radio program). The organization also runs recurring programs including Open Mic at The Off Beat, the Youth Artist Directory, Find Your Future Fest career fair, and the Band Slam battle of the bands competition. All offerings are interconnected through the mission of providing marginalized youth access to the music industry while building a safer, inclusive all-ages music ecosystem.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• The Off Beat Season Pass: Annual membership program offering exclusive access to 3 free concerts per month, discounts on merchandise and additional tickets, and early registration for creative workshops.
• Sound Squad Supreme
• Rose City Rising
• FoN Talent and Sound Services
• Elan Eichler Youth Artist Directory

Quantifiable outcome

• 15,000 young people served through programs and events

Named customers2 records

Segments4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• XRAY.fmcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThrough a partnership with XRAY.fm, Friends of Noise trains and offers radio DJ slots to youth members. The weekly show 'Friends of Noise Presents' airs Mondays 2-3pm on 91.1 fm and on demand at XRAY.fm.org, providing youth with broadcast experience and platform access.
• make.shift art spaceminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorBellingham-based art space that co-presents events at The Off Beat venue, bringing experimental and punk acts to Portland audiences.
• People Organizing for Philippine SolidarityminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCommunity organization that co-presents benefit shows at The Off Beat for social justice causes.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Notes for Notes: Nonprofit that builds and operates fully equipped recording studios inside schools for youth, closely comparable to Friends of Noise's Rose City Rising recording program and FoN Talent & Sound Services arm.
• MusicianCorps: Nonprofit connecting professional musicians as mentors in low-income communities; closely aligned with Friends of Noise's paid youth sound engineering and performance training model.
• VH1 Save The Music Foundation: National nonprofit restoring music education in schools; comparable as a major youth music access nonprofit competing for similar foundation and corporate funding pools.
• Music Will (formerly Little Kids Rock): National nonprofit providing free music instruction and instruments to under-resourced schools, serving a similar youth demographic and combining performance with workforce-adjacent music skills.
• CreateNow: Nonprofit using arts, music, and mentorship to empower system-involved and at-risk youth; comparable youth-focused creative arts nonprofit with workforce development components.
• The People's Music School: Chicago-based nonprofit offering tuition-free music education and ensemble performance to youth from low-income families; comparable all-grant-supported youth music education nonprofit model.
• Mr. Holland's Opus Foundation: Nonprofit donating instruments and supporting music programs in underfunded schools; comparable as a music education nonprofit serving youth access to the music industry.
• Berklee City Music: Berklee College of Music's nonprofit program providing music education to underserved youth; highly comparable mission, target demographic, and blended education/workforce-development model to Friends of Noise.

Broad incumbents

• Downtown Music at WNYC (New Sounds / Soundcheck): Major public radio outlet producing youth and artist-focused music programming; comparable as a youth radio partnership operator similar to FoN Presents on XRAY.fm, but at significantly larger scale.

Regional players

• 924 Gilman Street: Berkeley, CA all-ages volunteer-run punk venue and nonprofit; comparable as an all-ages, alcohol-free music venue model, though in a different geography and DIY subculture focus.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/friendsofnoise
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCVa7UmZ2UtiCSM6JrrKjh4Q
• Facebookfacebook.com/friendsofnoise
• Instagraminstagram.com/friendsofnoise
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/friends-of-noise

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Friends of Noise