Ellington

The delirium is setting in. Even after fortifying with fried avocado tacos, coffee, and vitamin water, I'm not sure if I'm ready to go back. Yesterday was a frenetic combination of marathon walking, free beer, multiple bands and multiple venues.

I started out at club de ville on Red River, where after a long wait, I saw The Thermals, a fun Irish punk rock band. Unfortunately the music at the venue next door was quite loud, and drowned out most of the bands at de ville. So we hung out and had a couple of free beers before ending up at Habana Calle where J Mascis (of Dinosaur Jr.) played with Earthless.

The long-haired Mascis rocked unassumingly with the progressive metal styles of the band, and the crowd of 30-somethings banged their head in praise of the impressive musicianship exhibited onstage. I got a little lost without vocals in this thorny,amorphous music, but occasionally perked up for some bafflingly complex guitar solos.

After they finished, we headed to the Levis and Fader (Magazine) fort on the East Side. The sprawling "fort" overtook the back lot of what we guessed was either an abandoned warehouse or some type of art space. Whatever the case, they made great use of the space, even selling jeans and iconic band t-shirts along with the free drinks. Unfortunately the music didn't match the venue. It didn't take much of Peter Bjorn and John's set before I grew annoyed Peter Moren's nasal voice, strange ascot like handkerchief, and affected expressions and went home are a little too nauseating for me, so I headed home for dinner.

I ended up at a new venue called the Radio Room on 6th street last night where I got to see several good bands. School of Seven Bells pairs sisters Alejandra and Claudia Deheza with former Secret Machines guitarist Benjamin Curtis, for light and futuristic dream pop. Despite their subdued aesthetic, the band was quite good, with the blue lights hitting the girls' pale faces the band seemed almost iridiscent. Their most recent album, "Alpinisms" is a grower and definitely worth checking out.

After they finished, I headed inside where Saddle Creek was having a showcase and was pleasantly surprised by an unfamiliar band. O+S has a lot in common with early Portishead, and their two female singers enchanted with gorgeous harmonies. But someone should tell their bassist that he's not in a funk band, and his enthusiastic dancing is distracting. My evening ended with a surprisingly tight set full of moody, angular rock from Omaha, Nebraska band Cursive.

I'm currently considering a nap and another cup of coffee before heading to the behemoth nine-hour Mess with Texas party at Waterloo Park, where Abe Vigoda, Crystal Antlers, Black Lips, and countless others will perform.