» Local improv-metal duo Palo Verde exact sludgy guitar riffs and spot-on progressive heaviness with a tight musicality that belies the very nature of improvisation.

» Play/start, also from Portland, dip into garage-punk with a riot grrl bent, brewing a concoction of fun but moody New Wave rock.

» Seattle’s The Redwood Plan ooze Gossip-esque Northwest dance-rock, awash in synthesizers and meaty hooks that will coax those joints to swivel and sway in utter abandon. The band made a recent splash at South By Southwest in Austin, Texas and hit number 1 on Seattle indie radio station KEXP’s Northwest Charts.

» Portland-by-way-of-LA rockers Magic Johnson blaze a sloppy, slippery and downright addictive chasm of Spanish-sung punk. They at “Pinker Shade of Gay” armed with more local buzz than a Mt. Tabor beehive.

» Minimalist art-rockers Minerva wield a soft-edged musical sheen, rounded out by warm cello, distant guitars and therapeutic vocals from singer Jana Cushman, while drummer Jason Drost backbones the whole shebang with stoic rhythms. “A Pinker Shade of Gay” offers a taste for every show-goer in Portland. The benefit begins at 7 p.m. and continues until midnight. Admission is all ages, and there is a sliding scale of $3–$10. Organizers emphasize that no one will be turned away. Earplugs not included.

» Local improv-metal duo Palo Verde exact sludgy guitar riffs and spot-on progressive heaviness with a tight musicality that belies the very nature of improvisation.

» Play/start, also from Portland, dip into garage-punk with a riot grrl bent, brewing a concoction of fun but moody New Wave rock.

» Seattle’s The Redwood Plan ooze Gossip-esque Northwest dance-rock, awash in synthesizers and meaty hooks that will coax those joints to swivel and sway in utter abandon. The band made a recent splash at South By Southwest in Austin, Texas and hit number 1 on Seattle indie radio station KEXP’s Northwest Charts.

» Portland-by-way-of-LA rockers Magic Johnson blaze a sloppy, slippery and downright addictive chasm of Spanish-sung punk. They at “Pinker Shade of Gay” armed with more local buzz than a Mt. Tabor beehive.

» Minimalist art-rockers Minerva wield a soft-edged musical sheen, rounded out by warm cello, distant guitars and therapeutic vocals from singer Jana Cushman, while drummer Jason Drost backbones the whole shebang with stoic rhythms. “A Pinker Shade of Gay” offers a taste for every show-goer in Portland. The benefit begins at 7 p.m. and continues until midnight. Admission is all ages, and there is a sliding scale of $3–$10. Organizers emphasize that no one will be turned away. Earplugs not included.

» Local improv-metal duo Palo Verde exact sludgy guitar riffs and spot-on progressive heaviness with a tight musicality that belies the very nature of improvisation.

» Play/start, also from Portland, dip into garage-punk with a riot grrl bent, brewing a concoction of fun but moody New Wave rock.

» Seattle’s The Redwood Plan ooze Gossip-esque Northwest dance-rock, awash in synthesizers and meaty hooks that will coax those joints to swivel and sway in utter abandon. The band made a recent splash at South By Southwest in Austin, Texas and hit number 1 on Seattle indie radio station KEXP’s Northwest Charts.

» Portland-by-way-of-LA rockers Magic Johnson blaze a sloppy, slippery and downright addictive chasm of Spanish-sung punk. They at “Pinker Shade of Gay” armed with more local buzz than a Mt. Tabor beehive.

» Minimalist art-rockers Minerva wield a soft-edged musical sheen, rounded out by warm cello, distant guitars and therapeutic vocals from singer Jana Cushman, while drummer Jason Drost backbones the whole shebang with stoic rhythms. “A Pinker Shade of Gay” offers a taste for every show-goer in Portland. The benefit begins at 7 p.m. and continues until midnight. Admission is all ages, and there is a sliding scale of $3–$10. Organizers emphasize that no one will be turned away. Earplugs not included.