Have Yourself A Grungy Little Christmas -- Porno For Pyros Makes `Ball' Concert That Much Hotter

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"Deck the Hall Ball" presented by KNDD/The End, with Porno for Pyros, Sonic Youth, Oasis, Everclear, Jawbreaker, the Rentals and Tripping Daisy, 5 p.m. Saturday, Seattle Center Arena; sold out. ----------------------------------------------------------------- The End has scored a coup by snaring Porno for Pyros for its annual marathon holiday concert. Although never a major commercial success, the band is revered for pushing the envelope - not so much musically as for performance art.

Perry Farrell's elusive band hasn't appeared much since its infamous, circuslike 1993-'94 tour, when Farrell and company performed with a gaggle of shock-tactic carnival-like acts, including a hermaphrodite who sprayed water on the audience during the song "Cursed Male," twin Madonna look-alikes who performed simulated lesbian sex during "Cursed Female," and a murderous clown who stalked Farrell during "Packin' .25." Other, more mundane performers, including a fire-eater, a high-wire act, a gymnast, ballerinas and go-go dancers, crowded the stage, often obscuring the band.

Rather than enhancing Porno for Pyros' show, the extravaganza smothered it, according to critics. "Farrell may have pulled off more of a performance-art routine than even he intended," one wrote, "ritual commercial suicide before a large crowd."

Finishing up a new album

PforP made a few surprise appearances on last summer's annual Lollapalooza tour, which Farrell organized, as he has done yearly since he came up with the idea for the original Lollapalooza. But perhaps because of the stinging '93-'94 tour reviews, they were short, low-key affairs on one of the secondary stages. Earlier, the band performed at Woodstock 94, resulting in a cut called "Porno for Pyros" on the "Woodstock 94" double CD.

The band is now putting the finishing touches on "Good Gods' Urge," which is only its second album, following "Porno for Pyros," released in the spring of 1993. Said to be inspired by Farrell's surfing trips to Bali, Fiji and Tahiti, the new CD has 10 new songs, including three debuted at Woodstock: "Tahitian Moon," "Paradise Head" and the title cut.

Farrell's lunacy can be inspired (like the song "Been Caught Stealing" by Jane's Addiction, his previous band), but often is little more than childish rantings and smutty naughtiness. And even his staunchest defenders admit he sometimes arrives on stage too drunk, or whatever, to deliver the goods. But that's what makes this appearance so intriguing - what will we see? A triumph? Shambles? Or something in-between? With Farrell, you never know.

And then there's Oasis

Oasis should also prove fascinating. In one way, at least, the show will be a huge comedown for the band, which earlier this month set a record for the biggest indoor concert audiences in England's history - two shows each with 19,000 fans, at London's Earls Court.

Obviously, Oasis is much bigger at home than in America, a market it would love to conquer. It is beginning to make a dent with "Wonderwall," a single from its "(What's the Story) Morning Glory" album, which is getting airplay on modern-rock stations. But its retro style, inspired by '60s bands, probably won't make as big a splash here, where the trend is more toward aggressive, energized hard rock.

Sonic Youth has already been here three times this year, with R.E.M. at the Gorge in May, headlining Lollapalooza at the Gorge on July Fourth, and at the Paramount just four weeks ago. Playing here again amounts to overkill, even though the longtime band is the doyen of alternative rock. You can get too much of a good thing.

A couple of acts at the bottom of the bill are more interesting. The Rentals, a side project by members of Weezer, has one of the most insidious songs of the year with "Friends of P." It's a simple little minimalist ditty, but it worms its way into your head and plays there on a tape loop. Once you hear it, you can't get it out of your mind.

Tripping Daisy has a similar song called "I Got a Girl." It's plain, simple, direct and funny, like a not-too-bright guy shyly bragging about his first girlfriend. Maybe the pure simplicity of it is what makes it so compelling.

Everclear, from Portland, also has played here three times this year already, including this summer at Endfest. It's a tight, powerful band most noted for the blistering "Heroin Girl." Jawbreaker is a New York band with a similar hard-driving style, as heard on its debut album, "Dear You."