Gliding over to a picnic table at Los Angeles' lush Temescal Park, singer-songwriter Lenka Kripac cuts a striking figure with her flowing raven tresses and flouncy purple frock. Like a boho Snow White, she marvels at the woodland creatures frolicking around her. "Ooh, look," she coos, dimples flashing, pointing out yet another critter. "A tiny white spider is joining us!"

The members of Ra Ra Riot are close, but only to a point. "With girls in the band, booger placement is an issue," says bassist Mathieu Santos, 23. "You have to be more secretive." Cellist Alexandra Lawn, 23, isn't buying it: "It seems like you're more open about it."

Tom Clarke is bleeding, but he couldn't be happier. The Enemy UK's frontman mangled his hand on his guitar at the band's first-ever American show, a mid-afternoon slot on a sweltering side stage at Lollapalooza in August. A few hundred watched and a few dozen pogoed -- decidedly fewer than the thousands the Enemy UK draw at home -- but Clarke considers it a triumph.

As Monotonix tear through their bare-bones, Thin Lizzy riff-rock at a disused Milwaukee warehouse -- a basement show in every way, except that it’s on the first floor -- I’m afraid my pants are going to catch fire.

Lykke Li had a good South by Southwest. Mostly. The 22-year-old Swede (whose name is pronounced "Luke-ee Lee") played 11 shows in three days before "literally falling offstage and going eurrrrgh," she says, evoking the ailing larynx that made her cancel a 12th gig at the festival.