Monday Feb. 26

Stoley has quite a story: alt-rock Chicago DJ, leader of the band the Lupins, recipient of MTV's rent-free luxury apartment to promote its movie, "Joe's Apartment," spot actor on "Late Night at Conan O'Brien" - including his role as a gun-toting NASCAR driving Jesus. He also put together a power trio he calls Stoley P.T., short for, uh, Stoley Power Trio. (Stoley is on guitar and vocals; Berklee College of Music grad Rob Draghi is on drums and producer Mark Turrigiano is on bass.) Stoley calls what the band plays on their CD, "Lesson #1" "a cross between Pavement and the Pixies trying to pretned they're pretty likek Olivia Newton-John." If you haven't gathered by now, there's a fair amount of humor and rock in what Stoley does. In "T.Y.S.," the opening cut, he sings, "Good morning chest pains, it's good to have you back where you belong." In the next, "Honey Mixture," he keeps singing "Life is easy when you die ... This is the way we get out! This is the way we get out!" It's a full-tilt song, indeed reminiscent of Pavement. Stoley explains his ethos this way: "Life can be a drag. We try and cover that up with drugs and lies, but you may as well ride it out to its inevitable conclusion. And why not express that with a happy pop hook so we can all sing along and share in the comfort of communal hopelessness?" Smart guy, this Stoley. Catch 'em at the Middle East Upstairs Monday Feb. 26. They're the middle act between Molecule (at 9 p.m.) and Slow Motion Driver. Tickets: $8.

472 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge, 617-864-3278 mideastclub.com