Bands do their part to keep rock in the local music scene.

Byline: Serena Markstrom The Register-Guard

CONCERT PREVIEW Attack Ships on Fire, Speedshift, Trapped in a Minivan What: Rock When: 10 p.m. today Where: Diablo's/Downtown Lounge, 959 Pearl St. Cover: $5

There are a growing number of people in this town who believe there just aren't enough rock 'n' roll shows.

Oh, there are jams, punk rock and metal gigs aplenty, but the straight-up rock 'n' roll band playing catchy melodies may have a tougher time getting gigs.

A couple of local bands decided to do something about that and are hosting the Eugene Rock Celebration at Diablo's/Downtown Lounge tonight. It's an event they plan to put on several times a year.

Eugene bands Attack Ships on Fire and Speedshift are the headliners with another local act, Trapped in a Minivan, set to open. They are making a real party of it by giving away a bunch of prizes.

One prize is a custom air-brushed copy of a Les Paul guitar. Full Blown Kustoms donated the paint job, and the Guitar Center will have it on display until about 7 p.m. today.

Originally, the event was to be a dual CD release, but Speedshift is still working out details of its record contract, and as a result, the release of its album has been delayed. The band reports on its Myspace.com page that this is good news for fans, because the record will have wider distribution and a better sound.

But Attack Ships on Fire is ready to release its first full-length album, "Major Label Debut."

"The concept of having ASOF and Speedshift playing a show together was brought about by the redundancy seen at so many shows," Attack Ships singer Mike Bell says in an e-mail. "It's all punk or all metal or all jam band stuff.

`We decided to put something together that had two solid rock bands with very different sounds and to bring the party back to going out to see a show. It promises to be both a crazy and memorable night for everyone who decides to come out and celebrate rock!"

During a phone call, Bell says the band will play the whole album in the same track order as the disc, then a couple of hidden tracks from the CD before finishing with some new songs.

"Our songs are short, but it will be a long set," says Bell, who describes his band's sound as high energy, aggressive indie.

Or as the band's bio describes it: "a powerhouse of worldwide talent that blends feverish guitar riffs with a passionate vocal style to create a unique and blazingly fresh sound."

The songs cover topics ranging from reality television to one night stands to betrayal and the love of other people's hangovers, the bio says.

"Speedshift is," according to its profile on Myspace.com/speedshift, "a high flyin', death defyin' rock 'n' roll band with influences from Yellowcard to the Foo Fighters, the Ataris to Sugarcult.

`They're ready to rock your socks off with the perfect blend of raw power and melody."