PICA's 15TH BIRTHDAY: DEELAY CEELAY, SKELETRON, DJ BEYONDA (Holocene, 1001 SE Morrison) ART BASH—The institution that brings you the Time-Based Art Festival is turning 15. Stop by PICA's birthday bash for music from Deelay Ceelay, Skeletron, and DJ Beyonda, as well as treats by Saint Cupcake, tacos, Mexican snow cones, and piÑatas! SK

MONOTONIX, SIGNALS, ASTROLOGY (East End, 203 SE Grand) I'll admit it: I drank the Monotonix Kool-Aid. Their sloppy punk/garage rock fails to move me via compact disc, but have you seen them live? They light their drum set on fire! They strip down to metallic neon skivvies and prance around in all their hairy-chested, gold-chained glory. And they almost always take shows out of the venue and onto the street, luring the dancing, dropped-jaw audience members behind them like pied pipers. But after seeing it a few times, it's obvious that it isn't spontaneous at all. Show after show, there the singer goes, climbing on top of the floor tom to be carried around the room. Oh look, someone just dumped a trashcan over someone else's head in the middle of a song. Again. Now that we've all seen their schtick, Monotonix need to either start writing songs that can stand up on their own or graduate to the next level of textbook shock treatments: feces, blood, animal sacrifice. MEGAN SELING

THERE GOES THE NEIGHBORHOOD: CARCRASHLANDER, THE TWISTELLETTES, LEE COREY OSWALD, A SEASON OF TANAGERS, FATHERS & SONS (Alberta Rose Theatre, 3000 NE Alberta) If you haven't been to the newly re-opened Alberta Rose Theatre, tonight would be a good night to check it out. Open to the public for the first time in over two decades, the venue will present intimate seated shows from touring acts as well as bands from the neighborhood, including the local strains of thoughtful rockers Carcrashlander. Leading man Cory Gray, who recently returned from a tour of Europe backing Laura Gibson, promises a new album is almost ready, and gives us the lovely preview track—"Point Arena," a dreamy waltz of swirling organs and brass, where Gray's near-whispered vocals beautifully entangle with those of local singer/songwriter Shelley Short—to hold us off until then. MARANDA BISH

Portland Cello Project, Atriarch, On the Stairs and American Aquarium after the jump!

PORTLAND CELLO PROJECT DANCE PARTY (Doug Fir, 830 E Burnside) WELL, CELLO—Hot on the heels of Thursday's more dignified (and no doubt jaw-dropping) release show for Portland Cello Project's Thousand Words at the Old Church, PCP throws down one of their infamous dance parties (think covers of Prince, Madonna, George Michael) with special guest vocalists and lots of show-stopping moments. MS

DAY OF HEL FEST: BROTHERS OF THE SONIC CLOTH, SUBARACHNOID SPACE, ATRIARCH, GALDR (Berbati's Pan, 10 SW 3rd) In Norse mythology, July 10 is traditionally set aside to observe the Goddess of the underworld, Hel, and what better way to pay homage than with a two-day music festival featuring sonically devastating, pagan-inspired metal bands? One of the highlights of Hel Fest is Seattle's Brothers of the Sonic Cloth, which features Tad Doyle, whose former band Tad is considered to be one of the first, and heaviest (in both sound and girth), grunge bands ever. With Brothers, Doyle has hung up his flannel in exchange for massive, emotional doom akin to Yob. Tonight's festivities also include Portland's Atriarch. Upon hearing Atriarch's crawling doom set, Hel herself might be interested in piping their music into the dark tunnels of her underworld. ARIS WALES

ON THE STAIRS, DAVE MCGRAW AND CROW WING, AL JAMER, MERIDIAN (Mississippi Studios, 3939 N Mississippi) Nate Clark, formerly of Les Flaneurs, has made a remarkable transition to his new ensemble On the Stairs, creating unforgettable folk-rock melodies that really are quite as wonderful as anything you'd care to compare them to: Damien Jurado, Califone, Paul Simon, the less fanciful moments of Lambchop, the darker corners of Calexico. He's heading an impressive bill that also features the great Al James, who gets my vote—split with Jon Neufeld, James' bandmate in Dolorean—for Best Sideman of the Year, after backing Bob Desper at his remarkable, life-affirming show at the Woods a few weeks back. Desper, returning to the stage after literally decades out of the limelight and after losing his ability to play guitar, led James and Neufeld through a set of new, never-heard songs, making for an absolutely unforgettable night of live music. James isn't playing with Desper tonight, but there's little doubt that James can hold an equal command—and transmit similar good vibrations—with his own tunes. NL

KASEY ANDERSON, QUIET LIFE, AMERICAN AQUARIUM (Ella Street Social Club, 714 SW 20th Pl) I'm guessing Raleigh, North Carolina's American Aquarium takes their name from "I Am Trying to Break Your Heart" from Wilco's experimental masterpiece Yankee Hotel Foxtrot. This American Aquarium plays it a little more straight, lobbing revved-up honky-tonk tunes that sound like they were peeled from some long-lost Bloodshot Records comp. These are fast songs about fast women and hard living, and "Ain't Going to the Bar Tonight" and "Clark Avenue" rival anything the Drive-By Truckers have done in the post-Isbell years. And if you think these songs are fun on wax, I can only imagine what this band will do to a crowded bar. Don't forget to wear your drinking shoes. MARK LORE