The smell of weed hung in the air like a promise on the sweltering Saturday night at the Backyard as fans prepared their minds for the Doggfather, Snoop Dee-oh-double-Gee. Fresh off a run in with Dallas area police that resulted in the arrest of two passengers on his tour bus, Snoop Dogg performed with 311 and Fiction Plane as part of the Unity Tour 2008 at the Backyard. Taking the stage to the melodramatic strains of Verdi's "Requiem" with a T.O. jersey (blue, of course) and gripping a jewel encrusted mic, Snoop proceeded to bang out a set of classics including such party fav's as "Gin and Juice", "Nuthin' but a G Thang", and "Murder was the Case". With the disclaimer that he wasn't an R&B singer he also performed tracks off his latest album "Ego Trippin'", including the YouTube favorite "Sensual Seduction". ...

Huge show alert! The massively fun Everyone Knows Everyone 6 is steamrolling down the hot asphalt of the Red River district tomorrow, taking over both Club DeVille and Mohawk. Combining bands, DJs, film, art, and performances by all manner of culture warriors, EKE6 is an all-encompassing celebration of creative output unmatched in the summer scene....

Ladytron, touring behind their latest album Velocifero, brought a slightly new lineup to Stubb's on Friday night. The backing band may have changed a bit but they delivered the solid electronica-infused rock that has made them a critical darling. Datarock opened with a sweaty set of friendly Norwegian dance rock....

With all due respect, It's easy to get lost in the scuffed gloss of Austin's rather self-aware indie-rock scene. Take it from us, and we honestly love the damned thing, in all of its shabby hipster glory. We just sometimes need a change of pace to keep a healthy perspective on all the different pockets of music in this crazy burg. This evening, we encourage you, if you're so inclined, to join us for an evening of solid, unconventional artistry in a scene that is thriving and gaining Austin national recognition for something other than our hallowed go-to bands. ...

Photos by Eric Uhlir, Aasim Syed and Keith Gaddis. The Mohawk's summer of "secret" musical showcases continued on Friday night with a special performance by local heroes, Spoon. Fresh off the release of their critically lauded new album, Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga, the band took to the outdoor stage, tented against the threat of rain, ready to rock the capacity crowd.......