The United States caught a serious case of Daft Punk fever this year, ignited no doubt by the band's first tour in ten years, in which the duo performed in robot gear atop a futuristic pyramid. The accompanying light show has taken the very idea of concert lighting to the next level. Last weekend, Daft Punk performed their final U.S. show with this set-up when they headlined the third annual Vegoose festival in Las Vegas. To commemorate the tour, a live album, 'Alive 2007,' will be released on November 20.

Knowing Daft Punk, it could be another decade before they tour again. And it won't be with the pyramid. But for now, their music has already shown up in everything from club remixes to the pop charts -- thanks, of course, to Kanye West, whose hit single 'Stronger,' lifts the entire chorus of "Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger."

"Kanye asked us to use the sample and we were excited by the song," Daft Punk's Thomas Bangalter tells Spinner. "We've always made music by sampling other people that we like or respect .. and we feel it's fair to give back, so things can come full circle."

Muse wasn't the only band at Vegoose to have their drummer dress up as Spiderman. Mastodon's Brann Dailor also donned a Spidey suit, while his bandmates decided to go with a ghoulish theme more suited for the band's dark version of grindcore sludge metal. "We came to please the wicked," bassist/vocalist Troy Sanders told the afternoon audience, before launching into the song 'Make it Burn.' Sanders frequently encouraged fans to take it up a notch by motioning and pointing upwards -- curiously towards heaven, not hell. The crowd responded enthusiastically, forming perhaps the most costumed mosh pit ever, as ninjas, superheroes and monsters mashed, mixing fake blood with the real deal.

In the Vegoose artist lounge afterwards, with his 'priest of the underworld' costume and make-up removed, Sanders tells Spinner that playing on a festival field in the hot desert sun is "like a haunted house matinee, which is bizarre." Honored to be a part of this year's Vegoose, Sanders says the willingness of the audience to be exposed to such an eclectic line-up is "pretty powerful, so that's why we came out. We tried to slay and conquer and punish -- and we prevailed."

Wu-Tang Clan's Ghostface Killah got things started on the second and final day of Vegoose with an odd set that confused many in the audience while also entertaining them. His backing band, the Rhythm Roots All-Stars, warmed things up for 20 minutes with an energetic set of world-beat and Latin-infused ass-shaking originals before Killah and his MC crew took to the stage to rap mostly about "pretty b-----s" and other indulgences. Killah displayed his shady side from the get-go, decked out in a thick purple hoodie and baggie jeans, effectively giving a great big middle finger to the oppressive midday desert heat. It was unbearably hot just watching him sweat it out.

This was Vegoose, a Halloween-themed festival with a giant evil pumpkin in the middle of the concert ground, so while Ghostface Killah dressed in ghetto gear, many in the crowd were dressed in ghostface, as killers, vampires, ghouls or gangsters. With little irony, Killah led the audience in a genuine shout-out for his fallen friend and Wu-Tang Clan mate, Ol' Dirty Bastard. Following a chant of "O.D.B.," Killah shouted, "R.I.P.!" It was perhaps just a little bit creepy but the nod to the dearly departed was entirely befitting of the Halloween vibe. We didn't see or hear of anybody dressing up like Ol' Dirty Bastard, per se, but we did run into a few that fit the description quite convincingly. And at least one of them was onstage.

British rockers Muse took to the Double Down Stage on the final evening of Vegoose with a slightly scaled-down version of the production they brought to Lollapalooza earlier this past summer. The difference is that whereas they were headliners at that festival, here they had the unenviable task of opening for Rage Against the Machine -- although clearly it was a position the band was honored to accept. Drummer Dominic Howard paused the mostly banter-less set to ask the audience, "Who's psyched to see Rage Against the Machine tonight? I am! We are! As much as all of you!" before tearing into the song 'Invincible.'

Muse was one of the bands at Vegoose who took advantage of the Halloween theme, launching giant balloons full of confetti into an audience filled with individuals wearing ghoulish make-up and groups of friends clad in matching outfits, ranging from cheerleading squads to celebrity impersonations. "Happy Halloween, Vegoose," said Howard, addressing the crowd. "I've seen some pretty good costumes out there." He came onstage dressed as Spiderman, while his two bandmates were dressed, convincingly, as themselves.

Rage Against the Machine closed out the third annual Vegoose on Sunday the only way they knew how -- by uniting the audience, regardless of age, race, religion or creed in a fist-pumping showdown of anthems and classics. During 'Bulls on Parade,' vocalist Zach de la Rocha told the crowd to "Check out my DJ!" He was referring to Tom Morello's uncanny ability to make his guitar sound like a turntablist scratching records.

It's true that Vegoose traditionally draws more of a hippie audience than the typical Rage crowd, but it's a demographic with similar world views and it was not uncommon to see dreadlocked kids in patchworks singing every line, from 'Bombtrack' to 'Killing in the Name.' And, in keeping with the Vegoose vibe, even the mosh pits were friendly.

"Thanks for making Flavor Flav the most watched person ever on reality TV," Flav told the audience during Public Enemy's much-hyped show on the opening day of this year's Vegoose. Flav did his thing, dancing around the stage like MC Hammer on crack, taking up the drum kit for a solo, and working the crowd from every angle. But the set had more flavor than just Flav, with Chuck D. leading the collective through 20 years of greatest hits. The group plugged their new album, a recent late-night talk show appearance and their MySpace page, also leading the audience through a well-received call-and-response of "F--- George Bush!" Public Enemy repeated their anti-administration, anti-war message throughout the set -- to an audience that largely felt the same way -- but it was renditions of songs like '911 Is a Joke,' 'Welcome to the Terrordome,' and of course, 'Fight the Power,' that provided some of the most energizing moments of the entire weekend.

Taking photographs with fans backstage after the performance, Flav's permanent Halloween costume, the large clock he wears as a necklace, appeared to be about 90 minutes slow. No worries -- considering Public Enemy's backstage professionalism and promptness, we're pretty sure he's not using it as a timepiece.

Two years ago, when the Shins performed at the inaugural Vegoose, they dressed up for the Halloween-themed festival as nuns. Enjoying an ice-cream in the artist lounge, hours before their set, drummer Jesse Sandoval tells Spinner that he noticed "a lot of people in the audience dressed up as nuns this year." He wouldn't ruin the surprise as to what new costume the Shins had in store, but now that the show is over, we kinda wish he did -- the band's matching black gowns with checkerboard patches, facepaint, and odd headgear confused most in the audience.

The going theory was that it somehow related to characters from 'Alice and Wonderland' but we're pretty sure it's a more obscure reference than that. Even conversations on the side of the stage had people scratching their heads and shrugging. No matter, the Shins played one of the best sets of the weekend, performing rearranged versions of some of their hits, as well as a cover of Pink Floyd's 'Breathe.' Seeing the Shins live is almost too painful of an experience, because every song reminds you of the toughest moments in your last, failed relationship -- but seeing them perform in weird, confusing Halloween costumes certainly helps. Especially when they forego their usual witty stage banter between songs like 'Girl Sailor' and 'Kissing the Lipless' for costume-related glossolalia.