Fresh Espresso, Truckasauras, Head Like a Kite

(Neumos) Here we have a very different kind of show—three fine local bands taking the stage together for a tripartite experiment in collaboration. Part one: a round-robin of short sets from each act. Part two: members of each band sit in on each others' songs—P Smoov (of Fresh Espresso) adds vocoder to Head Like a Kite's electro rock, Truckasauras provide analog instrumentation for Fresh Espresso's raps, etc. Part three: everyone onstage all at once for some epic jams. Part four, according to HLAK drummer and Stranger contributor Trent Moorman: "We fill Neumos with three feet of warm mud, blindfold everyone, and play 'Mr. Vodka Shot's Wild Hide-and-Go-Find-the-Bowling-Trophy.'" ERIC GRANDY

See also: My Philosophy

Drumcell, J. Phlip, Recess, Menami, Jen Woolfe, Robb Green, Levi Clark, Adlib

(Chop Suey) As founder of Droid Recordings and cofounder of Droid Behavior, Drumcell (Moe Espinoza) ranks among L.A.'s most important figures in underground electronic music. He keeps it surreal on the decks with that strangely textured minimal techno (still it lives!) that manages to stay hypnotic and danceable even as myriad weirdnesses flit in from all angles. Representing San Francisco, J. Phlip (Jessica Phillippe) records for Claude VonStroke's esteemed Dirtybird label. She maintains its inclinations for quirky dance music that wobbles and bleeps in the hazy zone between house and techno, displaying a keen ear for hearty shockers and party rockers. DAVE SEGAL

The Cumulus Music Festival: This Blinding Light, Elders, AristeiA, the Ever Changing Sky

(Funhouse) The Luna Moth's Levi Fuller started Cumulus last year to showcase Northwest bands that are probing musical strategies beyond rock's song-based conventions. Tonight's bill—featuring his group along with Joy Wants Eternity, Scriptures, and Paintings for Animals—is the first of a three-night festival at Mars Bar and Funhouse. Expect a cornucopia of exploratory, evocatively textured excursions into rock's farthest-flung regions from 12 challenging acts. Prepare to go deep. DAVE SEGAL

Pity Party

(The Pussy Room/Copper Gate) The Pussy Room is a tiny red room that seats around 20 people. It has a Hammond organ, aerial rigging, a stripper pole, and a full bathroom and open shower with no door. For a few nights this week, former members of Circus Contraption—Sari Breznau and Lara Lee Rasberry—will host Pity Party: a reverse—St. Valentine's Day show for singles only. The ladies promise aerial routines, drinking games, singing in the shower, kvetching, some dancing (tap and pole), shadow puppetry, and maybe even a group hug. BRENDAN KILEY

P.O.S., Grieves, Budo, Dessa

(Nectar) Big ol' fat, greasy shout to Ben "Grieves" Laub, the Chicago-born, Colorado-bred, Seattle-schooled MC/producer who recently inked a deal with the independent-rap superlabel Rhymesayers Entertainment. It's a great fit, as Grieves possesses a similar strain of heartache and humor as RSE's bread-and-butter MC/cofounder Sean "Slug" Daley of Atmosphere. But Grieves's producer Budo differs from Atmosphere's Ant; Budo's a Seattle-born, generally sample-free multi-instrumentalist equally slick with the keys, trumpet, and guitar. Their 2008 release, 88 Keys & Counting, is going to be reissued by RSE in March, and having seemingly been on the road steadily for three years, they know how to turn the party out and hang it to dry. Here's a tip: Request Grieves's smooth take on Westside Connection's "Bow Down." LARRY MIZELL JR.

The Presidents of the United States of America, Black Daisy, People Eating People, DJ Self-Administered Beatdown

(Showbox at the Market) People Eating People is the new solo project (with a little help from her friends) of Mon Frere keyboardist/singer Nouela Johnston. Mon Frere, a keys-guitar-drums trio, attempted to wed Johnston's skillful, sultry singing and jazzy piano chops to more rocking impulses, with mixed results. People Eating People finds Johnston playing her jazz, soul, and R&B influences relatively straight, though tinted with some seductively dark moods, and the results are revelatory. The simple arrangements of People Eating People's self-titled debut put Johnston's powerful, emotive voice—seriously, the vocal runs on "Straight Lines" give chills—and adroit piano playing out front, with just a little drum kit backing her up, and the songs are easily the best she's yet written. Expect to hear a lot from this act in the year to come. ERIC GRANDY

Grandmaster Flash, ADHDJ, the Dowlz, Mixed Up Mike, Darrius, Sasse

(Heaven) Flash is one of those iconic hiphop figures who can legitimately coast on his rep. Even if this turntablist pioneer's act now contains few surprises and innovations, you should experience it at least once: How often do you get the chance to receive a hiphop history lesson from a legend? The last time I witnessed Flash perform, he was annoyingly didactic about the records he played and the tricks he executed. The party was not so much rocked as it was explicated ad nauseam. But, shit, it's Grandmaster Flash; it's worth enduring yet another spin of Bell Biv DeVoe's "Poison" to catch a glimpse of his storied Technics techniques. DAVE SEGAL

See also: My Philosophy

D.O.A., MDC, the Insurgence, Dreadful Children, Y.I.A.

(El Corazón) This kind of middle-aged punk-pioneer lineup can often come across as a cash grab. But the legacies of both D.O.A. and MDC reflect the dedication of lifelong rabble-rousers, not career musicians. D.O.A.'s Joe Keithley has always been a political activist, even running for election in Vancouver on the Green Party ticket. Long before such stances were standard within the punk community, MDC's Dave Dictor championed vegetarianism and gay rights—perhaps best displayed by a now-famous confrontation with Bad Brains over their homophobic actions directed toward Big Boys' out-and-proud singer. Though both D.O.A. and MDC had their share of missteps over the years (Loggerheads and Smoke Signals, respectively), the impact of their early work and continued commitment to their ideals keeps them relevant 30 years later. BRIAN COOK

Kandi Coded, Valis, ASG

(Sunset) Kandi Coded is the unflattering name of producer Jack Endino's latest band. The man who worked controls for records by Nirvana, High on Fire, Murder City Devils, and Tad plays guitar in this quartet with guitarist/vocalist Jamie Lynn, drummer Johnny Graziadei, and bassist Sam MacDonald. Their newest album, Fell for the Gift, is meat-and-taters rock with punk, grunge, and metal elements all conventionally aligned in burly, hirsute linearity, with vocals that sound like Lemmy's, if he'd never smoked a cigarette in his life. Kandi Coded's music is as exotic as a burger and a PBR, which means that the Sunset likely will be packed tonight. DAVE SEGAL

And there's always more in our complete music calendar listings.