THURSDAY, JAN. 19, 2012>>>

1. UPDATE: This show has been canceled. If Paul Westerberg was a comedian, he would probably sound a lot like Matt Davis. Issuing a comedic stance equal parts brazen honesty and smarmy sarcasm, Davis's brand of comedy has earned the comic high awards, big audiences and television appearances. Believing nothing is 'off-limits' his material ranges from the taboo and unspoken to the simple facets and truths of everyday life all spun together by an off track train of thought at full steam ahead. Catch Davis with Alex Knoll and Rich Shultis at 7:30 p.m. for the Comedy in the Box show inside the Washington Center. Warning: If you are wearing retro clothing, Davis will make fun of you.

2. There are a lot of artist-made postcards in the Wish You Were Here postcard exhibit at the Kenneth J. Minnaert Center for the Arts Gallery at South Puget Sound Community College, which runs from noon to 4 p.m. today. More than 75 local and regional artists submitted more than 250 works. The postcards include paintings, prints, photography, drawing, ceramics, sculpture and mixed media. Read Weekly Volcano visual arts critic Alec Clayton's review of the show here.

3. Tonight during Third Thursday Artslip the Brick House Gallery will host Self Portraits: Past to Present, a show of 18 artists exhibiting self portraits in variou sstyles - from classically literal to wildly conceptual. See how they see themselves from 5-9 p.m.

4. UPDATE: Tonight's recpetion has been postponed for a week. Debuting today with a special opening reception from 6-9 p.m., Dawn of 2012 at Fulcrum Gallery is a collection of Tacoma artists ready to break out - on the cusp and ready for someone to brightly shine a light on their work. That's exactly what Fulcrum, and proprietor Oliver Dorris, plans to do. Featuring the work of Julian Pena, Kelsi Finney, Gabriel Brown, Kirsten Marie Pisto, Meghan Mitchell and Branden Urban, Fulcrum says to expect of the show, "a spectrum of graphic forms, surrealistic imagery and repurposed material."

5. Swing dancing's Africanist cousin, blues dancing, hits the Olympia Eagles Ballroom in the form of OlyBlues every Thursday at 9 p.m. Blues dancing derives from the so-called "Black vernacular" of Southern dance styles and includes such moves as the Lindy and the irresistibly named "Funky Butt." Worst-case scenario: you have two left feet but get to listen to Nina Simone.

LINK: More arts and entertainment events in the South Sound

LINK: Live music and DJs tonight

LINK: This week's freebies

Filed under: 5 Things To Do, Arts, Music, Comedy, Olympia, Tacoma,