>>> Friday, Dec. 21

PLATEAU

As a music writer, it becomes easy to fall into a pattern of being drawn to difficult or bizarre music. Everything else has a tendency to blend together, which often results in me choosing to write about some 40-piece vibraphone collective or an Ecuadorian goth duo that devotes their set to cathartic screaming/crying. Still, though, I'm an unabashed fan of the exquisite pop song - of the perfect hook. Plateau will always draw me to them, with how they crib (in a good way) from the likes of the Beatles, Big Star, the Four Seasons and countless other masters of the three-minute pop wonder. Their flawless harmonies, toe-tap-baiting handclaps, and pristinely jangling guitars - it all adds up to supremely repeatable listening. Plateau is a band that eschews gimmick in favor of instant classic style and songwriting. - Rev. Adam McKinney

LE VOYEUR, W/ LOST WOODS, FANTASY TALK, 9 P.M., NO COVER, 404 E. FOURTH AVE., OLYMPIA, 360.943.5710

>>> Friday, Dec. 21

THE MCTUFF TRIO

These days jazz, in its original swing, bebop or even cool variations, is a hard find. Jazz performed today in the South Sound fuses with funk, soul, rock and dance. I get it. Younger generations have worked to evolve the old style into new, unique sounds. No group so deftly encompasses all the sub-genres of jazz as do The McTuff Trio. Comprised of Joe Doria, Andy Coe, Byron Vannoy, the trio welcomes back the world-renowned saxophonist Skerik for a performance at the Olympia Ballroom. Dubbed the "soulstice," the party will be packed with McTuff fans who aren't afraid to get their dance on. Expect long jams that cross the barriers of jazz with powerful keyboards, rhythmic drums, screaming sax and sometimes fuzz-distorted guitar. Expect a trippy light show. Bring a non-perishable food item and receive $3 off the cover. All donations go to the Thurston County Food Bank. As the Facebook event page says, "You don't want to miss this. We are going to funk you right in the earballs!" Righteous. - Nikki McCoy

THE OLYMPIA BALLROOM, WITH ELDRIDGE GRAVY AND THE COURT SUPREME, FRIDAY, DEC 21, 8 P.M., $13, 116 LEGION WAY, OLYMPIA

>>> Saturday, Dec. 22

HOT RODDIN' ROMEOS

The culture of rockabilly is such a peculiar one, to me. This is a group of people (kinda like those mod weirdos) who bond over a very specific aesthetic - this antiquated genre of music, which has grown over the years to morph slowly with punk, creating this style all its own. With song titles such as "Six Inch Heels and Dynamite" and "Kitten's a Tiger," you'd hardly need to listen to know that the perpetrators, Hot Roddin' Romeos, are pure rockabilly through and through. Their music is nothing but blistering, skittering rockabilly punk, complete with the requisite tattoos, stand-up bass, curled lips and generous amounts of pomade. Saturday, they'll be joined by fellow rockabilly devotees, Hard Money Saints, which should effectively turn O'Malley's into a case study in this very particular subculture. - Rev. AM

O'MALLEY'S IRISH PUB, W/ HARD MONEY SAINTS, THE REPO MEN, 9 P.M., NO COVER, 2403 SIXTH AVE., TACOMA, 253.627.9403

>>> Sunday, Dec. 23

THE BROTHERHOOD LOUNGE

It has been 10 years since The Brotherhood morphed from the dank, labor bar into one of Olympia's beloved hotspots; 10 years of soul nights, dance parties and more bands than you can ever want to count. By the time owner Pit Kwiecinski purchased The Brotherhood in September 2002, he was ready to get out of the dance club business selling longtime Olympia hotspot Thekla. After four months of extensive renovation, a new Olympia hotspot was born. Although the bar had been around for decades, Kwiecinski loved the spot and made an offer for the bar, which the owner accepted. To celebrate that auspicious occasion The Brotherhood is throwing a 10-year bash featuring the highlights of the 2012 "Night of the Living Tribute Bands": The Cure and The Scorpions. Tying the event together will be the ever-raucous R&B tunes slapped down by the bar's longtime resident madman, DJ Wildman James. The cover charge benefits the Thurston County Food Bank. - Timothy Grisham

THE BROTHERHOOD LOUNGE, 9 P.M., $3, 119 CAPITOL WAY N., OLYMPIA, 360.352.4153