The best superlatives from this year’s Norman Music Festival

Best group of J. Crew models moonlighting as an indie-rock band: Moongiant

There’s no getting around it: There was a whole lot of handsome on the stage when the impeccably coifed, well-dressed buds behind Moongiant stepped out from behind the curtains at Sooner Theatre, a trend that continued all through the night with a stacked lineup that included Horse Thief, Pageantry, Idabel and Aaron Pierce. But what was even more beautiful was the layered, composed indie folk that the Oklahoma City four-piece has been perfecting since last year’s festival appearance. With a small string section tucked to the side, the band slung out the soaring harmonies that elevated 2014’s Territories, owning the large room and looking good doing it. — JB

Best/safest alternative to Four Loko: Bungalouski

The guys of Bungalouski are no strangers to Norman’s most exciting weekend. This year, despite a stage far bigger than they’ve traditionally played on at the festival, Gray Street still had trouble containing these glittering maestros. An orgy of jazz, funk and classic rock fornicated itself into a blender, yielding a concoction too compelling to not indulge in at least once. Bungalouski’s infamous jam sessions make for a unique experience with each outing, but it was the group’s cover of Hot Chocolate’s “You Sexy Thing” that stood out most, as we all pondered the elasticity of Michael Stafford’s vocal cords. We may not all believe in miracles, but we definitely believe in the gospel of Bungalouski. — DB

Most adorable electronic duo that will still pummel you with their beats: PVLMS

PVLMS’ Frank Stevens and Lexi Sacco are two of Oklahoma’s most dazzling young producers, a boyfriend-girlfriend duo capable of dropping some of the most infectiously sinister, hook-driven dance music around. We’ve been pimping their music for some time now, and expected as much from their performance at the Bacardi Stage. But what wasn’t expected was how infectious they were, hopping and bobbing along in unison in the weekend’s grittiest, most bass-heavy calf workout. Stevens and Sacco had as much fun as anyone, embodying the notion that once the Safari Collective stalwarts start playing to larger crowds — a certain inevitability — their reputation for palm-sweating performances will become equally contagious. — ZH

Best early climax: Sex Snobs

We had a feeling that Sex Snobs might do something special with their Thursday night slot at Opolis. They did that and more with a savagely efficient, skull-crushingly loud set of songs old and new, reframing themselves from an itchy, hardcore-leaning DIY punk crew to a confident, still-bristled rock band anyone with a taste for destruction could get behind. At one point, the band grinded to a total silent halt for a solid 15 seconds. Frontman Alex Barnard took a steady chug of his beer, eventually propelling back into the Mad Max desert-blistered post-punk anarchy like nothing happened, even though everything did in that small moment. — JB

Best use of an instrument no one completely understood: Quilted Cherry Podium

Like the monolith of Kubrick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey, an encounter with Hunter Roth’s hand-crafted device leaves nothing but revelations (and maybe a bit of encouragement to get tipsy). But it may not be necessary to fully grasp the mechanics of Roth’s podium, and no amount of Terry Gilliam screenplays could encapsulate the absurdities and truths embedded within Quilted Cherry Podium’s music. His performance at Opolis’ outdoor stage never seemed to truly cease, as moments of his strange tunes trailed long after the venues had retired, though the curse of the Quilted Cherry Podium is nothing to fear. — DB

Best performance in a less than ideal venue: Rachel Brashear

It seems to happen every year at every festival: Sometimes the venue and artists just don’t match. Ideally, Rachel Brashear’s elegant, piano-laden ballads would be absorbed in a dimly lit lounge with low ceilings and attentive listeners. That, or somewhere near the Main Stage. Yet while her Friday night performance at The Brewhouse brought its fair share of fandom, the busy sports-bar setting seemed like an odd fit. Regardless, Brashear churned out a top-notch performance atop the clanging beer bottles and chatty attendees, with local singer-songwriter Chase Kerby lending his backing guitar and vocals on a few songs. It was a forceful collection of round-peg tunes — one that rewarded those who know songwriting talent when they see or hear it. — ZH