>>> Friday, Jan. 18
ELBOW COULEE
Much has been said (by me, at some times) about how Elbow Coulee sounds like the meeting between pop-punk and dancey synth-rock, but the truth is that the band's range is larger than that. I mean, yeah, lead singer Andrew Tuller's voice does tend to sound pretty similar to that of the dude from the Offspring - but other than that, there are flourishes of lite prog-rock guitar noodling, mixing with dips into '90s emo and tight, spiky, early '00s dance-punk. It's a soup of offbeat rock from throughout the past couple decades, which makes for an intriguing and rather time-traveling listening experience, like flipping around the radio dial and landing on The End, KISW, or college radio, depending on which song (or, even, which verse) you happen to be hearing. - Rev. Adam McKinney
THE NEW FRONTIER LOUNGE, W/ TREES AND TIMBER, 9 P.M., COVER TBA, 301 E. 25TH ST., TACOMA, 253.572.4020
>>> Friday, Jan. 18
DUSTY 45s
For most Olympians with even a passive interest in attending live shows, Dusty 45s is a known quantity. Truth is, I shouldn't have to tell you about the band's renowned blend of rockabilly, honky tonk, folk and Americana, because you probably already know. You also may already know that it served as famed rockabilly queen Wanda Jackson's backing band on the tour to support her Jack White produced album, or toured with Adele at the height of her rise to fame. The Seattle band has become an institution, and when it returns to Olympia at the Royal Lounge Jan. 18 it is a homecoming of sorts for one of its members. Drummer/backing vocalist Kelly Van Camp is a Thurston County native who performed in the early '90s power pop group The Noses, which featured John Merrithew of C Average and Tim Brown of the Dirty Birds. - Timothy Grisham
THE ROYAL LOUNGE, 8 P.M., $10, 311 CAPITOL WAY N., OLYMPIA
>>> Saturday, Jan. 19
CHARLYNE YI
Let's just cut to the chase, here: Charlyne Yi (who you may know from movies like Knocked Up and her own quasi-documentary Paper Heart) will be swinging through town on Saturday. Yi, a resident of the out-of-control great Los Angeles indie comedy scene, is a true original. Bizarre, hilarious, and utterly unique, Charlyne Yi's music finds itself somewhere between performance art, anti-folk and sketch comedy. Though she seems unassuming and shy, she is completely confident in the way that she follows rabbit holes down into insane and unexpected places. Sometimes - like in a video called "Cannot," wherein she makes up one side of her body to be a man and serenades herself - she manages to be surprisingly touching, as well. What she does is basically indescribable, so you'd do best to see it for yourself. - Rev AM
NORTHERN, W/HO HO SILVER OH, SUNSHINE AND IRONY, MOTHERMIND, 9 P.M., $5, 414 1/2 LEGION WAY, OLYMPIA
>>> Saturday, Jan. 19
ELVIS BIRTHDAY BASH
Have you heard of Robert Washington? Lemme tell you, anytime he visits Olympia, he gets us all shook up. He swoons the ladies and wows the crowd with his World Champion Elvis impersonating. And while his press release tells about Washington's "efforts to crack the color barrier," I'm just gonna come out and say it. It's black Elvis! In celebration of Elvis's birthday, (he would have been 78) Washington will appear live on stage, belting out the classics from the '50s, '60s and '70s. In addition to his performance, there will a screening of the documentary, Almost Elvis, which follows contenders, including Washington, on their quest to be crowned "King" at the World Championships. Cake, a costume contest and kisses from The King will add to the fun. - Nikki McCoy
CAPITOL THEATER, 7:30 P.M. MOVIE, 9:30 P.M. CONCERT, $15, 206 FIFTH AVE., SE, OLYMPIA, 360.754.6670
>>> Sunday, Jan. 20
RAINY DAY RECORDS PARTY
Celebrate 40 years of records, skateboards, rock shirts and nag champa at Rainy Day's birthday celebration Sunday at The Brotherhood Lounge. Former and present Rainy Day employees will be spinning tunes. DJ Action Slacks will take a break from her regular gig at Sugar Town club in Portland to give the soul people of Olympia some good tunes. Wildman James Maeda and Chris Sutton will also spin the jams. 100 percent of the proceeds from the $3 cover will benefit Planned Parenthood. - NM
BROTHERHOOD LOUNGE, SUNDAY, JAN 20, 9 P.M., $3, 119 CAPITOL WAY, OLYMPIA, 360.352.4153.