Music festival features more than 100 bands

Once again, the Neon Reverb music fest lights up Vegas this weekend with more than 100 bands playing at 10 venues all over town through Sunday. Here are but a few of the shows you don't want to miss:

■ They dub their sound "dream noise," all spine-tingling guitars and a concussive counterpoint of dissonance and melody. Athens, Ga.'s, Twin Tigers hail from a city with a rich musical pedigree, and they carry on that strong tradition with equally meditative and jarring jams that exist somewhere between a caress and cardiac arrest. See them at 7 p.m. today at the Aruba Showroom, 1215 Las Vegas Blvd. South. Tickets are $10; call 383-3100.

■ Merle Jagger's name spells it out for you pretty clearly: They're a mix of country and rock 'n' roll, connecting the dots between the two with blazin' instrumental barnburners that are hard to play and harder to sit still to. Honky-tonk is generally not known as the most progressive of genres, but this L.A. trio comes with loads of chops as they map the terrain between Jimi Hendrix and Roy Clark. Maybe if we're lucky, guitarist Mark Christian will set his banjo on fire. See Merle Jagger at 10 p.m. today at the Las Vegas Country Saloon, 425 Fremont St. Tickets are $5; call 382-3531.

■ There's no safe bets in this city, but a hangover is one of 'em if you brave this bill: Headliners The Maxies blast out heart palpitating pop punk, claim to be from Greenland and are fond of sharin' tales of huntin' whales and gettin' it on with manatees. Fellow costumed cut-ups The Mapes just may be Vegas' most debauched band with tongue-in-cheek rippers that only a guillotine could get out of your head. Yeah, Alka Seltzer is a good idea. The party starts at 9 p.m. today at Boomers, 3200 W. Sirius Ave. Tickets are $5; call 368-1863.

■ Rainbow Arabia's multi-culti electro is as brightly hued as its moniker suggests. Their pan-global sound spans bossa nova rhythms, African music influences, punk rock hellfire and a dozen other disparate touchstones. They're headlining Neon Reverb's primo dance party, which also features can't miss fest staples the Afghan Raiders, Pan de Sal, Kid Meets Cougar and L.A.'s Laco$te. Wear comfy shoes, this one will be an endurance test. The show starts at 9 p.m. Saturday at the Beauty Bar, 517 Fremont St. Tickets are $10; call 598-1965.

All-festival passes for Neon Reverb are $40; single day passes are $15.

Contact reporter Jason Bracelin at jbracelin@ reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0476.