It's on today!

STAGE
Garrison Keillor
The fans of Garrison Keillor are a fierce bunch whose radios have for years been tuned religiously on Saturday nights to public radio’s resurrected “A Prairie Home Companion.” And it’s no wonder: A deadpan exemplar of the word “wry,” Keillor has a singular way with the tall tale and an old-fashioned, provincial wit that borders on —and sometimes plunges into — sentimentality. All this serves as a sort of a warning: When Keillor appears tonight at the Pantages Theater, the staunch are certain to turn out in legions. If you count yourself among them, get your tickets NOW! — Suzy Stump

[Pantages Theater, 7:30 p.m., $48-$70, 901 Broadway, Tacoma, 253.591.5894]

ROCK
Fear Train Caravan
Call them indie rock, call them folk rock, or acoustic-based Americana rock, but the common denominator remains the same: it’s the rock. Fear Train Caravan uses catchy hooks and groove-infused beats to lure fans out to dance, and once enthralled, so begins the unconscious feeding of politics heavy lyrics. Musicians have long used the stage to tell their tale, get their point of view out there or just be heard. In the fashion of early blues-laced Rolling Stones, the fury of pre-1990’s U2, and a healthy dose of obvious storyteller hero à la Eddie Vedder style vocals, FTC’s memorable music drips with searing social unrest, highlighting needed change, delivered by singer Ben Fuller who both writes and believes his own lyrics (no pop puppet there). — Jennifer Johnson

[Jazzbones, with North Twin, 7:30 p.m., all ages, $5, 2803 Sixth Ave., Tacoma, 253.396.9169]

SWING
Vince Brown
Vince Brown is no stranger to string swing fans in the Northwest. As a part of the Tune Stranglers, Hot Club Sandwich and the duo Red and Ruby with LaVon Hardison, Brown’s nimble fingers have delighted audiences for more than 30 years. Beginning tonight, the guitarist/banjoist/ukulele-ist will host Swing Set every Thursday at the Dockside Bistro in Olympia. Each week, Brown will be joined by a different guest musician to jam in the spirit of Django Rienhardt. Tonight he is pleased to welcome swing violin legend Paul Anastasio. — Tony Engelhart

[The Dockside Bistro, 7-9 p.m., all ages, no cover, 501 Columbia St., Olympia, 360.956.1928]

SYNTH PUNK
Unicorn Basement
Part New Wave, part punk and part noise rock, Unicorn Basement is an experimental synth duet who are as quirky as Zappa, but their low-fi synthetic sound is more accessible than the king of proto-punk.

With influences as vast as Stereolab to Bowie, they are well versed in the art of musical experimentation. Yet, akin to the Velvet Underground, the music is not complex. But rather they rely on simplicity versus intricacy, which makes them a fun listen. Vocally, Unicorn is slightly robotic, which fits in with the early 1980s-sounding synthesizers they operate. — TE

[Le Voyeur, with Your Drugs My Money, 10 p.m., no cover, 404 Fourth Ave. E., Olympia, 360.943.5710]

MORE MUSIC: In the clubs tonight.