After a dreary weekend in St. Louis, Charles Bradley arrived with a surplus of soulshine Sunday night at the Old Rock House.

Seeing a lone bird soaring overhead on a gloomy day may cause sentimental thoughts regarding the glory of owning wings to sink slowly into the pavement. Similarly, a sense of defeatism battling thoughts of grandeur shines through the music of the Raveonettes.

The towering glass double doors at Plush which separate the music venue from the restaurant offered an entrance to a time machine. Everything appeared to be normal, but as the canned sounds of classic R&B and rock 'n' roll poured from the speakers above, a gradual, hypnotic wash began to fall over all within earshot.

Heavy drumbeats pulsated from the outside walls of Plush as early-bird fans filled the restaurant lobby. Standing beneath a chandelier of transparent leaves glowing pink and purple, they glimpsed the final moments of Yellow Ostrich's soundcheck.

Down the stairs and past the bar, a screen on the Duck Room stage displayed a jerky psychedelic image resembling a collage of contorted faces.

St. Louis music fans of all stripes gathered at the City Museum for Midwest Mayhem on Thursday evening to celebrate with the city's independent radio station, 88.1 KDHX.

The Head and the Heart brought an abundance of sing-along sunshine from Seattle to St. Louis on Sunday night at the Pageant. Joyful attendees stomped, clapped and swayed along to the sweet folk-rock and harmonies offered throughout the evening.

Under the increasingly-crowded shade tree of a small hill, the 80-degree weather and cool breeze perfectly matched the sounds drifting from the side speakers. Such was the scene of my introduction to Railroad Earth four years ago.

Walking in, slightly damp, to the smooth swaying sounds of Pat Jordache, the constantly expanding crowd at Off Broadway was welcomed in oddly lazy anticipation. The Morrissey-esque vocals and '80s indie synthesizer laid a near perfect foundation for tUnE-YarDs. Perfect, like the site of the Manhattan Project.

The pre-show rock tunes were pulsing from the ceiling speakers. The sparse crowd sat mingling among the booths at the Firebird and barely noticed as Mauro Remiddi, the lone member of opening act Porcelain Raft, meandered to his microphone.