Smoke hung think in the air at the Capitol Hill Block Party last weekend as hipsters and bohemians congregated in the streets to celebrate Northwest and national independent music.

“Capitol Hill is one of the cultural centers of the city,” said Nico Janssen, lead singer and guitarist in the band New Faces, who played at this year’s event. “It’s an oasis for a lot of West Coast bands. You meet a lot of people from all walks of life. It’s a cool community.”

Perhaps it had something to do with the smoke and the beer, but people were very relaxed and seemed to enjoy the balmy summer weather and free attitude of the streets, sifting through booths selling a variety of indie merchandise ­— from beaded bracelets to Vans and leather skirts.

“It’s really welcoming and diverse,” said attendee Jakob Knudson, a Canadian student relaxing with friends in the shade of a booth. Knudson made a visit to the United States exclusively for the occasion. “We all just graduated, so we decided to go on a road trip. A lot of good bands are with The Vera Project.”

The Vera Project, a Seattle-based, all-ages music venue, furnished a small stage on 12th Avenue to host lesser-known bands. Neumos hosted a 21-and-over stage with alcohol for older attendees, who swarmed en masse around the tiny stage. The main stage at the event featured headliners the Jesus Lizard and Sonic Youth.

New Faces played on the Vera Stage Saturday evening. Despite their name and the fact that, like Knudson and much of their audience, they are fresh out of high school, they have a very mature and often nostalgic Brit-pop sound. Janssen’s rich, melodic vocals are complemented by the upbeat twang of the electric guitar and bass.

Deerhunter seemed to be Friday’s main attraction, but people were mostly there for the spectacle of the independent music scene in general.

On Saturday, the vast majority of attendees came to see the headliner, Sonic Youth, though the occasional fan of rising UW rapper SOL could be spotted in baggy black pants and a tilted cap.

Two alternative bands, The Thermals and Gossip, opened for Sonic Youth. With only three band members, The Thermals managed to belt out rhythms that approached the intensity of song-writing mastermind Ben Gibbard of Death Cab for Cutie. Thoughtful and sometimes biblical themes make their way into The Thermals’ music, as in their song, “A Pillar of Salt,” yet the band also employs lyrics like, “We are born to sin,” so the intent of their messages is open to interpretation.

Beth Ditto, the lead singer of Gossip, is an outspoken, bubbly singer whose exploits — on stage and off — allow the band to live up to its name. Unashamed of the fact that an audience booed the band off the stage in a past opening act for Sonic Youth, she insisted that this was the moment for “What’s that word? Redemption!” Indeed, the way she belted out harmonies and owned the stage made for a truly remarkable scene.

However, the performance did not begin to compare to that of Sonic Youth, whose stage presence resonated with the audience.

The band took the stage amid cheers after some light rain. They immediately commanded the attention of the crowd with their energy and enthusiasm. After the first song, the sizable crowd, stretching from 10th Avenue to 12th Avenue, loudly wished a happy birthday to guitarist Thurston Moore.

“The energy was incredible,” said UW junior Austin Nauert, “especially since they have been around for something like 28 years as a band making music, and they still play with more energy than just about any young band playing today.”

The dynamic performance reached an electrifying pitch as the band thrashed their guitars at the end of the show and Moore battered his guitar in a celebratory gesture.

“Thurston Moore put his guitar on top of the floor monitor and then stood on top of it and started stomping on it,” Nauert said. “He did this right in front of me, and I was only three people back from the front row. It was an awesome way to end the show.”

This year’s Capitol Hill Block Party was sensational in its ability to integrate the old and the new, the local and the international. As fans of emerging artist SOL mingled with Sonic Youth die-hards, an atmosphere was created that can only be described as fiercely independent.

Reach reporter Sara Grimes at arts@dailyuw.com.