The 5th annual Roots 'N Blues 'N BBQ Festival took over dowtown Columbia Friday and Saturday with sounds and smells that were as sweet as they were satisfying.

Sponsored in part by KDHX, St. Louis Bluesweek gave the city a chance to revisit its nationally-recognized blues roots. Closing out the epic week of blues was the Soulard Blues Cruise.

Last weekend was St. Louis' hottest two day indie music festival, Loufest. Loufest 2011 featured TV On The Radio, Deerhunter, Questlove, Cat Power, The Hold Steady, the Low Anthem, Lost in the Trees, Ume, and many more bands.

Sonny Landreth is performing at the Big Muddy Blues Festival on Sunday, September 4. As possibly the best slide guitar player in the world, Landreth has a long and storied career.

The second and final day of LouFest was headlined by TV on the Radio and featured performances by Ume, Das Racist, !!! and many more.

St. Louis' own Old Lights opened the second day of LouFest with class and passion. Their set was mostly attended by old fans and friends with a slow trickle of people coming in during the music.

Day one of LouFest in Forest Park featured headliner The Hold Steady and included everything from St. Louis local Troubadour Dali to a DJ set by Questlove of the Roots, Deerhunter and many more.

It was surreal to roll through Forest Park Saturday morning, past bikers and joggers, the quiet fountains, apartment buildings looming like mountains on either side of the park, and then, the sound of Troubadour Dali's "Ducks In A Row" coasting out from atop the central field.

Veteran St. Louis band Jumbling Towers stands out in the field of modern indie music with an eccentric brand of pop -- a dynamic collision of electronics, guitar hooks, startling vocals and beats.