Pretty Little Empire and Scarlet Tanager gave a raucous crowd at Off Broadway plenty to celebrate on Saturday night.

When you dig beneath the shimmering textures and ethereal vocals of Sweden's I Break Horses you will discover that the duo of Maria Lindén and Fredrik Balck make soundscapes of depth and substance.

Taking place in an empty 2720, a club which normally hosts a slew of reggae and hip hop shows, Union Tree Review's "Excavate" became one of Show Me Show's most thrilling performances.

R.E.M.'s most well-known songs ("Losing My Religion," "Everybody Hurts," "The One I Love," etc.) aren't necessarily the tunes fans gravitate toward. That's not to say the late, great Athens band's hits are bad -- or that their loyalists are snobby.

Omaha-based indie-rock band Cursive came through St. Louis on Friday night and put on a high energy show at Off Broadway.

Cleveland based art rockers, mr. Gnome, came to St Louis and turned up the energy at Plush on Wednesday night.

Even with the transplant status of several band members and a few stints living abroad, the Head and the Heart have put down deep Seattle roots.

There's something in the music of Seattle's the Head and the Heart that brings on a wash of nostalgia and emotion: sepia-toned memories of rivers and fields, lilting three-part harmonies and saloon piano chords.

Ben Kweller rocked Off Broadway Friday night with openers the Dig and Sleeper Agent.

Ben Kweller and a rocking backing band kept a Friday night show at Off Broadway lighthearted and full of pop hooks.