Deerhunter, the Hold Steady and Yelle Make Austin Shake at Fun Fun Fun Fest

The best thing about Austin's Fun Fun Fun Festival is its diversity. On the final night of the fifth annual event, the shoegaze of Deerhunter was followed by hardcore act Suicidal Tendencies, the barroom energy of the Hold Steady, the Euro dance beat of Yelle, the prog metal of Mastodon and the punk of the Descendents -- not exactly your Billboard Top 20.

It's easy to understand the indie world's obsession with Deerhunter frontman Bradford Cox. Right before their evening set at the fifth annual F3F, Cox was having problems during sound check. 'F--- it. Let's just do it,' he said despite still hearing some ringing from his monitor. The band started things of with the saturated and spacey jams of 'Wash Off,' and with each song it felt like Deerhunter was taking you deeper into an abyss of echoes and reverb. The band picked it up a notch with 'Memory Boy' and the shimmery guitar work on 'Rainwater Cassette Exchange.'

"This song is about the exact same thing as the last," Hold Steady frontman Craig Finn announced to the crowd after Deerhunter's set just as they were between the back-to-back 'Boys and Girls in America' tracks 'Southtown Girls' and 'You Can Make Him Like You.' Finn put on his usual enigmatic show, stretching out his arms and pointing into the audience with each lyric. The Brooklyn-based band took punk to a power anthem level, especially on songs like 'The Swish.' Finn's traditional song-speak felt more like a conversation with the audience during songs like 'Rock Problems' and 'Hurricane J' off the band's new album 'Heaven Is Whenever.'

"This is a song about a boy and a girl and a horse," Finn told the crowd before the old favorite 'Chips Ahoy,' where the crowd joined in on the refrain. Among the manic stage presence and heavy guitar sounds of Hold Steady's set, the band also managed to play their more radio-friendly tunes such as 'Sequestered in Memphis' and 'Stuck Between Stations.'

Nearby on the more intimate Blue Stage, Yelle moved to the beat of her music with sexy cheerleader spunk. Dressed in rainbow sequin leggings, it was impossible to see her face as she constantly whipped around her bob. Her music felt like a kinder, sweeter version of an M.I.A. song with French lyrics. Backed by a DJ and live drummer, the band build their music to this liftoff moment where there is nothing left to do but completely join in on the fun.

"Are you ready to shake the festival?" she asked the crowd in her French accent before the last song. Considering Yelle had put the Fun Fun Fun Fest on verge of registering on the Richter Scale, it seemed like a silly question.