The third annual LA Weekly Detour Festival has come and gone. In between scoring free swag, frequent trips to Spencer Makenzie’s Fish Co for some fish tacos, and dodging the transsexual pirate and his/her girlfriend Lil Bo Peep, I did mange to take in a few sets. How can a mere 700 words encapsulate over thirty bands and DJs on three stages in eleven hours of alternative/indie Zen? Here's some highlights and photos from Detour Fest:

After touring the US for three weeks, Noah and the Whale opened up stage three to a fairly large crowd…considering. The stage wasn’t surrounded and I don’t think that surprised anyone. After all, Noah and the Whale were the first group of the day and only the truly committed were present. But as their set continued I noticed more and more stragglers ensnared by sunshine anthems and British charm. Their eclectic group of instruments (ukuleles, violins and assorted horns combined with an instrument that I can only describe as an accordion bolted to a table) joined into a melody rarely heard on this side of the pond.

After climbing many steps and pushing my way through onlookers I caught a glimpse of the DJ booth and AC Means. They, too, suffered from an early set and had difficulty warming up the crowd. When the female half of AC Means, Meghan, had a “costume malfunction,” that all changed. A little skin went a looong way and made the performance memorable for all those present.

Datarock didn’t need a nip-slip to make an impression on their audience. Approaching stage two I was immediately accosted by this Norwegian group’s uncanny ability to rhyme with the word! Penis. These feral Beastie Boys were worth the price of admission alone. Hell, they even led their fans through a jazzercise routine during a chorus. Kick ass music and calisthenics, what more could you ask for?

Mars Volta was a name I couldn’t help but overhear. I understand they were headlining the event but come on people! Everywhere I went; from the port-a-potty to the food vendors and beer garden, the anticipation was evident. I wasn’t sure what to expect. I tried not to listen as the devoted ranted and raved. I didn’t want to build my anticipation to the point of no return. In the end, my let down had nothing to do with their performance.

In the beginning of the show Mars Volta (or their management) decided that only a select few would be allowed in the photo pit at the foot of the stage. Maybe it’s because I work with photographers and in my off time think of myself as an amateur photog or maybe it just stank of arrogance. Either way, I couldn’t help but feel a little jaded after that. A photographer who asked to remain nameless stated, “Where do they think they are? IT’S A FESTIVAL, NOT THE F****ING STAPLES CENTER!” Nevertheless, Mars Volta was loud and energetic and earned their primetime spot on stage one.

I was facing a long train ride home and didn’t want to quietly sit through it after seeing the raucous Mars Volta performance. So, I wandered over to stage two. Have you ever sat in traffic and wondered, “What would it be like if every person in the surrounding cars were listening to the same song and just burst out in erratic dance?” Apparently KOSS has wondered the same and put together a little experiment called Silent Disco. A DJ armed with state-of-the-art KOSS wireless headphones turned stage two into a surreal and oddly entertaining spectacle. The giant sound system that shook the windows of City Hall was given a rest. Instead, the DJ’s efforts were transmitted directly to headphones. To an outsider (those of us unlucky enough to miss the headphone raffle), the only sounds to be heard were creaking leather, clapping hands and the occasional grunt. I couldn’t think of a better way to end the evening. Except maybe going home with Bitter: Sweet's Shana Halligan.

Want more? Check out the photos from Detour Fest