With each of their respective discographies, Brand New and Thrice have constantly reinvented their sound and pushed musical boundaries. This has led them to become two of the most respected bands in today’s music.

Last weekend, they each brought their dynamic live show for a three-night stand at the Wiltern and, with help from indie rock guru MeWithoutYou, put on arguably the best concert seen this year.

MeWithoutYou’s unique sound, which often consists of more speaking than singing from lead singer Aaron Weiss, translated remarkably in the live setting. The songs, about half of which were from last year’s Brother, Sister, often blended into one another, feeling like a series of separate movements in an epic composition.

The band’s high level of energy amid fine musicianship was clear from watching Weiss and his unpredictable behavior, which ranged from wildly running around the stage to playing an assortment of instruments, including tambourine, maracas, accordion and acoustic guitar.

Orange County’s Thrice was simply flawless. Playing for about an hour, they showcased a nice mixture of old and new material, including five songs off of last month’s The Alchemy Index. The new songs sounded fantastic, from the blazing “Firebreather” and “Burn the Fleet” to the airy electronics of “Digital Sea” and “Open Water.”

Former Biola student Dustin Kensrue’s voice was spot on, and the entire band never missed a beat, showing off their exceptional skill as musicians. Fan favorites “Deadbolt,” “Stare at the Sun” and “The Artist in the Ambulance” were all precisely executed, with other standouts being “Silhouette,” “Red Sky” and “The Earth Will Shake.” The latter was the perfect song to end with, and the way they were able to build up to an intense finale was a sight to see.

Closing it out was Brand New, who, on the first night, played 2006’s The Devil and God Are Raging Inside Me in entirety and then only three older songs. For the second night, they played everything off of Devil minus “Welcome to Bangkok,” as well as several older songs, including “Sic Transit Gloria … Glory Fades,” “Demo 1” and “Play Crack the Sky,” which made night two a definite step up from night one, as the band sounded tighter with an improved set list. Lead singer Jesse Lacey was more talkative, and his vocals were especially strong, from his delicate whispers to his raw screams.

Highlights included “You Won’t Know” and “Limousine,” along with “Jesus Christ” and a moment when Lacey brought out his acoustic guitar for a solo performance of “Demo 1,” segueing into “Play Crack the Sky.” The band also chose to encore with “Untitled,” an unusual decision, but one which paid dividends.

Guitarist Vinnie Accardi first came out and played a few riffs, looping them over one another, and then Lacey came out, adding a few more. This produced a cacophony of tones until eventually the whole band joined in, culminating in a raucous jam session. It was unlike anything I had seen before, and a potent display of the avant-garde nature of the band.

In the face of the vapid landscape of the mainstream music industry, MeWithoutYou, Thrice and Brand New prove that if you venture below the surface, not everything is a barren wasteland.