The Rolling Stone Showcase at Palm Door

What this event lacked in schwag – no free beer? – it more than made up for with a six-hour night of music from the best new bands in the land. New Jersey’s Titus Andronicus came on like a mixture of the Pogues and the Clash while doing a set of Civil War inspired songs from their excellent new CD The Monitor. With lots of cowbell and inane lyrics like “Bang, bang/ Pop, pop/ Where does the moment stop?,” Philadelphia’s Free Energy proved they could still breathe new breath into rock’s clichés. Rhode Island roots rockers Deer Tick began their set with covers of ZZ Top’s “Cheap Sunglasses” and Chuck Berry’s “Maybelline” before closing with a beer drenched version of John Cougar Mellencamp’s “Authority Song.”

Brooklyn Vegan Free Day Party at Emo’s

The New York City based blog gave away vodka and Magic Hat beer inside a collection of ramshackle buildings that resembled a compound on Big Sur’s South Coast. Music discoveries included the Canadian trio Rural Alberta Advantage with explosive drummer Paul Banwatt and the call-and-response-laden rock of the Japandroids.

Mess with Texas 4 at a vacant lot on East Sixth Street

Sprouting up like a weed in a neglected section of East Austin, Mess with Texas delivered two days of free music by a wide rang of acts including folkies Frightened Rabbit, DJ Spooky and new alt rockers Crystal Antlers. Saturday afternoon’s lineup culminated with pummeling sets from Canadian punk rockers Fucked Up, party starter Andrew W.K. and costumed shock rockers GWAR.