STAGE

'Cool Yule

Northwest Dance Project's new dance works from Portland choreographers Sarah Slipper, Carla Mann, Minh Tran, Tracey Durbin, Kemba Shannon and Andrea Parson are performed to the live jazz of Portland's Blue Cranes.

7 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 16, 7 p.m. and 9 p.m., Friday-Saturday, Dec. 17-18, Northwest Dance Project Studio and Performance Center, 833 N. Shaver St., nwdanceproject .org, $33 advance, $40 at door, $50 opening night (hosted artists reception)

Tashi Jones

The Brody Theater presents 'The Tashi Jones Christmas Special, with 'Mister Entertainment' back with an excruciatingly delightful holiday extravaganza, a spin off of the network TV holiday variety special with song, dance, crass commercialism and everything that's wrong with show business.

8 p.m. Friday-Saturday, Dec. 17-18, Brody Theater, 16 N.W. Broadway, 503-224-2227, $10, $7 students

MUSIC

Tuba Christmas concert

Nearly 200 tubas, and their players, will gather at Pioneer Courthouse Square for holiday tunes from a unique instrument.

1:30 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 11, Pioneer Courthouse Square, free

Eric Clapton

Heads up: The legendary guitarist returns to the Rose City for a concert Feb. 28, with tickets on sale now. He arrives on the heels of releasing his most recent album, 'Clapton,' which features an all-star cast of JJ Cale, drummer Jim Keltner, bassist Willie Weeks and keyboardist Walt Richmond, as well as Steve Winwood and Wynton Marsalis, Sheryl Crow, Allen Toussaint and Derek Trucks. He's also assembled an all-star cast for his tour.

7:30 p.m. Monday, Feb. 28, Rose Garden, 1-877-789-7673, $45-$125

Christmas raps

Hip-hoppers, the show to catch featuresThe Grouch with DJ Fresh, Brother Ali with DJ Snuggles, Eligh and Los Rakas for the annual 'How the Grouch Stole Christmas Tour.'

9 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 11, Wonder Ballroom, 128 N.E. Russell St., 503-284-8686, $18 in advance, $20 day of show

MISC.

Newspace auction

A holiday print auction of photographs will help raise money for expansion of Newspace Center for Photography facilities and scholarships - there are 50 photographs by 50 different photographers for sale, starting at $50 each.

6 p.m. Friday, Dec. 10, Newspace Center for Photography, 1632 S.E. 10th Ave., www.newspacephoto.org, free

Smile Train benefit

Standup comedian Tristian Spillman will put on a comedy showcase show for Smile Train, which helps children fix mouth abnormalities like cleft lip.

10 p.m. Friday, Dec. 10, Bagdad Theater, 3702 S.E. Hawthorne Blvd., www.smiletrain.org, $10